Giorgio Armani is serious about the sporting goods sector. EA7, the division of the Italian fashion house that handles seven sports categories in this segment, became an independent business unit within the company last year, with a staff of about 80 people, compared with only 30 two years ago. The brand took a big 545-square-meter space in the IspoVision section of the Ispo show, and it has set aside a big marketing budget that includes, among other things, the sponsorship of the Italian team at the London Olympic Games. The contract was previously held by Freddy. A lot of investments are also going into the product: After working with Adidas and Mizuno, the company has hired a technical expert to develop its own line of sports shoes. It is working with Fossil on watches, with Elan on skis and with a small Austrian workshop for woodcore snowboards.

Topics