Lanieri: innovation in Italian tailoring
A revolutionary idea by Simone Maggi and Riccardo Schiavotto: selling online rigorously Made in Italy made-to-measure tailored men’s suits
Lanieri was founded in September 2011 by Simone Maggi and Riccardo Schiavotto while they were both attending a Business Administration Master at Scuola di Alta Formazione al Management in Turin, the Italian branch of the College des Ingenieurs in Paris. They decided to take advantage of what they have learned to launch their business idea, i.e. selling online Made in Italy made-to-measure tailored men’s suits, thus combining one of the most popular things Italy excels in with an innovative selling channel. Their initial idea became increasingly more refined during the Master course thanks to the lessons learned and the Scuola di Alta Formazione al Management networking opportunities. As a matter of fact, Lanieri took part in the Start Up Cup Piemonte 2012 award winning the first prize among the ITC startups and the overall second prize. On the occasion of the award ceremony the Lanieri founders were introduced to the board of Successori Reda Spa, a renowned mill in Biella, Italy, who decided to “adopt” the startup company by providing operational support, product expertise and the necessary capital to start the business.
Lanieri values fully reflect the tradition of Italian tailoring even when using the technological innovations made available by internet selling channels. The garments are made using only the best Italian wool by excellent mills such as the aforementioned Reda and Vitale Barberis Canonico. The company’s goal is to provide excellent service in order to obtain the highest customer satisfaction standards by guaranteeing perfect fit, completion in just four weeks and free delivery. If any of the items made by Lanieri need sartorial alterations, the customers are invited to go to their personal tailor: Lanieri will pay the alteration costs up to a certain specified maximum. If the alterations are impossible, Lanieri will remake the items from scratch.
The company uses an algorithm to translate the customers’ 14 anatomical measurements into the technical measurements of the finished products. The anatomical measurement process is easy, fast and explained in detail, thanks also to the use of explanatory videos, on the Lanieri website. Founded purely as an internet company, Lanieri is also expanding outside the web. The first offline services were offered at the beginning of 2014 in the famous Via della Spiga and Via Monte di Pietà in Milan: customers were measured by using body scanners and garments especially made for the occasion. More offline services were offered in 2014 not only in Milan but also in London, the de facto capital of bespoke, custom and made-to-measure suits.
In spring 2015 the first Lanieri atelier opened in Milan, soon followed by more openings in Rome, Turin and Bologna. At the moment Lanieri is focusing on international expansion with the store openings in Munich and Paris. Today Lanieri offers suits, shirts, tuxedos and the newly introduced made-to-measure coats.
