Loro Piana (Italy, founded in 1924)
An Italian company specialized in clothing and textile products. It is considered the largest cashmere manufacturer and the world's leading artisan company processing luxury fibers.
The company has three divisions, namely the textile division – producing high quality textiles using noble fibers such as the cashmere and baby cashmere, the vicuna, the linen, and the merino wool - the fashion luxury goods division – producing and distributing menswear, womenswear, shoes and accessories -, and the interior division – producing and distributing interior products.
Originally from Trivero, the Loro Piana family started as merchants of wool at the beginning of the 19th century. In the second half of this century, the family moved its activity to Valsesia and founded the wool spinning mill Fratelli Lora e Compagnia, followed by the wool spinning mill Zignone & C. in Quarona at the beginning of the 20th century.
In 1924, the engineer Pietro Loro Piana founded the company Loro Piana & C. in Quarona.
After taking the lead of the company in the 1960’s, Franco Loro Piana, grandson of Pietro, started to export high quality fabrics in Europe, America and Japan.
In the 1970s, the company was directed by Francos’ sons, Sergio and Pier Luigi Loro Piana, whose focus was on top quality fabrics development, including cashmere and extra fine wools. Sergio and Pier research gave birth to the Tasmanian fabric.
In 1980s Sergio and Pier Luigi Loro Piana started to diversify the business, therefore launching their first ready to wear collection and creating the luxury good division. The interior division was then launched in 2006.
In 2013, LVMH Group acquired an 80% stake in Loro Piana, becoming the major shareholder. Sergio Loro Piana died the same year. In 2017, LVMH acquired another 5% stake in the company.