Loro Piana is synonymous with luxury materials: thanks to an experience handed down in the family for six generations, it fully represents the excellence of Italian textiles and is the first cashmere transformer in the world.
The history of the company begins in the early nineteenth century in Triverio, in Piedmont, with the wool drapery trade; later the activity moves to Valsesia where the “Lanificio F.lli Lora e Compagnia” is born, which turns in the early twentieth century in the “Lanificio di Quarona di Zignone & C.”. The current company was founded in 1924 by the innovative ideas of Pietro Loro Piana, who left the family firm to found la “Ing. Loro Piana & C.” in Quarona, where it is still based today.
The attention to technical innovation and the research of precious materials has led Loro Piana to be today the main company in the world in the processing of cashmere, vicuña and extra fine wool.
In 1941, Pietro’s nephew, Franco Loro Piana, takes the reins of the brand and focuses on the export of materials dedicated to high fashion thus spreading products, especially cashmere, in markets around the world. In the 70s, the sons of Franco, Sergio and Pier Luigi, as CEOs, joined the management: in addition to giving continuity to the production of luxury fabrics, introduce the Luxury Goods division that manufactures clothing and accessories.
The company today is in fact structured in three parts: the wool mill, for the production of luxury fabrics mainly noble fibers such as cashmere, baby cashmere, vicuña and extra fine wool; the division Luxury Goods, dedicated to clothing lines for men, women and children; the division Interiors, specializing in furnishing fabrics.
The exclusive raw materials of Loro Piana
Attention to the origin, quality and uniqueness of the raw materials used is the basis of the brand philosophy, so much so that in 2014 Loro Piana acquired the majority of an Argentine company that has the exclusive right to shear 6000 vicuñe, a camelid that lives at over four thousand meters above sea level, on a plot of about 85,000 hectares. The vicuña produces one of the most precious fibers ever but is also at risk of extinction; that’s why Loro Piana has directly helped the government to safeguard the species.
In addition to the vicuña, all the raw materials always come from specific areas: cashmere, the soft under-garment developed by the goat Hircus to protect themselves from the harsh climate, and baby cashmere, obtained from the delicate combing of the puppies of the goat, come from China and Mongolia. The wool selected by Loro Piana in Australia and New Zealand comes from the best batches of extra fine merino wool, under 12 microns, setting real records of finesse with which the brand produces fabrics in limited series. A particular discovery made by the Maison are the lotus flowers on Inle Lake in Myanmar, this natural fiber is obtained from the stems of the plant and worked by hand within 24 hours of harvesting.
Loro Piana controls every step of the production, from the choice of materials to the realization of the finished product; in addition to innovative processing methods, some phases are still carried out by hand by artisans, thus creating , the perfect combination of modernity and tradition , in order to obtain the maximum result.
The company boasts many branded fabrics, among the most famous are: Tasmanian, designed in the 60s, is made of merino wool and is characterized by its lightness and the fact of being antipiega; Zelander instead, from New Zealand, is always merino wool and is designed for light and fresh clothes; Wish uses only merino wool that does not exceed 15 microns;
Black sheep derives from the black sheep of New Zealand, used exclusively by Loro Piana; The Gift of Kings ö is a wool whose lightness allows it to be worn in any climatic condition; The Lotus Flower, made from the lotus flower, is a lightweight fiber perfect for the hot months and is the result of an ancient and complex art that is exercised exclusively by local women and with limited quantities of 50 meters per month.
The main philosophy of Loro Piana is to offer products of the highest value, for this reason clothing collections are characterized by a classic and minimal style, which follows little volatile fashion trends, but guarantees luxurious garments and timeless elegance.
In 2013 the French group LVMH bought 80% of the company for two billion euros, while the Loro Piana family kept 20% of the shares until 2017, when the percentage fell to 15%. Under the leadership of the leading luxury group, the brand continues to grow, with more than 140 flagship stores around the world, and to guarantee unique quality products to its customers.