Expanding into a “wider universe” takes on a new meaning for Ginori 1735, a luxury global lifestyle design company part of the Kering Group. The high-end centuries-old brand that specializes in elegantly adorned porcelain has set its sights on global expansion, alongside a revamped name, and identity.
Formerly named Richard Ginori, the brand’s new appellation hearkens back to its romantic past and ties together past and present as it reaches into new categories such as art, design and the “future of living.”
Here, Alain Prost, chairman and chief executive officer at Ginori 1735, talks to WWD about the brand’s evolution, rebranding and path to global expansion.
WWD: How is Ginori 1735 “returning to its roots” through strategic rebranding?
Alain Prost: With the new name and brand identity Ginori 1735, we are reinvesting our legacy of the highest quality craft and style in the home as a center and stage for what is most important in life. Known for our unique sensibility manifest in a love for Italian culture, color, art, and gracious hospitality since our founding, we share that vision.
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The new Ginori 1735 forwards a Modern Renaissance — a rebirth and rediscovery of pleasure, personal expression, and art of everyday life. We offer a deep sense of place, a graceful manner and an effervescent spirit to all those who embrace our mission.
Ginori 1735 refers to the eighteenth-century origins of the company, when the Marquis Carlo Andrea Ginori launched the future Manifattura di Doccia in the villa of the family estate. It has been in continuous operation for 285 years producing exquisite porcelain tableware and other elements for the home. Importantly, the atelier also reproduced the most vibrant art of its day winning acclaim throughout Europe porcelain producers for its scale of ambition and innovation.
Ours is a heritage worth preserving, one of which we are proud that inspires us for the future and drives to produce the most exceptional quality and refinement in every creation. The iconic crown that marks the back of tableware in some of the finest homes and restaurants around the world, standing in for the most sophisticated merging of craft and art. This brash combination of taste has always been at the heart of the brand. Ginori 1735 embodies the bold combination of heritage and innovation.
WWD: How will Ginori 1735 leverage its refreshed brand identity and product offerings to grow into a more diversified, global brand? What does the brand’s planned expansion look like? What areas will the brand focus on, and why?
A.P.: Ginori 1735 signifies our renewed attention to the evolving tastes and lifestyle of the next generation of luxury consumers. With the new name and brand, we reinvest our heritage with the vision of the future generation of cutting-edge style masters that cut across all disciplines: from fashion, to art, from design, to architecture, from film, to decoration and to society. This new generation brings art into everyday life and everyday life into art to create alluring new worlds. Avid, eclectic collectors, their taste is precise, quirky, and individualistic: baroque to modern and everything in between.
This approach is evident in our heritage, the diversity and exuberance of our collections as well the visionary work of generations of artisans and iconic designers that have driven our creative purpose throughout our history. Today the world is shaped by a multiplicity of voices, opinions and styles and so is Ginori 1735. We are engaging these creators in the curation and the creation of new Ginori 1735 worlds, exploring the ideas of our time through the art and design of the home, hospitality and generosity. The new brand identity supports this transition to a global lifestyle design brand, specializing in the highest quality artisanal porcelain tableware and homewares. And the name change is supported by a refreshed visual presentation.
WWD: What are some of the industry-wide changes that led to a new way forward for Ginori 1735?
A.P.: Concurrently, several industry changes point to ways forward: curation and eclecticism over extensive collections; focus on personal expression and on new rituals through brand persona, not just product; extension of product offerings to the broader category of homewares to fit into contemporary images of luxury. Informality and experimentation have disrupted the market; in addition, fashion and homeware are increasingly intertwined.
A renewed dedication to artisanal craft and timeless design is permeating luxury with a renewed focus on home: as a consequence, we believe that today it is the right time for rebranding. Ginori 1735 has certain advantages and distinct challenges in the evolving luxury market. The unique artistry behind the product, its deep quality and sustainability, and its expansive, eclectic offerings align well with contemporary trends. That’s the reason we are returning our roots and moving from Richard Ginori to Ginori 1735.
WWD: Did the coronavirus pandemic play a role in Ginori 1735’s decision to rebrand? How did the pandemic change or evolve the brand’s relationship/communication with consumers?
A.P.: Surely, the current situation has deepened our understanding that luxury today is much more than heritage, exquisite craftsmanship and extraordinary know-how: it is also the freedom of choice to express one’s individuality.
Today, luxury is anything you covet. It reflects a new diversity of consumer. It is expressed through a wide variety of codes. Individuals curate all aspects of their lives; sustainability, purity and impact are luxury topics now more than ever. For us, all these trends begin at home: our ultimate place of security and refuge, the place where we’re our most authentic selves, where we care for our family and friends, where we express our personalities through the exquisite objects we treasure. Ginori 1735 exists to make life beautiful.
We are against the boring, wasteful, impersonal, commercial, ostentatious, rude, dull, inauthentic. Every Ginori 1735 creation is the result of both technique and an intense creative passion that has remained unchanged over the course of our history.
WWD: What’s next for Ginori 1735?
A.P.: Over centuries, our atelier evolved its production bringing together ancient techniques and contemporary world views to produce striking, innovative creations under the direction of iconic creative directors and through significant design collaborations. Nowadays, all successful brands are departing from established norms in favor of new models. We are working on further development of our collections both through the vision of our deeply experienced Ginori 1735 creative team, as well as through collaborations with iconic designers such as Luke Edward Hall, Akira Minagawa and Constance Guisset.
At the same time, the new Ginori 1735 will focus not only on porcelain tableware and homewares, but on the wider universe of art and design, initiating projects that imagine the future of living. Always conscious of our central role in representing the excellence of Italian tradition and style around the world, we will continue to market only products of absolute quality. We have many surprises to unveil over the next few months, so let’s keep in touch!