Stefano Canali, CEO of Canali, talks about 90 years of luxury men's fashion

New York is nothing without its Italian craftsmanship. Namely, the bronze works at Rockefeller Center; sculptures at the Bronx Zoo; US Customs House Alexander Hamilton and Washington Arch; the large number of terrazzo and marble mosaics; and public works such as bridges and subway tunnels are mainly due to an Italian artisanal workforce.

New York style also owes much to highly crafted Italian tailoring. It's one of the reasons why Canali, led by CEO Stefano Canali, chose New York as the stop on its global celebration to celebrate 90 years of the brand founded by his grandfather Giovanni Canali in 1934.

Highlighting the brand's legacy is a special exhibition and capsule collection presented at the Glass House in Bryant Park to share the milestone with clients, press and friends of the house, including Rupert Friend, Chris Meloni and Zachary Quinto. FashionNetwork.com spoke with Canali about the family brand that is leading into its future.

“We are not used to celebrating ourselves, but we want to share some of our history in photos and videos and show what the future holds for Canali. We want to show what we are and what is important for the brand; this is necessary to decipher the initiatives of a company. Our founding values ​​remain part of the strategy and the collection,” said the CEO.

A feature of the event was a collaboration with Italian art school NABA, or Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, which produced student-created sculptural installations made from Canali fabrics and an AI-generated digital video narrative titled 'Canali Horizons: A Journey from Heritage'. to tomorrow'.

The third-generation executive further explained that the exhibition was part of a brand evolution to provide 360 ​​degrees of brand awareness, focusing on its 'Inner Beauty' campaign and the brand's Care project, which defines its sustainability stance .

“This is not a marketing project, but a statement from Canali that dates back to our beginnings in the 1930s. We wanted to propose some tailoring that lasts, combining high quality with craftsmanship long before sustainability was a topic. What people wanted was value for money,” he continued.

While styles have changed over the decades, the product is durable. The executive recalled a recent story of a customer who showed him a ten-year-old jacket.

“The Canali man is interested in high quality and with a touch of style, as we take the lifestyle approach, the service we offer and appreciate that we are a trusted brand,” he said.

Despite their penchant for tearing down historic buildings, New Yorkers appreciate the lasting quality of Made in Italy. Proof of this is the success of the store's recent relocation to Madison Avenue.

“We haven't moved that far physically, but in addition to the location there is a combination of factors: the new store concept [it’s rooted in Milanese design]the lifestyle collection brand direction and marketing strategy that has helped us achieve wonderful results. The company grew by 10 percent and reached €207 million in 2023. The Americas region is growing at double digits and customer feedback here is encouraging,” Canali said.

Canali doubles down on its assertion of the need for physical stores to get up close and personal with Canali's luxury offerings. While the New York store features a VIP lounge and cocktail bar to entertain customers in a comfortable space, Milan's recently opened Verri Canali flagship offers that and a private garden.

“We believe that these spaces and experiences are essential to elevate brand perception,” he said.

Therefore, it plans to look for more opportunities to expand brand awareness in the US and Canada, either in full distribution or in other outlets such as stores-in-stores and more Canali stores.

Celebrating in New York, where the brand opened a store for the first time in 2009 was a necessary stop for the 90th anniversary celebration that followed the inaugural presentation during Milan Men's Fashion Week in June. It will also include stops in Beijing and Mumbai. Canali recalled an event that celebrated the milestone with his closest collaborators, suppliers and colleagues, held in the coastal town of Cervia.

“It was very special to celebrate with 800 people from our Italian community and we were lucky that the recent floods did not affect the event,” he said proudly.

He also conveys that as another 90-year-old Italian, Giorgio Armani, who is opening a gigantic residence, restaurant and store just a few blocks down the same street.

Canali signed a partnership with FC Inter Milan in July 2024 to be the team's official dressing room and management team. Canali also joins brands such as Loro Piana, which sponsors FC Juventus, and Fendi with FC Roma.

After his father Eugenio, who died in 2023, retired, Stefano Canali became the brand's third CEO in a direct line of succession, something he said was not planned.

“I became CEO in 2008 and CEO in 2019. It's a joke in the company that every time I take a position, something bad happens,” he chuckled, referring to the global financial crisis and pandemic. The aforementioned results tell a different story.

It is also crucial that the brand remains independent, although he admits there are pros and cons. Ultimately, the Canalis continue to chart their course, beholden to shareholders or outside corporate predators, and are free to keep finances within the company. However, in a time like the pandemic, not having external financing could spell disaster, but even that crisis was averted thanks to healthy cash reserves.

“In 2020, customers stopped paying accounts receivable, but we continue to invoice accounts payable and guarantee the salaries of our employees. Even with this important liquidation of funds, we managed to overcome the pandemic,” he rejoices.

With just over five years in office, the next successor is not something that worries him, but he assures that it will not be his daughter who chooses a career in medicine.

“It's a bit like the strategy of sticking to the DNA and heritage that the brand is known for without standing still, an evolution and not a revolution,” he said.

Just as they have done for the last 90 years.