The first goal, that is, reaching 3 billion euros, is getting closer and closer at this point. When Francesca Bellettini took office as chief executive officer at Saint Laurent, the fashion brand’s revenues amounted to about 600 million euros. Today, 6 years later, the overall turnover of the brand, which belongs to Kering group, is currently 1,7 billion euros. “We are aiming at 3 billion euros, to begin with: we have great potential for that – pointed out Bellettini while speaking to L’Economia, an insert of the Corriere della Sera –, though in the sector some companies are much bigger, therefore Saint Laurent might well go beyond this financial threshold”. In one fell swoop, the manager replied to analysts who are inquiring about profits achieved by Kering group, mostly linked to flagship Gucci’s business boom. Yet, even though Bellettini does not specifically mention the brand, led by Michele and Bizzarri, as a reference benchmark, when she talks about bigger businesses in the sector, more than likely she hints at her colleagues based in Florence.
All right: is it feasible anyway?
“We must strive hard to be relevant in every type of product: our business can’t hang too much on a market or a nationality, on one single product or possibly a channel”. Questioned on Saint Laurent’s development strategy she is planning to set, the chief executive officer pointed out that her solution includes the implementation of a full supply and distribution. Processes turn out to be rather important, of course: “That is why we have created some business units for footwear in Veneto and for leather goods in Tuscany – argued Bellettini – while aiming to internationalise the product development. That enables higher and higher quality and its control, therefore providing consumers with a fair value for money”. The economic and political scenario, in Europe and in the world, is not comforting at all. Yet the chief executive officer is not that concerned. How about investments in Italy? “We are planning to increase them”.
