Loro Piana


Loro Piana is an Italian fabrics and clothing company specialising in high-end, luxury cashmere and wool products.

History

Originally from Trivero, the Loro Piana family started as merchants of wool fabrics at the beginning of the 19th century. In the second half of the 19th century, the family moved its activity to Valsesia and founded the Lanificio Fratelli Lora e Compagnia, followed by Lanificio di Quarona di Zignone & C. at the beginning of the 20th century. Franco Loro Piana, Pier Luigi’s father, started exporting fine fabrics in the 1940s and Pier Luigi and his older brother, Sergio, joined in the 1970s.
On 8 July 2013, LVMH purchased 80% of Loro Piana for €2 billion, the rest of shareholding remaining in Loro Piana family's hands. Put and call options on the family's 20% stake expired in 2016.
On 19 December 2013, Sergio Loro Piana died.
In 2017 the Loro Piana family reduced their 20% ownership holdings to 15%. Specifically, Pier Luigi Loro Piana cut his holdings down to 5 percent, While the family of Sergio Loro Piana still own their original 10 percent.

Stores

The company has stores in Europe, North America, and Asia, totalling 132 stores worldwide.

Operations

In 2012, turnover reached €700 million and net income represented 20% of sales. In December 2013, LVMH announced that Antoine Arnault would become chairperson of Loro Piana.
In 2016, revenue was estimated at €800 million. The company produces about 5 million meters of fabric each year, and supplying textiles to other brands accounts for about a quarter of its revenue.
Loro Piana owns the Italian mill Solbiati.

Sponsorship

In 1985, the company began sponsoring Italian and international horsemen and partnered with the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation. Loro Piana sponsored the Around the Island Race 2006 in Hong Kong.
Since 2008, Loro Piana has sponsored two annual super yacht sailing regattas, organised by Boat International Media and the Yacht Club Costa Smerelda.

Wool industry

Since 2000, Loro Piana has sponsored an annual prize for the best bale of wool, which produces enough fabric for 50 men's suits. Generally, it is won by an Australian or New Zealand woolgrower. In 2008, Loro Piana paid a record 48,000 cents per kilo for a bale of superfine merino wool averaging 12.5 micron produced by Peter and Greg Munsie and Phil and Judy Fittler of Uralla, New South Wales.