BrandWikiReturn

Krizia

Krizia is a designer label and manufacturer of ladies' handbags, clothing, footwear and perfumes.[1] The ready-to-wear fashion label was established in 1954 in Milan, Italy, by Mariuccia Mandelli (1925–2015).[2][3] Her husband Aldo Pinto was chairman of the company.

History

Mandelli unveiled her first black-and-white collection at the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, Italy, in 1964, which earned her a Critica della Moda award.[2] The brand's first and historic location was on Via della Spiga, 23 in Milan.[4] Under Mandelli, Krizia rapidly expanded during the 1960s and 1970s.[2] In 1971, Krizia released a version of shorts cut "very short", an early form of hot pants.[2] Every year, Mandelli would knit a different animal on selected items of her collection.[5]

In 1985, Krizia opened a private art showroom (Spazio Krizia) on Via Manin, 21, in Milan.[6] At its height, in the 1990s, the fashion house was doing half a billion dollars of annual business.[7] It was while at the helm of Krizia that Mandelli introduced the high fashion world to hot pants.[8][9] In 1992, the company launched its affordable brand MM by Krizia, a year after its licence-holder Hartmarx suggested it.[10] In 1995, the company was tried in the USA, along with many other Italian fashion brands, for "bribing tax officers in exchange for lenient audits".[11] In Italy, the investigation was handled by Mani pulite's magistrate Antonio Di Pietro.[12]

In February 2014, Shenzhen Marisfrolg, a Chinese corporation owned by the entrepreneur and designer Zhu Chongyun, bought Krizia and Mandelli stepped down from a leadership role.[13][14] In 2015, the Via della Spiga's historic store was revamped by designer Vincenzo de Cotiis.[4] In January 2017, Simona Clemenza was named CEO of the company.[15] Two Krizia boutiques opened in China, and in March 2017, the Spazio Krizia reopened.[6] In June 2018, Clemenza left the company.[15]

See also

  • Italian fashion
  • Made in Italy

External links

References

  1. Krizia S.p.A. New York Magazine, retrieved 25 May 2012^
  2. Mariuccia Mandelli obituary The Guardian, 2015-12-13, retrieved 2016-01-04^
  3. Krizia Fashion Brand Founder Maria Mandelli Dies at 90 The Business of Fashion, 2015-12-07, retrieved 2020-03-31^
  4. JJ Martin. Krizia joins forces with Vincenzo De Cotiis for a stark new store blueprint Wallpaper*, 2015-11-02, retrieved 2022-09-27^
  5. Bernadine Morris. KRIZIA AND FERRE: WIT AND VISION The New York Times, 1982-03-19, retrieved 2022-09-27^
  6. Luisa Zargani. Krizia Plans Retail Rollout in China, Reopens Cultural Space in Milan WWD, 2017-03-24, retrieved 2022-09-27^
  7. Margalit Fox. Mariuccia Mandelli, Italian Fashion Designer, Dies at 90 New York Times, 7 December 2015, retrieved 18 December 2015^
  8. Mariuccia Mandelli obituary, nymag.com; accessed 25 December 2015.^
  9. Collections Krizia, retrieved 25 May 2012^
  10. Anne-Marie Schiro. The Spirit Is Krizia, and the Prices Are Friendly The New York Times, 1992-07-14, retrieved 2022-09-27^
  11. Italian Fashion Trial Postponed: The corruption trial... Los Angeles Times, 1995-09-21, retrieved 2022-09-27^
  12. Peter Shadbolt. Bribes scandal reaches Italian fashion UPI, 23 September 1994, retrieved 2022-09-27^
  13. Luisa Zargani. Italy's Krizia Brand Sold to China's Shenzhen Marisfrolg WWD, 24 February 2014, retrieved 24 February 2014^
  14. Chinese designer Zhu charms Milan fashion world with plans for Krizia South China Morning Post, 2014-09-21, retrieved 2022-09-27^
  15. Alessandra Turra. Krizia and CEO Simona Clemenza Part Ways WWD, 2018-06-21, retrieved 2022-09-27^