MILAN — “We want to switch on the light,” said Aspesi chief executive officer Fabio Gnocchi about bringing attention to the Italian brand and expanding it globally.
Italian private equity fund Armònia SGR in December acquired a majority stake in Aspesi, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2019, and the closing is expected at the end of April. Founder Alberto Aspesi maintains a 10 percent stake in the company, which is known for its understated collections and, in particular, its classic lightweight down jackets.
Sitting in the expansive yet unpretentious 8,640-square-foot store on Milan’s Via Montenapoleone, Gnocchi attributed the acquisition and his own arrival at the company to a shared passion for the Aspesi product.
Armònia, which made the investment through the Armònia Italy fund, was founded in 2015 by Sigieri Diaz Pallavicini, Alessandro Grimaldi, Luca Rovati, Francesco Chiappetta and Fabrizio Di Amato. This is Armònia’s first acquisition and Gnocchi said the investors all appreciate Aspesi’s expertise with and research into fabrics and his sophisticated taste. Gnocchi, previously commercial director at Brunello Cucinelli and, before that, a longtime executive at Etro, talked about a web of longstanding friendly relations between himself, Aspesi and patriarch Gimmo Etro. “On Saturday morning, you can find them both here
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.
Read More…