Latest news with #Tamponi
Fashion United
27-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
Integrating AI into the organisational structure: Are companies at Pitti ready?
Global spending on artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to more than double by 2028, reaching 632 billion dollars, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide AI and Generative AI Spending Guide. Additionally, as Jorge Amar, senior partner at McKinsey, highlights in a report, "we are entering a world where we will have to think of our workforce as both agency-driven and human". Incorporating virtual AI-based workers with specific roles, usernames and corporate passwords into the organisational structure This means that, in the near future, virtual AI-based workers with specific roles, individual "memories", usernames and corporate passwords could be "incorporated" into the company. This prospect imposes, from the outset, the need for harmonisation between man and machine, to favour the adoption and integration of AI, which to date has produced tangible business results and values for companies worldwide. Toniolo (Valsport): We have not encountered any obstacles from employees in the adoption of AI But what is the current state of AI in fashion companies and what is the approach of managers to this revolutionary innovation? For Siro Toniolo, chairman of Rewind srl, a company that already operates in footwear production and which, in 2016, acquired Valsport, "our employees are used to using artificial intelligence; we have a communication system with programmes created ad hoc". "For now, therefore, we have not encountered any obstacles to the adoption of these innovative technologies," adds the chairman of the sports shoe brand, whose foundation dates back to 1920. At Valsport, AI is adopted primarily for e-commerce, "it supports us in the process, from when the order arrives to shipping". In other cases, with regard to research and stylistic analysis, for example, it is used, but it needs the intervention of the stylist, the professional. "The product has to be tried on, it has to be worn, the intervention of the modeller is needed," explains Toniolo, adding that the beauty of handcrafted footwear production also lies in the imperfection and uniqueness that is obtained when it is the artisan's hand that creates the product. Tamponi (Sebago and Superga): Openings of shoemaking schools are more desirable than AI learning modules Along the same lines, Marco Tamponi, global brand director of Sebago and Superga, said: "Our product is entirely hand-stitched, made by humans; those who make shoes create them with the lasts because you also have to see what the reaction of the materials is." The global brand director of two of the BasicNet Group brands, which, in addition to Superga and Sebago, also owns Kappa, Robe di Kappa, Jesus Jeans, Sabelt, Briko and K-Way, adds: "We use artificial intelligence for content development." According to Tamponi, in the field of production, openings of shoemaking schools are more desirable than artificial intelligence development and learning modules. AI agents can go beyond content creation to perform tasks based on specific instructions In short, at least in Made in Italy companies, for now the appearance of an organisational chart that includes AI agents alongside human brand colleagues does not seem imminent. Some companies, McKinsey experts warn, are already moving in this direction. AI agents can go beyond content creation to perform tasks based on specific instructions. "Agents perceive reality through their training, then make their own decisions and apply judgement, act and even learn from those actions," explains Amar. Among the business segments involved in experimenting with agency AI, for example, are the initial screening of all candidates for frontline jobs or the deployment of agents to train employees. Returning to fashion, on the other hand, content and e-commerce are the two main destinations for the use of artificial intelligence, also at La Martina. "We use artificial intelligence a great deal to manage processes related to e-commerce and customer service," Alessandro Milia, general manager of sales and marketing at La Martina, explained to FashionUnited. "Another use is in the area of content," stressed the manager of the company, which has carried out a specific reorganisation of the sales network in Italy, accompanied by the entry of new international partners. No help from AI, however, in the field of creativity and production. Tod's preserves tradition and promotes innovation at the same time Among the Italian fashion brands that "defend" production and creativity from the incursions of artificial intelligence agents is Tod's. About one month ago, Diego Della Valle, chairman of the Tod's Group, received the 'Changemaker Award for Craftsmanship' at the third edition of the Changemakers in Luxury Fashion event, organised by the Italian National Chamber of Fashion. The award celebrates his commitment to placing artisanal excellence and product quality at the heart of the group's identity in the Marche region, preserving tradition while promoting innovation, and passing on artisanal knowledge to new generations through initiatives such as the Bottega dei Mestieri. This vision is what Della Valle defines as 'Artisanal Intelligence', a fusion of human skill, cultural heritage and creativity projected towards the future, which continues to inspire the success and sustainability of Made in Italy. "Craftsmanship is the true essence of Italian luxury: a heritage made of hands, time and knowledge that cannot be replicated. It is a national value for Italy and must be protected and enhanced through concrete investments, starting with the training of young people," noted Della Valle during a video intervention at the Changemakers in Luxury Fashion event. This article was translated to English using an AI tool. FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up translating (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result. This saves our human journalists time they can spend doing research and writing original articles. Articles translated with the help of AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor prior to going online. If you have questions or comments about this process email us at info@
Fashion Network
19-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Basicnet expands Sebago lifestyle, celebrates century of the Superga 2750
Basicnet is turbocharging Sebago 's lifestyle expansion and is celebrating a century of the Superga 2750 with an unprecedented model homage to the brand's roots. The centennial shoe celebrates a return to the essence of Superga, as the Piedmont-based group's CEO Lorenzo Boglione explained from the Pitti booth. The result is a "restricted version compared to previous ones, in terms of volume and quantity of product. We tried to elevate it, make it more refined and perhaps closer to the Superga that survives in the memory of our most loyal customers," said Boglione. The newly appointed CEO of Basicnet, a position he has held with his brother Alessandro since last May, confirmed investments in Sebago apparel. "Shoes have been the driver of the brand's success over the past 6-7 years since we took it over. The idea is to continue to grow by telling the Sebago world in its entirety. That's how apparel was born, which today is a very fast-growing business at a time when the market is not easy," Boglione continued. During the press conference at Fortezza da Basso, Boglione Jr. reiterated the importance of the trade fair system for doing business today. "It is often said that trade shows are a legacy of the past. I believe there is no better place than a fair like Pitti to see and exchange opinions and ideas. We hope it will remain relevant for a long time because comparing is certainly the best way to start the season," noted Basicnet's CEO. Behind the development of both Basicnet brands is the painstaking work of their global brand manager, Marco Tamponi. "Sebago has experienced the moccasin phenomenon, which is growing along with the boat shoe phenomenon. With the clothing, we want to compact the preppy Ivy League culture in which the brand has its roots and push it into the contemporary. And we do this while respecting the cultural context to which Sebago belongs, which has created one of the canons of menswear, but without coming across as vintage," said Tamponi, since last February appointed to the creative, strategic, and international development direction of the American brand born in 1946, in Maine. An ever-expanding range that from this June will be enriched by a bar of soap resulting from a new collaboration between Sebago and a U.S. company. "The soap bar will have a rope to recall the soap used in boats that hung on the hook, then used in American universities by students who hung it in their lockers after showering between classes," the manager explained For the near future, Sebago already has other still top-secret collaborations on track that demonstrate the brand's ability to expand its boundaries beyond the shoe business. "I often walk into wonderful stores and don't buy the core product. In our flagships and wholesale distribution, Sebago has to show a depth of exploration that goes beyond the hero product. It can be a perfume, but also a blanket, as well as a bottle, a metal, or a cup," Tamponi pointed out. A work of exploration that is paying off, leading Sebago toward steady growth for several seasons now. "We are coming out of a period of great results. Women's weight today is at 50 percent of footwear. Clothing is still driving men's and accounts for about 25 to 30 percent of total sales," said the global brand manager. On the retail front, Sebago has launched new wholesale partnerships in the Middle East, Indonesia, and Thailand and wants to grow in the U.S. and Japanese markets. "We will close 2025 with about 20 directly controlled flagship stores in Europe, plus three stores in South Africa, two in Greece and four in the Philippines, managed by our local partners," Tamponi noted. "Culturally, we are returning to the glories of those Ivy League days. The preppy style was born when 20-somethings started using their parents' clothes. Today's 20-somethings are going back to espouse that kind of look and reinterpret it in a more urban way," the brand manager continued. Since February 2024, Superga has also been at the center of work to explore the brand's cultural heritage. "We had strayed a bit in recent years from the core and aesthetic of Superga. This collection wants to move away from the supremacy of the 2750, which remains our icon, by offering a range of silhouettes and opportunities for use. So we included macramé, raffia, linen, to return to the purity of the product. We 'cleaned up' the 2750 with a much more compact color palette that starts with ecru," Tamponi stressed. The centennial celebrations will continue with the publication of a book with Rizzoli. "We have owned Superga for more than 20 years and have never told its real story. With archivists and marketing teams, we studied historical products and originals to understand what Superga was and what it became," he revealed. The brand is traveling with double-digit growth rates and has opened 20 stores in two and a half years since 2023 with widespread distribution in Europe, the United States, the United Kingdom, Asia, and South Africa. "The stores are working great and the brand is going like a train. We don't make fashion, we make products. This is the core value of Basicnet. We make the brand and try to build the trend around the brand," Tamponi concluded.
Fashion Network
19-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Basicnet expands Sebago lifestyle, celebrates century of the Superga 2750
Basicnet is turbocharging Sebago 's lifestyle expansion and is celebrating a century of the Superga 2750 with an unprecedented model homage to the brand's roots. The centennial shoe celebrates a return to the essence of Superga, as the Piedmont-based group's CEO Lorenzo Boglione explained from the Pitti booth. The result is a "restricted version compared to previous ones, in terms of volume and quantity of product. We tried to elevate it, make it more refined and perhaps closer to the Superga that survives in the memory of our most loyal customers," said Boglione. The newly appointed CEO of Basicnet, a position he has held with his brother Alessandro since last May, confirmed investments in Sebago apparel. "Shoes have been the driver of the brand's success over the past 6-7 years since we took it over. The idea is to continue to grow by telling the Sebago world in its entirety. That's how apparel was born, which today is a very fast-growing business at a time when the market is not easy," Boglione continued. During the press conference at Fortezza da Basso, Boglione Jr. reiterated the importance of the trade fair system for doing business today. "It is often said that trade shows are a legacy of the past. I believe there is no better place than a fair like Pitti to see and exchange opinions and ideas. We hope it will remain relevant for a long time because comparing is certainly the best way to start the season," noted Basicnet's CEO. Behind the development of both Basicnet brands is the painstaking work of their global brand manager, Marco Tamponi. "Sebago has experienced the moccasin phenomenon, which is growing along with the boat shoe phenomenon. With the clothing, we want to compact the preppy Ivy League culture in which the brand has its roots and push it into the contemporary. And we do this while respecting the cultural context to which Sebago belongs, which has created one of the canons of menswear, but without coming across as vintage," said Tamponi, since last February appointed to the creative, strategic, and international development direction of the American brand born in 1946, in Maine. An ever-expanding range that from this June will be enriched by a bar of soap resulting from a new collaboration between Sebago and a U.S. company. "The soap bar will have a rope to recall the soap used in boats that hung on the hook, then used in American universities by students who hung it in their lockers after showering between classes," the manager explained For the near future, Sebago already has other still top-secret collaborations on track that demonstrate the brand's ability to expand its boundaries beyond the shoe business. "I often walk into wonderful stores and don't buy the core product. In our flagships and wholesale distribution, Sebago has to show a depth of exploration that goes beyond the hero product. It can be a perfume, but also a blanket, as well as a bottle, a metal, or a cup," Tamponi pointed out. A work of exploration that is paying off, leading Sebago toward steady growth for several seasons now. "We are coming out of a period of great results. Women's weight today is at 50 percent of footwear. Clothing is still driving men's and accounts for about 25 to 30 percent of total sales," said the global brand manager. On the retail front, Sebago has launched new wholesale partnerships in the Middle East, Indonesia, and Thailand and wants to grow in the U.S. and Japanese markets. "We will close 2025 with about 20 directly controlled flagship stores in Europe, plus three stores in South Africa, two in Greece and four in the Philippines, managed by our local partners," Tamponi noted. "Culturally, we are returning to the glories of those Ivy League days. The preppy style was born when 20-somethings started using their parents' clothes. Today's 20-somethings are going back to espouse that kind of look and reinterpret it in a more urban way," the brand manager continued. Since February 2024, Superga has also been at the center of work to explore the brand's cultural heritage. "We had strayed a bit in recent years from the core and aesthetic of Superga. This collection wants to move away from the supremacy of the 2750, which remains our icon, by offering a range of silhouettes and opportunities for use. So we included macramé, raffia, linen, to return to the purity of the product. We 'cleaned up' the 2750 with a much more compact color palette that starts with ecru," Tamponi stressed. The centennial celebrations will continue with the publication of a book with Rizzoli. "We have owned Superga for more than 20 years and have never told its real story. With archivists and marketing teams, we studied historical products and originals to understand what Superga was and what it became," he revealed. The brand is traveling with double-digit growth rates and has opened 20 stores in two and a half years since 2023 with widespread distribution in Europe, the United States, the United Kingdom, Asia, and South Africa. "The stores are working great and the brand is going like a train. We don't make fashion, we make products. This is the core value of Basicnet. We make the brand and try to build the trend around the brand," Tamponi concluded.
Fashion Network
19-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Basicnet expands Sebago lifestyle, celebrates century of the Superga 2750
Basicnet is turbocharging Sebago 's lifestyle expansion and is celebrating a century of the Superga 2750 with an unprecedented model homage to the brand's roots. The centennial shoe celebrates a return to the essence of Superga, as the Piedmont-based group's CEO Lorenzo Boglione explained from the Pitti booth. The result is a "restricted version compared to previous ones, in terms of volume and quantity of product. We tried to elevate it, make it more refined and perhaps closer to the Superga that survives in the memory of our most loyal customers," said Boglione. The newly appointed CEO of Basicnet, a position he has held with his brother Alessandro since last May, confirmed investments in Sebago apparel. "Shoes have been the driver of the brand's success over the past 6-7 years since we took it over. The idea is to continue to grow by telling the Sebago world in its entirety. That's how apparel was born, which today is a very fast-growing business at a time when the market is not easy," Boglione continued. During the press conference at Fortezza da Basso, Boglione Jr. reiterated the importance of the trade fair system for doing business today. "It is often said that trade shows are a legacy of the past. I believe there is no better place than a fair like Pitti to see and exchange opinions and ideas. We hope it will remain relevant for a long time because comparing is certainly the best way to start the season," noted Basicnet's CEO. Behind the development of both Basicnet brands is the painstaking work of their global brand manager, Marco Tamponi. "Sebago has experienced the moccasin phenomenon, which is growing along with the boat shoe phenomenon. With the clothing, we want to compact the preppy Ivy League culture in which the brand has its roots and push it into the contemporary. And we do this while respecting the cultural context to which Sebago belongs, which has created one of the canons of menswear, but without coming across as vintage," said Tamponi, since last February appointed to the creative, strategic, and international development direction of the American brand born in 1946, in Maine. An ever-expanding range that from this June will be enriched by a bar of soap resulting from a new collaboration between Sebago and a U.S. company. "The soap bar will have a rope to recall the soap used in boats that hung on the hook, then used in American universities by students who hung it in their lockers after showering between classes," the manager explained For the near future, Sebago already has other still top-secret collaborations on track that demonstrate the brand's ability to expand its boundaries beyond the shoe business. "I often walk into wonderful stores and don't buy the core product. In our flagships and wholesale distribution, Sebago has to show a depth of exploration that goes beyond the hero product. It can be a perfume, but also a blanket, as well as a bottle, a metal, or a cup," Tamponi pointed out. A work of exploration that is paying off, leading Sebago toward steady growth for several seasons now. "We are coming out of a period of great results. Women's weight today is at 50 percent of footwear. Clothing is still driving men's and accounts for about 25 to 30 percent of total sales," said the global brand manager. On the retail front, Sebago has launched new wholesale partnerships in the Middle East, Indonesia, and Thailand and wants to grow in the U.S. and Japanese markets. "We will close 2025 with about 20 directly controlled flagship stores in Europe, plus three stores in South Africa, two in Greece and four in the Philippines, managed by our local partners," Tamponi noted. "Culturally, we are returning to the glories of those Ivy League days. The preppy style was born when 20-somethings started using their parents' clothes. Today's 20-somethings are going back to espouse that kind of look and reinterpret it in a more urban way," the brand manager continued. Since February 2024, Superga has also been at the center of work to explore the brand's cultural heritage. "We had strayed a bit in recent years from the core and aesthetic of Superga. This collection wants to move away from the supremacy of the 2750, which remains our icon, by offering a range of silhouettes and opportunities for use. So we included macramé, raffia, linen, to return to the purity of the product. We 'cleaned up' the 2750 with a much more compact color palette that starts with ecru," Tamponi stressed. The centennial celebrations will continue with the publication of a book with Rizzoli. "We have owned Superga for more than 20 years and have never told its real story. With archivists and marketing teams, we studied historical products and originals to understand what Superga was and what it became," he revealed. The brand is traveling with double-digit growth rates and has opened 20 stores in two and a half years since 2023 with widespread distribution in Europe, the United States, the United Kingdom, Asia, and South Africa. "The stores are working great and the brand is going like a train. We don't make fashion, we make products. This is the core value of Basicnet. We make the brand and try to build the trend around the brand," Tamponi concluded.
