Andrea Panconesi of LUISA VIA ROMA on the Converging Lines of Retail & Online, and the Responsibility to Heritage & The Future

What was once a small hat boutique, founded in Florence in 1930 by Luisa Jaquin, has now flourished into the global fashion commerce powerhouse that LUISA VIA ROMA is today. Upholding an utmost taste for curation, as well as a forward-looking stance on the modern shopping experience, LUISA VIA ROMA (LVR) is now enjoying its fourth generation of success as a privately-owned business, helming over 400+ brands and 5 million monthly global shoppers.

With plans to open a new retail space as a social gathering venue for millennials and over 10+ exclusive collabs with young & upcoming designers planned for this year, Andrea Panconesi, the chief executive of LVR, speaks to Jing (ModeSens’ Fashion Director) from his headquarters about how he led LVR to become a leader of e-commerce at the turn of the century and his commitment to heritage and paving the way for the younger generation of designers and customers.

Take a visual tour of the LVR HQ and store front with Jing and read the full interview below. Remember to shop LVR and stay tuned for four outfits that Jing has curated from LVR’s recent collaborative release with Dilara Findikoglu.

Interview with Andrea Panconesi

Jing: So I know you’re the fourth generation of your family doing fashion. You have become one of the top online fashion retailers. Tell us more about that journey.

Andrea: Yes, Luisa was my grandmother who was a hat designer. My mother was also a hat designer. Since the beginning of when we started out, everything has changed and everything will always change so I’m looking forward, not backwards.

J: I think every merchant has a unique DNA. What’s unique about LUISAVIAROMA?

A: We are the only major online fashion retailer that’s 100% private, which means that we can make fast decisions. We’ve operated on our own platform ever since the beginning, because when we started out, there wasn’t a consistent commercial platform to operate with, so we hired our own team of engineers. This allowed us to be very quick with new developments. We do almost all of our operations in-house. We pay attention to every step along the way.

J: For me, I not only purchase apparel on your website, I also buy home decor, kids stuff, and I can see that you have more than 400 designers and lots of different categories. Your buying team is amazing. It’s a huge and varied collection of products — any guidance or rules you’ve set forward for your buyers team?

A: Our focus is to buy a selection based on what we believe is the best representation of the designer. When people come to us, they don’t have the time to go through a designer’s entire collection, they want to find a curated selection, and that’s what we do.

J: I think a lot of people get inspiration from your homepage selection — you offer well known designers as well as new names. Is your team always actively looking for new talent?

A: All the time. It’s another important thing for us. Big designers don’t need our help but young designers need a multi-brand platform to get visibility and grow. We are now launching a series of collaborations between LVR and designers. Some are big names, some are up-and-coming. We’re very excited about it. We are working with designers like Dolce & Gabbana as well as new designers like Dilara Findikoglu.

J: I’m trying on the LVR x Dilara Findikoglu piece later. So excited for that!

A: Yes, I think it’s very very important to give young designers a chance to be noticed. And it’s also fun, you know? We can help bring new blood, new ideas, new strength and different points of view. That’s why we’re in the beginning of a new era. We started online in 1999 — so we’re already 18 years old. In Italy, when you’re 18, you’re an adult and you’re ready to go to the next step.

J: Is there a frequency that you pick up new designers or is it more so by chance?

A: It’s by chance. You start hearing and seeing about someone, become interested and start a relationship. Everyday, we have new designers that contact our buyers so we go to see them or we ask them to send us line-sheets. From now until next year, we’re going to have about 10-20 special collaborations with different designers. Next year, we’re going to open a new space in Florence, dedicated to a younger generation, so people can connect in person. The space should be an adventure and an experience but the most important point of the space  is to build a human experience. I want young people who shop with us to be able to meet each other in real time.

J: So on the topic of meaningful relationships with shoppers, do you think online or offline is the best ways for merchants to connect with users?

A: I think online and offline are just two parallel lines that just need to get closer and closer. Of course, they will rarely touch. Technology and social media should help get people together — that should be the ultimate task. If you have a chance to meet somebody, you should dedicate your attention to meeting them and not thinking about something else.

J: I think your young daughter is the Fashion Director of the company right now, right?

A: Yes, she’s responsible for all the editorial content. She’s very young and loves fashion, art and music. Having all the museums in Florence helps too. Florence is the city of proportion; you know, human proportion. If you live in the Savannah, you have vast trees, in Florence, we have proportionality and beauty. Ever since the Renaissance, there’s been a rule that you cannot having buildings taller than the Dome, so we’ve been ingesting beauty into specific proportions for a long time.

J: Love it. When I toured the city last night, I see that the government has kept the culture and history so well here.

A: Every time I walk in the city, I discover something new and beautiful. I love walking in this city.

Stay tuned for Jing’s select outfits and her personal insights from the coming soon.