Marcolin Talk in Shanghai

In collaboration with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China, Marcolin Talk made its debut outside Italy for the first time at the Group’s showroom in Shanghai, in front of an engaged audience of customers, media and industry professionals. Visions was the key theme of the event hosting three illustrious guests: Natsuko Watanabe, General Manager at TOM FORD Beauty, Jerome Bachasson, President of Greater China at ZEGNA; Mauro Maggioni, Board Member of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China and CEO Asia Pacific at Golden Goose.

The event touched on a variety of topics, ranging from the value of Made in Italy on the global markets – specifically the Asian one – to sustainability up to the relationship between territorial culture and women’s empowerment, innovation and the future. The latest luxury spending trends in Asia after the Covid pandemic were also discussed: according to the 2023 China Luxury Report, by 2030 China will account for 40% of luxury spending globally. In China there is an ever-increasing need for creating new connections between brands and consumers, who today are looking for a more immersive and increasingly digital relationship with the world of values represented by the different brands. New concepts are thus entering the scene, such as experiential retail and cross-projects, new ideas that can boost customer experience and that we will be hearing more and more of soon.

Sustainability is another recurring theme that is perfectly exemplified by the amazing story of Ermenegildo Zegna who, over a century ago, devoted his life to safeguarding the land with a great tree planting project that gave life to Oasi Zegna, the largest private natural park in Europe. This unique legacy, along with quality, is what consumers in China are currently looking for. The Made in Italy sector is traditionally known for product quality even though, to stay competitive in such a dynamic market like the Chinese one, you have to reinvent yourself and take cultural diversity into account. A well-known concept to Natsuko Watanabe who, in the early stages of her consulting career, was the only woman in a male-dominated world. A woman who today, at TOM FORD Beauty, is the only expat to guide an all-Chinese team: and this melting pot of different cultures has once again proven to be a winning value. But what about the future? According to Maggioni we will soon move from today’s reputation economy to a temple economy, where consumption will be guided by consumers’ unexpected search for intimacy and spirituality. After the guests’ speeches, Marcolin CEO Fabrizio Curci concluded by highlighting how important it is to the Company to promote a broader discussion that transcends the logic behind the reference industry, providing its community with the tools needed to see through a new ‘frame’, inspiring transformation and promoting social and cultural debate.