Girard-Perregaux CEO Antonio Calce on Rebuilding a Heritage Brand
Girard-Perregaux commemorated its 225th anniversary of watchmaking in 2016, issuing a number of special editions and introducing (or re-introducing) several new models and collections, this year as well as last, in a concerted effort to streamline the brand’s identity and build a stronger bridge to its heritage. The man spearheading that effort is Antonio Calce, CEO of the Sowind Group (which encompasses Girard-Perregaux as well as its sister brand, JeanRichard), who recently sat down with me in New York City for a wide-ranging interview about Girard-Perregaux’s future.
Girard-Perregaux CEO Antonio Calce
WT: Girard-Perregaux is a brand that has undergone a lot of management changes, and shifts in focus, in recent years. As you come on board, where are you planning to take the brand and how will you make it stand out"
AC: We started to redefine the strategy of the brand three years ago. To me, what is important is a commitment to reconnect the brand with its heritage. We have more than 135 years of history, and my goal is to take good care of that heritage. Since 2015, we?ve taken significant steps to redefine the product strategy and, fortunately, this company has some very iconic products; we are not a mono-product brand. We have the 1966, the 1945, the Laureato… and we also produce every year a few hundred pieces at the real high-horology level. It?s really two different business models. [At one point,] it was difficult to understand, ?Who is Girar...
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