When it comes to the history of fashion, it’s hard to not mention Italy. Even if you’re not into it, you may still be familiar with Italian fashion brands, designers, high-end labels that have a great impact on the shape of style nowadays.
We have picked out the top Italian icons for you below. Take a look and choose some for your wardrobe.
Top 8 Italian Fashion Brands For Your Wardrobe
1. Gucci (1921)
Gucci is one of the most iconic Italian fashion brands, headquartered in Florence, Italy. It specializes in providing handbags, fashion accessories, ready-to-wear, footwear, fragrances, makeup, and home decoration.
The company was established by Guccio Gucci in 1921. With the operation of Gucci’s son, this brand became famous all around the world.
This luxury name has a huge appeal to people everywhere and achieves €9.628 billion in sales in 2018. It is known as one of Lyst’s most profitable brands for many seasons in a row.
Lately, Gucci has reinvigorated its identity more to attract its younger consumers. The company makes all of its products more classy with its iconic green and red stripes, G monogram, and whimsical air.
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2. NYKY (2008)
NYKY is a fashion company opened in 2008 in Treviso by Michela and Alessandro Biasotto.
At first, this brand only provides lingerie, but with a lot of compliments, it brought a collection replete with a delicate aesthetic. It aims to be an Italian casual fashion brand that brings comfort to women who want comfort at work, when traveling, or even when taking care of their family.
As the founders of this brand are always seeking new inspiration, they opened the second brand for women called Attic and Barn. After that, they have Momoni boutique opened in Padua, Bologna, Florence, Milan, Treviso, Vicenza, and Verona.
3. Prada (1913)
Prada is the oldest Italian fashion brand established in 1913 by Mario Prada. Its main products are leather handbags, shoes, ready-to-wear, travel accessories, perfumes, and other fashion accessories.
The company got in a new phase during the ’70s when Prada’s granddaughter Miuccia operated the label, putting new energy and modern touch into the brand.
In the next 40 years, it remained a symbol of timeless, effortless chic, expressed by sophisticated branding and minimal designs.
One of the most significant motifs of this label is Saffiano leather with a cross-hatch pattern which is not easy to wear yet still attractive. This luxury name stands out for its eccentric flair with collections that has unique patterns, colors, and flashy designs.
4. Miu Miu (1993)
Miu Miu is a ladies’ fashion and accessory brand and a subsidiary belonging to Prada. It is operated by Miuccia Prada and headquartered in Paris, France. It was first introduced to the public in 1993 with a collection following the cowgirl theme, providing fringed suede jackets and patchwork prairie skirts.
It has shown its collections in the United States for three seasons since 1994. The first show of women’s wear collection took place in Paris Fashion Week in 2006.
The company has a chain of stores all around the world. Its original stores was designed by architect Roberto Baciocchi, who also developed the furnishings for its stores in Florence, New York, Paris, London, and Hong Kong.
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5. Versace (1978)
Gianni Versace founded this brand in 1978 to provide high street ready-to-wear and accessories made in Italy, along with haute couture pieces under the Atelier Versace brand.
The brand has continued to develop quickly since then and still gets the most mentioned in songs, rap lyrics, and more thanks to its brash and audacious. What makes Versace more special is that it still remains majority-owned by its founding family. That’s why we can say Versace is actually a dynasty of fashion.
Versace is a brand that can make your outfit look much more expensive, so if you are looking for an affordable item, it’s not suitable for your budget. It is famous for its bright colors, vibrant graphics, bold patterns, and the use of Medusa in its logo.
6. Bottega Veneta (1966)
Bottega Veneta is a brand founded in 1966, headquartered in Milan, Italy. It provides product lines for both men and women including ready-to-wear, shoes, handbags, jewelry, accessories, and perfumes.
What makes this brand famous is its Intrecciato leather-weaving. Gucci Group bought this company in 2001 and bring a new “stealth wealth” to revive the brand. It then opened a school of leather craftsmanship called La Scuola dei Maestri Pellettieri di Bottega Veneta, located in Montebello Vicentino.
This luxury name is about consuming high-end brand without bragging about it. This is a perfect example of looking for a special aesthetic and taking total ownership of it.
7. Valentino (1960)
Valentino is a luxury fashion house established in 1960 by Valentino Garavani. This brand is based in Milan with a creative direction in Rome.
The founder of this brand stands out with the unique shade of red he used for most of his designs. That’s why it’s known as “Valentino Red”. After 50 years, Valentino created an empire of fashion that a lot of celebrity choose to wear even on red carpet.
In 2020, the company declared that it will stop using alpaca wool and cut ties with Malkini, the world’s biggest privately-owned alpaca farm in Peru. It’s a way of preventing the animal abuse within the alpaca industry.
8. Fendi (1925)
Fendi is a luxury fashion house providing fur, leather goods, ready-to-wear, shoes, perfumes, accessories, eyewear, and watches. The brand was famous for fur and fur accessories, and also leather goods.
In the ’40s, the company was inherited by the next generation of the Fendi family and they started injecting a new, youthful perspective.
20 years later, Karl Lagerfeld joined the company to motivate reinvention and experimentation. He then decided that furs is no longer favor with the brand’s wealthy clientele and brought a modern perspective to this luxury name.
Until the ’90s, the brand was sold to LVMH due to the strain from the growing network of family members. But it’s still one of the most iconic Italian fashion brands until now.
Read more: Best Italian High Street Fashion Brands: List Of Top 8
Final Words
No matter how much you know about Italian fashion brands, you may still need this comprehensive guide about these designer brands and why they are famous. With this article, you can easily pick out your favorite name to add to your wardrobe.