Chanel acquires Italian expert in high-end denim FashionArt

Chanel is once again investing in Made in Italy, and for the first time in the denim sector. The luxury house has set its sights on FashionArt SpA, its long-time supplier, specializing in the manufacture of jeans and high-end denim garments, as well as fabrics for bags and shoes. The brand confirmed it is taking a 60% stake in the company, without disclosing the amount of the operation.

For the past fifteen years, Chanel has had its denim pieces made by this manufacturer located in the Veneto region, in Limena, near Padua. FashionArt counts among its clients, in addition to the French label, some mqajor luxury names from Louis Vuitton to Burberry, but also some young designers, which it will continue to supply.

However, it is with Chanel that founder Andrea Rambaldi has forged the strongest ties, since he created FashionArt when he started working for the house on Rue Cambon.

Chemical engineer, son of a dyer and a seamstress mother, while working in the trade of industrial washing machines, he met in 2007 Karl Lagerfeld to whom he presented some samples created from his personal experiments on the blue canvas. The legendary creative director of Chanel put him to the test by asking him to design a pair of denim pants "evoking the colors of the morning English fog" for the 2007/08 Paris-London Métiers d'art collection. "FashionArt was born with this first piece washed out with cloudy brushstrokes done by hand," says the house.

Founded in 2008, the company now employs 38 people and collaborates with 15 highly qualified partners located within its geographical perimeter, who manage the production of the garments, while it handles the entire development cycle in-house, including the preparation of patterns or the grading and sewing of prototypes, having two buildings of 2,500 square meters.

Recognized for its expertise in denim, FashionArt has invested heavily in technological research and sustainable development. It is GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified, as is its entire external production chain.

As Chanel explains, to describe the manufacture's expertise, "rather than the traditional method of starting with the printing of the fabric, FashionArt's artisans first make the garment. It is then cut up, and depending on the desired effects, it is then passed through powder-based abrasion, laser cutting, 3D printing of patterns, working with jacquard, adding embroidery or a tweed yoke. The last step consists of meticulously reassembling the garment to its original form."

The number of houses working in the crafts and manufactures acquired by the luxury group since 1985 now stands at forty-two, with twelve art houses and thirty manufacturers.

FashshionArt is the tenth Italian company to join the group. The Parisian colossus has, in fact, in the peninsula the three shoe manufacturers Roveda, Gensi and Nillab Manifatture (Calzaturificio Ballin), the Piedmontese manufacturer of yarns and fancy fabrics Vimar 1991, the two leather goods manufacturers Mabi International and Renato Corti, the two tanneries Samanta and Conceria Gaiera Giovanni, as well as the hosiery manufacturer Paima.

Chanel acquires Italian expert in high-end denim FashionArt

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