Facenti, an Italian family-run enterprise founded 1923 in Brescia, has recently entered the high-end hosiery segment and speeded up its involvement with sustainable practices.
Alto Milano upcycled socks
The company, led by Michela Facenti, granddaughter of the founders, has seen the entry in recent years, of the fourth generation of entrepreneurs, represented by Giulia Baratti, creative director of the main brand Alto Milano, (whose name stays for “high Milano”) and her brother Paolo Baratti, responsible for e-commerce development.
The energy and enthusiasm of the new generation, guided by the experience of the company’s CEO, have led to the redefinition of the strategies of the group, which will soon celebrate its first century of life, and to the achievement of some significant results.
Alto MIlano's Out of Socks capsule collection
While aiming to expand its distribution channels and international growth, the company has foremost reviewed its product range, has increased its offer and added some brand extensions and capsule collections including knitwear, scarves and accessories, along with men's swimwear, slippers and espadrilles.
Alto Milano's hat capsule collection
From a sustainable perspective, Giulia Baratti, has studied some processes to reuse production waste, old collections and various remains in different, creative ways. For example, she has developed a technique for recycling production leftovers by creating a capsule collection of knitwear - Out of Socks. More recently, she has also reused elements from the production of socks that would otherwise have been thrown away and created special ties to decorate a line of hats. She has also developed a collection of socks in certified Oeko-Tex organic cotton, but also re-invented archive, old collection socks or knitwear pieces by hand-painting them or treating them with tie-and-dye techniques.
Alto Milano handprinted scarf
These projects have helped Alto Milano achieve a higher positioning for its renewed style and greater attention to environmental issues, while it has helped to raise the average purchase receipt to €90-.
Gulia Baratti, creative director, Alto Milano
"The current project of expansion, evolution and corporate renewal would not have been possible without the guidance of our mother and the values she has always handed down to us," commented Giulia Baratti, creative director of Alto Milano. "I am a huge believer in the importance of promoting an ethical approach to work and the need to commit to running a sustainable business both ecologically and socially."
Alto Milano's capsule collection of upcycled and handpainted archive pieces
Paolo Baratti, e-commerce development manager added: "The digitization of processes and investments on the e-commerce channel have proved to be fundamental in the pandemic period, but the results of e-commerce, have also strengthened us in the conviction that our products have an important potential for development at an international level. Already today we are present with dedicated corners inside large and luxury European department stores and on the main marketplaces in Germany, our most important market after Italy, such as Konen, Ludwig Beck and Kennel, and in the United States, in stores including Frances Heffernan."
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