MILAN — Dondup is unveiling “Iconic,” a see-now-buy-now men’s and women’s collection of 20 pieces that is immediately available at the brand’s Milanese boutique, online at Dondup.com and in selected multibrand stores, including Antonia in Milan.
“Having a huge archive collecting almost 20,000 pieces from 1999 to nowadays, we accepted the challenge to try to make a selection of the most significant, iconic and successful garments, which we have revisited and reworked with a contemporary fit,” said Dondup president Matteo Marzotto. “We created a transitional wardrobe of collectible pieces, which doesn’t really follow the schedule of traditional deliveries.”
According to Marzotto, the “Iconic” collection will be presented once a year.
“This is actually a test collection and we are keen to see the reaction of the markets,” Marzotto said. “However, we think there is space for a project like this.”
Focused on offering impeccable urban staples, “Iconic” includes a tailored coat, a boiled wool blazer, a shearling truck jacket, a patchwork duffle coat, as well as cashmere and wool jumpers and sweatshirts featuring a lived-in effect. In addition, the collection includes jeans crafted by applying a sartorial approach to denim. Retail prices range from 90 euros for T-shirts to 1,200 for coats.
“I think that denim should remain the signature element of our company and we have to continue to innovate the category with new fits, washes and treatments,” said Marzotto, citing for example a partnership with denim guru Adriano Goldschmied. “At the same time, our new distribution structure with two showrooms, one in Rome serving Central and Southern Italy and one in Milan for Northern Italy and the rest of the world, are enabling us to extensively display our full collections and showcase how this brand has always developed total look lineups.”
Since Marzotto’s arrival in September 2016, Dondup, which was founded by former creative director Manuela Mariotti and Massimo Berloni and is controlled by investment fund L Catterton, went through a restructuring phase both in terms of industrial production and distribution with the goal to expand the label’s presence on the international markets.
“We have also kicked off a digitalization process with the launch of the e-commerce last July and with the creation of the online magazine,” Marzotto said. “Even if we are closing 2017 with a small growth, I believe that the results of this year’s investments will start being effective in 2018.”
Dondup, which closed 2016 with revenues of 60 million euros, counts Italy as its biggest market, accounting a little less than 70 percent of the brand’s total business.
“I’m very satisfied of the fact that within one year we managed to increase the impact of international revenues on the total business by 10 percentage points,” Marzotto said. “Europe is performing very well and Japan and [South] Korea seem to offer great opportunities for the expansion of Dondup.”
Asked about the North American market, Marzotto said that “when we are sure to offer products, which are really competitive on the international scene, we will start approaching the U.S. market.”