Lavinia Biagiotti: "For our 60th anniversary, an ecosystem of fashion, sport, and art."
On July 30, 1965, during the scorching summer when the Beatles played in the city for the first time, 22-year-old Laura Biagiotti founded the company Biagiotti Export in Rome with her mother Delia, to produce and distribute Roman haute couture brands worldwide, from Schuberth to Capucci. After designing Alitalia uniforms and creating a collection for the US market, the young company followed and interpreted the evolution of Italian fashion toward its distinctive ready-to-wear, characterized by innovative design and inspired by the country's textile heritage.
Sixty years later, from the medieval castle of Marco Simone di Guidonia, he lives
Lavinia Biagiotti Cigna with her mother Laura at Marco Simone's castle, the company's headquarters and their home.
A family business and creative and administrative headquarters just outside Rome, Lavinia Biagiotti Cigna celebrates the milestone, sitting at her mother's desk in a studio filled with memories, photos, heartfelt notes, and awards. She inherited the business (along with the company, which had a turnover of €100 million in 2024, with 55% of its sales abroad) in 2017, when Laura Biagiotti suddenly passed away. "Our history has accompanied Italian fashion through all its phases," she explains, "from the birth of Modit in Milan to the expansion into foreign markets, which my mother pioneered with the first fashion shows by an Italian designer in China and Russia. Today, I have another project: to bring the world here."
In a certain sense, you've already succeeded, with the 270,000 people who came from all over the world two years ago for the Ryder Cup at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, the adjacent facility owned by your company. " Of course, it was a huge success. Now, however, I'd like to go further, creating a sort of 'Biagiotti ecosystem': an atelier where we can reconnect with our clients, the golf scene, perhaps a hotel; offering the opportunity to visit the 2nd-century Roman villa I'm finishing restoring in memory of my mother (an archaeology enthusiast, ed. ) and our collection of futurist artist Giacomo Balla. A journey spanning 2,000 years and with different souls in the same place. I'd like it to be a model for a new Made in Italy tourism, also supported by companies."
Speaking of ateliers, your grandmother started by opening one on Via Salaria. Who is the Biagiotti customer today? " My mother couldn't find clothes for herself, for a working woman. The illustrations by René Gruau that still decorate our shopper bags remind us of her, a woman in constant motion. It's the same today; fashion must be an ally of life. For example, many girls choose our white blazers for graduation; they make them feel protected and radiant. When I design, I think that things should last and at the same time reflect a woman's changes, even within the space of a single day."
Biagiotti's passion for knitwear, those fabrics for which her mother was dubbed "the queen of cashmere" by the New York Times, helps a lot in this regard. " It really strikes me when models wear our clothes and exclaim, 'It's so soft!'" Too often, fashion is exclusive, in the sense that it separates the garment from the experience. Instead, it should be more inclusive, caring for people. If it succeeds, it will be a turning point for the entire system."
Throughout your history, you've also cared for cultural heritage, with patronage throughout Italy. " Our company has always had a cultural perspective; my mother was very passionate about it. After Rome and Venice, I have a project for Milan; we'll reveal it soon. Milan has given us so much; we've been organizing our fashion shows at the Piccolo Teatro for 25 years; for me, it's like family. But I also have another project, linked to our archives."
What is it? " We have 150,000 garments, accessories, and fabrics. I'd like to launch a project with a fashion school here in Rome, so young people can examine it and renew it, with their awareness of sustainability."
You're inextricably linked to Rome, the name of your best-selling perfume launched in 1988. And your connection to the region also extends to your decision to keep your subcontractors in central Italy. Is it easier for a company like yours to control the supply chain? "For a company our size, growth is more difficult than maintaining a balanced relationship with our collaborators. Once again, caring for fashion also begins here."
The company is 60 years old, and she's been working there since she graduated high school, almost 30 years ago. What have you seen change in the fashion industry? "The seasons in fashion force you to always look ahead. But working here, surrounded by nature, has taught me the rhythm of its seasons, to appreciate the brevity of a blossoming, and to know how to wait if your plans are slowed down by a rainy day. Einstein said, 'Keep planting your seeds, because you never know which ones will grow. Maybe they all will.' I like to plant lots of seeds."
After grandmother Delia and mother Laura, what is Lavinia's role in the Biagiotti story? " Legacy is a word I love very much. My commitment is to maintain 100% of the capital, not only the company, but also its values. Not many 60-year-old Italian companies have managed to do that. This story, however, is not a burden; it gives us new wings."
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