Head of style at the Queen City

CEBU, Philippines - Versatile, sophisticated and equipped with glamour-laden styles, the Liu Jo brand founded by Italian businessman and Head of Style Marco Marchihas been bringing out the womanliness and beauty of the local Cebuanas since 2010.

Now with fashion-loving Filipinas making room for the brand's pieces in their closets, Liu Jo's success has been defined which makes the line ready for more. Driven by this, Marchi himself visited the Liu Jo boutique in Ayala Center Cebu (first in the Philippines) to explore expansion plans in the country.

"Our sales in Ayala Center Cebu are higher than our expectations, with accessories representing 40 percent of our total sales. [Also], Cebu is known as a tourist destination. Many international customers are familiar with Liu Jo and this presence supports our international visibility," Marchi noted in his recent visit. According to him, there is an immense growth opportunity for Italian brands in the country which he considers a viable market in Asia.

A Liu Jo accessories boutique is set to open this April at The Podium in Metro Manila, while another Liu Jo store will be launched in Glorietta before the year ends.

"Now we consider ourselves ready to be in Metro Manila and we feel confident that we'll be successful too," Marchi pointed out.

Head of Style Marchi says they aim at improving their product style and quality on a daily basis. In addition, one of the values they hold most important is the provision of services to their distribution network, be it in terms of sales or delivery. They constantly try to improve their tools and instruments to have their products on the shelves with perfect timing.

Today, Liu Jo has an extensive distribution network with over 190 mono-brand points of sales and almost 4,500 multi-brand stores ensuring the presence of the brand in 35 countries in 3 continents (Europe, Africa and Asia). It has over 130 stores in Italy, including mono-brand stores and corners, and 3,000 multi-brand stores and independent specialty stores selling the various collections. Distribution abroad is managed through over 125 mono-brand stores including corner stores and approximately 1,500 multi-brand stores in Europe, Middle East and Asia.

With this, Marchi is optimistic about the future, "Our goal is to keep growing."

Men behind the Brand

Fascinated by fashion and business ever since, Marchi made his debut in women's wear by opening his knitwear factory in 1985, workng for labels of such prestigious clients as Zara and Mango.

Apart from Marco Marchi, another of Liu Jo's founders is Vannis, his brother. Together they created their own brand in 1995 that was “in tune with the latest trends but still retaining its own identity.” They named it Liu Jo.

"The name Liu Jo dates back to a time of my youth of which I have pleasant memories. Liu and Jo are the nicknames my girlfriend and I gave each other. It was a game, almost a token of love; and today it stands for my desire to convey a natural taste for beautiful things. It has been our good luck charm over the years," Marco Marchi recalled.

With Liu Jo continuously growing, it is now among the most popular brands in Italy and around the globe.

The Liu Jo Woman

Supermodel Kate Moss – a blend of sexy, feminine, intriguing and sophisticated – captures the brand's spirit and personality as she is muse to the Liu Jo line

With her timeless beauty and charisma, Marchi describes her as "an opinion leader and undisputed style icon" whose image is in tune with Liu Jo's style.

For the brand, it embodies the spirit of a refined, modern and dynamic woman. Its collections showcase the different facets of the feminine emotions interpreted through "a selection of the best materials and a painstaking and scrupulous care for details."

Liu Jo caters to the tastes and needs of both young women and women, with clothes, shoes and accessories that are consistent with their lifestyles and personalities.

The Liu Jo Collection

With Liu Jo's success in both the Italian and global markets, the brand developed a line of other collections to cater to all other market segments.

There is the Liu Jo Junior collection for baby girls, AJAY that is devoted to softer and more feminine silhouettes and a separate line solely for men. Then, there's Liu Jo Baby for infant girls, as well as Liu Jo Underwear and Beachwear, featuring intimate apparel and chic beach ensembles for the jet set.

In 2008, Liu Jo gained a following when it launched Liu Jo Shoes, their footwear line, as part of its strategy to rationalize its collections to create a cosmopolitan and contemporary lifestyle brand.  (FREEMAN)