Carven launches beachwear line with Albisetti International

By

Dominique Muret

Published
Jun 12, 2015

Carven is expanding its range with a completely new line of beachwear as well as a somewhat sportier activewear collection for men and women. The Parisian fashion house hasn’t yet officially announced the news, but a licensing agreement has been signed with the Italian manufacturer Albisetti International, which is headquartered in Chiasso, Switzerland. The license should begin with spring/summer 2016.

This license is the first for the Albisetti International portfolio, the company recently created following the collapse earlier this year of longtime lingerie manufacturer Albisetti, which was located in Vertemate near Como.

Owned by the Bianchi family, the company produced underwear and beach collections under license for major brands for over 30 years. In 2011, it bought the giant Ittierre, which specializes in producing secondary lines under license. But Albisetti never managed to bring Ittierre back from the edge of bankruptcy following the crash of its parent company It Holding (Gianfranco Ferré, etc.) and finally was forced to shut down.

Alessandro Bianchi and Tommaso, the son of Antonio Bianchi, the former head of Albisetti and Ittierre, now oversee Albisetti International. According to the Italian press, the new company intends to specialize in activewear and to win over new clients, particularly French ready-to-wear brands. 

The two new Carven collections will be presented to buyers in June. Meanwhile, the house unveiled last March its first collection of women's ready-to-wear designed by Adrien Caillaudaud Alexis Martial.