Italia Independent

Independent Italy

FOLLOWING BRAND

ADDRESS

Country: Italy

CONTACT

Email: info@pec.italiaindependent.com
Glasses: Female, Male

Discover the brand

Italia Independent Group S.p.A. – listed company (IIG – Euronext Growth Milan/MAC) – through its subsidiaries, is a design and style company specialized in the distribution of sunglasses and prescription frames. Thanks to her expertise in product design, including outside industry, she can avail herself of prestigious licenses and commercial collaborations with international companies whose main activity is made up of different categories of products.

The Italian Independent portfolio includes: brands own Italia Independent and Laps Collection and brands Under license: Hublot (LVMH group) and CR7 Cristiano Ronaldo (for the first time in the glasses sector).

The Italia Independent model focuses on creative capacity, product quality development and a wholesale distribution model. The distribution model makes it possible to fully appreciate the best quality of the product and a distribution policy adapted to the needs of the brand.

History and highlights

 

The company LA S.p.A., today Italia Independent S.p.A., was established on 1 August 2006. The birth of brand Italia Independent dates back to January 2007, with the promotion and launch of a single product with innovative features, namely a pair of hand made sunglasses in Italy made of carbon fiber, at a retail price of 1,007 €. From the outset, the group's strategy focused on concentration and differentiation, with the aim of drawing media attention to the brand Italia Independent and to broadcast the « philosophy » of the brand.
In June 2007, the group's founders created Independent Ideas to capitalize on their expertise in communication activities. Also in 2007, the Group acquired a 17.5% minority interest in We Care S.r.l., the owner of the brand Care Label, specializing in the production of high quality denim, for the provision of branding, communication and product development support activities.

In 2008, the company L.A. Holding, today Italia Independent Group S.p.A., was created, conceived as a holding company at the head of the group, through which the entrepreneurial activities of Lapo Edovard Elkann, the other founding partners and the top management of the group in the fields of bezeling, design and communication were streamlined. 2008 is also the first year in which the brand Italia Independent becomes significantly popular, with the launch of the first collection of sunglasses and some clothing products, and brand the beginning of the first collaborations with brands important such as Borsalino (chaps), Arfango (shoes), Iveco (cars) and Pantofola d-Oro (shoes).

In 2009, the group decided to focus on its core business, the glasses, by granting clothing production to Brama Sportswear. In the eyewear sector, the Group presents the first optical frames and the beginning of an integrated and direct management of the organisational model. Distribution reached about 220 customers in Italy and distribution abroad has also begun; A temporary shop was also opened in Saint Tropez. At the same time, the ongoing collaborations with Arfango and Borsalino are joined by those with Spy (a ski mask manufacturer) and Alfa Romeo.

In 2010, the Italian Independent product range expanded with the presentation of the first velvet glasses (I-velvet). The distribution network reaches around 650 customers in Italy and continues to expand abroad. New collaborations are also being launched with Dinh Van (a company that produces men's jewellery), Meritalia (active in the furniture sector), Diesel (jeans) and Vans (shoe company).

Evolution of the group

 

In 2011, the group further expanded its product range by introducing the I-thin family of glasses to the market and expanding the range of models and colours available. The distribution reaches about 1,000 customers in Italy.
New collaborations are also being developed with Orciani (belt manufacturer), bStripe/Blossom (ski manufacturers), Toy Watch (watches) and Meritalia (furniture collection inspired by the historical Fiat 500).
The year 2011 was also marked by the opening of the first monobrand franchised stores in Alassio, Alessandria and Courmayeur, and by the launch of the communication campaign with historical characters and the slogan » Be independent « . Everywhere » Japan and Scandinavia.

The group's development continued in 2012 with the introduction of the I-cons family and the I-teen family, the first family specifically designed for children and adolescents. The distribution network of the group has about 1,400 customers in Italy and its presence abroad is also consolidated.
During 2012, new collaborations were launched with important partners, including Juventus, Eclectic (men's jackets), Invicta (sacs), K-way (sports jackets), Bear (bathmails), Mark Mahoney (dedicated goggles line), Victorias Secret (dedicated goggles line), Smeg (refrigerators), Vertu (portable phones) and Able to enjoy (rolling flaws for the disabled). The project « shop in shop » was also launched, i.e. the establishment of Italia Independent corners at selected opticians, with the aim of creating traffic at home and increasing sales of glasses.

Five new monobrand franchise stores have also been opened in Bergamo, Porto Montenegro, Bologna, Turin and Sestriere, as well as the first retail outlet of Turin headquarters. At the end of 2012, the licence granted to Brama Sportswear for the production of lifestyle products ends and the group begins to produce in-house.

The group started the process of internationalisation of the brand : in September 2012, Italia Independent USA Corp. was created in Miami to manage the American market and local units in France and Spain; Some distribution contracts have also been concluded in the Middle East, Japan and other countries.
The development of Independent Ideas continues, with the signing of major new contracts in 2012, for example with Ferrari, Baglietto, Juventus, Jeep, Smeg and Vertu.

In September 2020, Italia Independent will inaugurate its Flagship Store Meneghino at issue 24 of Via Fiori Chiari – in the heart of Brera, a magical place of romantic and bohemian character, a district of artists, students and intellectuals who have made it an environment of great charm, elegance and creativity.

Rewards

 

Italia Independent has received official recognition from MIT Technology Review Italia, the Italian edition of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology magazine dedicated to technological innovation, which included it among the 10 most innovative Italian companies in 2014, in the category « smart & disruptive ». This award recognizes achievements in research and innovation in Italy Independent, the first company in the world to introduce the velvet effect into glasses.

Another important technological innovation contributed to the award: I-Thermic, another exclusive of Italy Independent. Two real innovations « Made in Italy » which have made a strong innovative contribution to the global bezel market.

Collaborations and licensing

 

Numerous collaborations have been carried out over the years with prestigious international companies – dadidas Originals in Hublot, through Ducati – with which I-I has developed exclusive and unique products. These activities confirm the validity of the business model focused on glasses, but supported by prestigious partnerships that give Italia Independent brand multipurpose.

In 2014, Italia Independent and Hublot signed a multi-annual agreement for the synergistic creation of a series of products in their respective areas of excellence. Eyeglasses and watches with avant-garde characteristics, both stylistic and technical, capable of valuing the know-how of the two companies, who have worked closely together in their development. The project was presented at the press conference held in Baselworld in March 2014.

Since 2015, Italia Independent has officially entered the licensing world, entering into exclusive partnerships with some of the world's most important companies: Hublot (LVMH), adidas, The Walt Disney Company Italia, BBC, Juventus, Fiat 500 and many others.

In January 2020, the Italia Independent Group announced the signing of an exclusive five-year global agreement between Italia Independent and the brand by Cristiano Ronaldo for the creation of collections of glasses licensed under the brand CR7.

The new CR7 Eyewear collection is available at the official online shop www.cr7-eyewear.com, at the Italia Independent store located Via Fiori Chiari in Milan, among the best opticians in the world and on some e-commerce platforms.

In September 2020, Italia Independent Group announced the signing of an international agreement to renew the licence agreement between Italia Independent and Hublot until 31 December 2024 for the creation of Eyewear collections. The renewal – signed before the expiry date of the previous agreement – confirms the relationship of great confidence and esteem created in recent years between the Swiss luxury manufacturer and Italia Independent.

In February 2021, Italia Independent announced the signing of a two-year sponsorship agreement with Enea Bastianini. The sponsorship agreement includes the launch of a line of Italia Independent glasses, of which Lapo Elkann and Enea Bastianini work directly on the design.

In June 2021, a three-year agreement was signed for the creation of licensed glasses collections with Pacha, the brand lifestyle and entertainment that is one of the most emblematic and internationally known. The first co-branded collection between Pacha and the Group came out during the summer and was put on sale in Pacha's shops and at the two companies' e-commerce site.

 

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