Leather goods label Il Bisonte grows in double figures, plans new stores in London, New York, Hong Kong

Florentine leather goods label Il Bisonte, founded in 1970 by Wanny Di Filippo and since 2015 owned by UK investment fund Palamon, is growing non-stop. "The forecast is to close 2017 with a revenue of over €27 million (+27%)," said Sofia Ciucchi, the label's CEO since January this year. At the end of 2016, revenue was €20 million.

To bolster its growth efforts, in January 2018 the brand will open a new, 800 m2 showroom on the top floor of Florence's historic Palazzo Corsini, with a launch event celebrating the fact that Il Bisonte's entire output is produced with a 30-km radius of Florence. Palazzo Corsini will be home to the brand's showroom and commercial offices, while manufacturing and product development are still located in Pontassieve.

Il Bisonte has ambitious retail plans: at the end of January 2018 it will open a pop-up store in rue St. Honore, Paris, which will be operational for 6 months. The brand's two other Parisian stores will be later renovated.

An assessment is under way for the opening of a second store in London. ''We are also working on the opening of a directly owned shop in Hong Kong, as a way into a market in which we aren't yet present, China," said Ciucchi. Another opening is on the cards in the USA, very likely in New York.

In 2018, the company is also going to expand its manufacturing and logistics facilities, building a new, 2,000 m2 warehouse in Pontassieve. E-tail is the label's other main focus, and will be further boosted worldwide.