MILAN — Intimissimi is marking a new chapter in its 30-year history with a more sophisticated image and the opening of a store in Milan’s Via Montenapoleone.
In an interview, Matteo Veronesi, chief executive officer of the Italian intimates brand, said that, despite the luxury location, there is no intention to alienate the loyal Intimissimi customer, as “maintaining an accessible and competitive price point remains key.”
Veronesi was proud of having secured a position “on the street that reflects excellence in Italy and in the world, with the most important international brands. It’s a window on the world.”
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Intimissimi is part of Oniverse, previously Gruppo Calzedonia, which also controls the hosiery, innerwear and beachwear brands Calzedonia, Iuman (for men and formerly called Intimissimi Uomo) and Tezenis; Antonio Marras; cashmere specialist Falconeri; bridal label Atelier Emé; restaurant and wine store chain Signorvino and producer and distributor Oniwines, and premium yacht-maker Cantiere del Pardo, the producer of the Grand Soleil, Pardo and Van Dutch yachts.
Present in 54 countries, Intimissimi relies on a web of 1,737 points of sale, of which 484 are in Italy.
Investing in its retail network has always been one of the group’s main strategies and Veronesi affirmed that this “continues to pay back. We have beautiful stores and we have carefully been training our salesforce, because service needs to be effective, especially in selling intimates.”
He touted the flexibility of Intimissimi’s production and operations catering to “different needs in the different countries, depending on the culture, and we are among the few that try to understand, create and develop different styles attuned to the customers around the world who are our main feedback. We are becoming increasingly more international.”
Veronesi also claimed that Intimissimi is affirming itself as a go-to brand for its natural fibers in intimates.
This is achieved by creating prototypes, corsetry and the development of materials in-house near Bologna, differentiating Intimissimi “from brands that merely resell products.” Manufacturing is completed in plants the company owns, “guaranteeing control, extreme quality and comfort.”
Further conveying the message, a floor in the Milan flagship is dedicated to natural fibers, cottons, silks, cashmere, merinos, bamboo and wool.
As reported, in October Intimissimi introduced a new marketing concept with the launch of its “Feel the Billboard” out-of-home campaign for its Ultralight With Cashmere collection. Set at street level, the billboards invited passersby on the street to interact with it by inviting them to touch and feel an enlarged swatch of the Ultralight With Cashmere materials, which is adhered to the advertising poster. The Cashmere boatneck top has a celebrity following that includes Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Jennifer Lopez and Emily Ratajkowski, who was named Intimissimi’s U.S. brand ambassador in November last year. Lopez in 2022 was named global ambassador for the brand, and has fronted campaigns promoting capsule collections.
Spanning over 2,700 square feet and three stories, the boutique, which also has windows on the corner of Via Montenapoleone with Via Manzoni, was designed to highlight this natural motif with a neutral color palette, natural light pouring in, and elements including untreated ash wood and stone.
A capsule of 16 sartorial pieces is available exclusively in this unit and in 13 selected stores in the world and in a limited edition. In burgundy silk or in a bicolor floral print, it ranges from a kimono to coordinated top and shorts, and three signature corsetry models: Bellissima, Sofia and Emma.
Further contributing to catering to a diverse customer, the design team comprises 10 designers aged 25 to 60, an all-women multigenerational group, Veronesi pointed out, and every model is tested within the company by different commercial figures and experts.
Asked about the current trend in intimates, the young executive said that bras are now requested in lighter versions, “with less underwire, less push-ups, for a more natural look and feel.”
Oniverse reported a 13.5 percent increase in 2024 sales to 3.5 billion euros, compared with 3.1 billion euros last year. Exports amounted to 2.2 billion euros.
While Oniverse does not break out sales by brand, Veronesi said that, in addition to Italy, Spain, Portugal, South Europe, Portugal, Germany and the U.S. are among Intimissimi’s main markets.
Veronesi is a board member of Oniverse, founded and chaired by his father Sandro, and previously worked at Sally Hansen in New York. In addition to being Oniverse coordinator of communication and image as well as of omnichannel and IT, since 2017 he is Asia Pacific CEO.
