MILAN — Dirk Bikkembergs aims to expand its accessories offering.
The fashion house has signed a five-year licensing agreement with Italian manufacturer La Compagnia delle Pelli SpA for the production and worldwide distribution of the Bikkembergs brand’s leather accessories. The first collection will bow for fall 2018. The brand’s leather goods were previously manufactured by Tichebox.
“In line with our strategy aimed at relaunching the brand, which is growing in the right direction thanks to the creative vision of Lee Wood, we assigned the production and distribution of the accessories line to the skilled Bergamo-based company, which was founded in 1993,” said Dario Predonzan, chief operating officer of Dirk Bikkembergs’ parent company Levitas SpA. “We are confident that the two companies’ shared vision, focused on product quality, will have a positive impact on the partnership.”
In 2015, Chinese retail group Modern Avenue, formerly called Canudilo, acquired a 51 percent stake in the men’s wear company for 40.68 million euros, through the Levitas vehicle. Wood was tapped to guide the new phase of the brand in June 2016 and he made his runway debut with Dirk Bikkembergs in January 2017.
La Compagnia delle Pelli also manufactures and distributes leather collections for brands including Cavalli Class, La Martina and Blumarine.