Brioni (brand)
Brioni is a menswear couture house owned by French holding company Kering. Founded in Rome in 1945, it is known for its made-to-measure men's suits, sartorial ready-to-wear collections and leather goods.
Throughout its history, the company has invented concepts such as the men's runway show, the trunk show, and the ready-to-wear Haute Couture. It has been a point of reference for the entertainment, institutional and business worlds. Its current Creative Director is British-born Brendan Mullane.
History
Brioni was established in Rome in 1945 as a men's tailoring company by founders Nazareno Fonticoli, a tailor, and Gaetano Savini, an entrepreneur. They opened their first shop on Via Barberini 79, naming the brand after the Brijuni Islands in Croatia; the shop is still at the same address. Brioni quickly started to raise interest from high-profile movie business personalities, heads of state and business leaders.
In 1952, Brioni staged the first men’s fashion show in history, inside the Sala Bianca at Palazzo Pitti in Florence. The clothes introduced new silhouettes, bold colors and innovative fabrics, marking an important chapter for the company. A couple of years later, Brioni invented the trunk show, during which the collections were presented directly in stores, allowing customers to personalize the garments with the Su Misura service (made-to-measure).