Italian label Liu Jo opens Glorietta mall boutique

MANILA, Philippines - Italian fashion label Liu Jo is heading east as it steps up its international visibility and expands its fashionable line of clothes, shoes and accessories with new shops across the continent. This strategic move by the company founded in the knitwear district of Capri, Italy, in the mid-’80s, is aligned with the ongoing trend in the region, which has seen Asians’ spending power soar and the popularity of European brands rise steadily.

 Liu Jo stores have opened in several parts of Asia, including key cities in China and the Philippines, where the brand currently has three stores: a boutique in Ayala Center, Cebu; Liu Jo Accessories at The Podium; and the recently opened store at the new Glorietta 2 mall. The latter features 100 sq.m. of European-inspired interiors, chic furniture and stylish spaces with an array  of “feminine and glamorous collections dedicated to the sophisticated woman.”

“Liu Jo is quickly building a solid base of loyal customers who are highly fashion-forward,” notes Fernando Fornaciari, managing director of Liu Jo Asia-Pacific. 

Fornaciari, who is based in China, was in Manila recently to oversee the opening of the brand’s Glorietta branch. “They love to spend time in the stores, growing more familiar with the moods and inspiration of Liu Jo products,” he adds.

Much of the success of Liu Jo in the global arena can be linked to its universal appeal “targeting fashionable women looking for an outfit that will be suitable in everyday life, with time spent in the office and then straight out for a drink or a dinner with colleagues or friends.” Its claim to success is evidenced by almost 250 mono-brand stores and 5,200 multi-brand stores spread out in 35 countries across Europe, Africa and Asia.

Liu Jo also maintains a team of designers to keep its collection fresh, relevant and still on-trend without being too trendy. “We don’t have one top designer but a team of excellent designers,” explains Marco Marchi, the other half of the Marchi brothers who founded the Liu Jo brand. “They are fortunate to live in an amazing country full of artistic cities and inspiration.” 

Marchi visited the Philippines last year and was impressed with the market’s reception of the brand and Filipinos’ openness to new labels and their sense of style.

Building the brand in the Philippines

Fornaciari has always had a personal fondness for the Philippines, where he worked as a business development manager for an Italian fashion house in the late ’80s.

“Somewhere between 1989 and today, the country has lunged forward with signs of economic progress,” he says. “Investments are pouring in, tourism is booming and a lot of foreign establishments are opening branches in the Philippines.”

Fornaciari asserts that Liu Jo is one of the few Italian companies that immediately saw the country’s great potential. “We strongly believe that the situation is changing and soon more foreign companies will target this country for their investments.”

With a culture that embraces the best of the East and West, Fornaciari is optimistic that Filipinos will welcome Liu Jo and make space for its collection in their closets. Liu Jo’s Glorietta location perfectly mirrors the brand’s image and positioning in the affordable luxury market, and gives it the opportunity to strengthen visibility given the consumer traffic in the mall. 

Fornaciari explains that Liu Jo is working to fill the gap in the local retail industry that offers shoppers limited options for Italian brands at popular price points. The brand also takes its cue from women who love to match their outfits with fashion accessories, giving them significant leverage in the market.

Capturing the Asian market

Many European companies are moving to new territories in the Far East to inject fresh awareness into their brands. Liu Jo considers Asia Pacific as a key market in expanding its business. In fact, in China alone, Liu Jo opened 50 stores in a span of four short years. It is eyeing putting up more branches in Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and Singapore. In addition, the aggressively growing economies of Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Laos present Liu Jo a highly conducive environment for expansion in the immediate future.

Fornaciari goes on to say that the young urban woman is a spending force. This segment of the market is a fan of fashion, knows her brands, and puts premium on quality over cost, much like the Liu Jo woman.