Life-Changing Moments Pepper the Universe of OTB's Renzo Rosso
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Life-changing moments pepper the universe of OTB’s Renzo Rosso. BY LUISA ZARGANI RenzoWorld! 00 PHOTO BY ANDREAWWD DELBÒCOLLECTIONS PEOPLE | 67 ultitasker me that people would want to imitate kept distinct,” he stresses. customers. Young people like doesn’t even me if I continued to do my work as Diesel unveiled its first full my style.” begin to de- an entrepreneur and that I had a collection under Formichetti’s And Rosso enjoys working scribe Renzo responsibility toward the families of watch on April 3 with a fall with young people M Rosso. my employees. It was a fundamental show in Venice. “He has because they keep him As he builds day for me,” says Rosso, who is not a brought freshness and young, he says. “They his OTB SpA Italian fashion empire, Buddhist. “After all, this is very RR. youth to Diesel, which help me understand he invests in a number of projects— “I had a very simple education needed it—it needed a lift,” their needs. This way, ranging from e-tailer Yoox Group to an about dignity and life values,” he adds, says Rosso, admitting he it’s easier to produce organic food retail chain (through his referring to his growing up on a farm had been spending more what they need.” family-owned Red Circle Investments). in Brugine, near Italy’s Padua, the time on building OTB than His newest He also funds socially responsible youngest of three children. At the Diesel. “We are repositioning acquisition is Marni, initiatives with a focus on Africa urging of his parents, Rosso enrolled Diesel at a more premium which OTB took over at through his Only the Brave Foundation, at a textile school. It was a game- level. We had 35 years of the end of 2012. Rosso and he produces wine and olive oil on changer, and led to a job with Adriano success and growth. That’s a has been working to his Diesel Farm. Goldschmied managing a small lot of years. But the rest of restructure management “The world is full of ideas, you need production plant in nearby Molvena. the group is very high end at the company founded to be hungry for them and understand He became a partner and eventually and I want Diesel to be on by Gianni Castiglioni and what people do,” says Rosso, 58, bought out Goldschmied in 1985, the same level.” his wife, creative director giving a visitor a tour of the group’s becoming sole owner of Diesel. Rosso believes both Consuelo Castiglioni. “We modern and sprawling headquarters Rosso’s ambition to develop Diesel and OTB reflect his persona. are focusing on the signature line and in Breganze, about an hour’s drive OTB stands out in a country that Asked to define himself, he quickly eliminated the Edition line, which from Venice. has a bumpy history for fashion responds: “A creative entrepreneur. meant cutting sales by 30 percent,” “I’m partly moved by instinct, but conglomerates. In the process, he has I have always been an entrepreneur, says Rosso. “It was a brave choice, but I always try to visualize the project. nourished profitable relationships and have grown over time both my it had to be done.” This is the same way I approach with designers, both established and creative and entrepreneurial traits.” He says the overall restructuring of everything. How can I transform the budding—also a distinction in this He recalls recruited managerial OTB is going well, as he fine-tunes the idea that someone has shared with industry. talent outside the fashion world from organization, with communication, me into the best thing for both of us, “My passion is talking to designers. early on, for example, Armin Broger business development, finance, legal, and quickly?” he says, mimicking the I find a way to talk to them and I work from Disney, Luca Fuso from Danone, human resources and information thinking process with his fingertips to earn their respect,” says Rosso. “I and Giovanni Pungetti from Unilever, technology servicing all the brands. propped against his temples, framed relate to them to understand them who is still chief executive officer at “This expertise is added value by his unruly salt-and-pepper curls. and make myself understood. I know Maison Martin Margiela. and power, we can write out global The RR tattoo of his initials stands now how to make myself clear.” “I was young and ‘in love’ with contracts and exploit synergies, with out on his knuckles and his blue eyes He lets slip that this has not always them, I learned and assimilated their less costs and more efficiency,” he says. are matched by his aqua-colored been the case, admitting to past managerial mentality,” he says. Rumors constantly swirl around sweater by Viktor & Rolf, one of the moments of “going crazy.” Today, he Discussing OTB, his mantra is: Rosso and his next potential brands under the OTB umbrella, says he deals with designers “in an “It’s more important to be cool than acquisition. He still speaks wistfully formerly known as Only the Brave. intelligent way when they sound to be big.” Rosso believes this is of the missed opportunity to buy “They will be happy to see this,” says off. I have learned to manage “the only weapon” he has facing Valentino, which was unexpectedly Rosso about the garment, posing for them with diplomacy. The large and powerful groups. snapped up by Mayhoola for a photo and referring to designers personality of the entrepreneur “Our strategies are mapped out Investments in July 2012. Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren. behind it all is very important, based on our means. I can’t go Rosso confirms he had been Besides the Dutch duo’s label, the but with designers I am crazily against groups such as Kering interested in taking a stake in Stone 1.57 billion euro, or $2.07 billion sweet—there is not one designer or LVMH.” He believes OTB Island last year. Talks broke down at at average exchange, OTB group in the world I don’t get along offers an alternative of one point, and in January owner Carlo comprises Diesel, Maison Martin with,” he says with some simpatia , which translates Rivetti decided to pull back on his Margiela, Marni and production pride. as “endearing.” Japan is search for a business partner. arm Staff International, which Keeping each brand the main market for both Asked what kind of labels, designers manufactures and distributes brands separate is a priority, as is Diesel and OTB, with 20 or companies trigger his interest, including Dsquared2, Just Cavalli, reining in his design input— percent of sales, followed Rosso says he looks for “an alternative Vivienne Westwood and Marc Jacobs. except for Diesel, and less by North America, with 16 to a luxury brand. Stone Island is His day job almost came to an so since Nicola Formichetti’s percent. a good example, with one iconic end in 2007, if it had not been for a arrival last year as artistic His goal is for OTB to product—the jacket that combines chance meeting with the Dalai Lama, director. be “a group alternative to technology and treatments, in line Rosso recalls. “I was thinking of “I never stick my nose in the world of fashion, fresh with my own denim.” giving it all up, I wanted to work less the designs of other brands, and modern. I talk to our As other examples of the types and devote my time to social projects I don’t want to, as a basic of houses he’d want to look for, he RenzoWorld! until I met the Dalai Lama on a flight [premise]. Each has its own Olive oil and wine cites Stella McCartney, Alexander from Edinburgh to Rome. He told lifestyle and they need to be produced by Diesel Farm. McQueen and Alexander Wang as WWD COLLECTIONS “perfect brands and not to donate 5.5 million established.” His interest euros, or $6.9 million, to in Valentino was piqued restore Venice’s Ponte di because “while an iconic Rialto. “Companies that label, it had a style are profitable have an that was already in an obligation to support the evolution phase and right public administration, for the modern world, which is generally with fantastic designers overburdened with costs,” and an excellent ceo,” says Rosso. “I hope work referring to Maria Grazia will begin in three or four Chiuri, Pierpaolo Piccioli months. It will take three and ceo Stefano Sassi. Diesel Farm years for the restoration to The names of Nicolas be completed.” He is also Ghesquière, before his supporting work on the move to Louis Vuitton, main bridge in Bassano, and John Galliano have also been “IT’S MORE IMPORTANT TO where he lives. associated with Rosso. “There’s nothing He also owns a boat, Lady May, to it. It would be a dream to work with BE COOL THAN TO BE BIG.” which he considers his second house, either one. But I think Galliano is more but he is not keen on indulging in focused on the U.S. now.” homes around the world. “I like a He waves away any notion of a lived-in house, with a full fridge and a backlash, following the designer’s three years,” he notes. publicly listed Yoox Group, founded fireplace going. I don’t believe in those anti-Semitic comments that led to his The entrepreneur bought Diesel by Federico Marchetti, and, as of a houses where you go just now and firing at Dior.