Claudio Marenzi, the wizard of Herno, the brand that dresses FC Barcelona and triumphs in Madrid

Lover of contemporary art, football – he supports Juventus Turin but is also a partner of the FC Barcelona men's and women's football teams – and outdoor life, Claudio Marenzi is the current president of Herno, the luxury fashion brand founded by his parents in 1948. Using cotton treated with oil from abandoned airplanes after World War II, Giuseppe Marenzi and his wife Alessandra Diana created from Lesa, on the shores of Lake Maggiore and the Erno River – hence the name of the brand, to which they added an H – the first raincoat-type garments to resist water in all its forms.

Today, Herno is a luxury fashion brand that has exceeded the boundaries of outdoor by adding new product categories – the true wealth of the company – to become a global brand positioned among the best.

Seeing people on the street wearing my clothes gives me a very strong emotion”

Herno is a family brand that you took over in 2005. What are you most proud of?

In the seventies and eighties, the company was mainly dedicated to manufacturing for other brands. However, in 2005, when I took over my responsibilities, staying alone - I was the only family member to continue in the company - I wanted to refocus on our brand and change strategy. The company's value has increased from 5 million to almost 200 million, we have 200 employees here in Lesa, in addition to our factories in Sicily and Moldova; around 1,000 in total. And although it is too early to feel proud, I recognize that we have done something right. It excites me to see that our product is highly appreciated for its quality, price, and service. Seeing people on the street wearing my garments gives me a great sense of emotion.

With this gift in hand, what is Herno's next step?

I want to emphasize that all the products from our collections are created and designed in the company, everything starts here. The production takes place in our factories in Sicily, Moldova, and other suppliers, but all in Italy and Europe. We are a true Made in Italy product. This is very important to us because it has been a big step, we have had to learn how to do it. And the next step will be to consolidate our stores and collaborations with department stores by creating our own spaces within them. Our goal is to increase the perception of our brand while maintaining the balance between price and quality, and investing in marketing and communication. I believe this will be very important in fashion in general in the next two years.

How does the global fashion industry see the present?

We are experiencing a moment of business downturn in general due to geopolitical issues and other matters. But also because people are changing the way they want to spend their money. It has to do with the search for new experiences like traveling, gastronomy... Fashion is no longer a priority. I don't think it's a cyclical crisis; we are giving a new value to money when we make purchases. Now we are more careful with the money we spend, not just in fashion but at all levels. And we must move in that direction. We are a luxury brand and we must continue to make every effort to have the best product in terms of fashion, aesthetics, price, and value.

And what strategies are necessary to achieve it?

With a closer relationship between marketing and manufacturing, the production of the product should become marketing, that's where our key should be. It's like opening the kitchen to the consumer. Restaurants have been doing it for a while now, even allowing customers to dine inside so they can see how the product they consume is made. And for that, the kitchens must be perfect, spotless. That's what we want at Herno: to open our kitchens to the consumer. So that our customer knows how the product they are buying is made.

And what role does sustainability play in all of this?

It is key. Fashion is aspirational, and sometimes we need something that makes us feel good, whether it's a good coffee or a new jacket. We need to give ourselves small joys in our lives. But nevertheless, people are already very aware that having too many things doesn't necessarily make us feel good. Additionally, we see how even in Europe, salaries don't have the same value as before. Mass market companies are trying to escape that label with some gestures - such as price increases, collaborations with designers - although they still remain just that: mass market. All these factors demonstrate that sustainability in fashion is already crucial. And we are on the right path. We have been producing sustainable products for 15 years now, long before others. We are also 100% self-sufficient in terms of energy, using only what we produce with the sun. Sustainability is now being talked about because it's trendy, but we started years ago out of conviction.

At the end of summer, the first Herno boutique in Madrid, the largest in Europe, was inaugurated. Is it meeting its expectations?

We also have a store in Barcelona, but the new one in Madrid is achieving the best sales results in our entire history. We always say that the latest store opened is the best, but in the case of Madrid, it's true. The customers in Madrid love our product, and if they love us, we love them. We canceled the official opening because with the tragedy of the floods in Valencia, it didn't seem appropriate to us. In Italy, unfortunately, we are familiar with that kind of catastrophes and we feel very close to the Spanish people. We will hold the inauguration later on.

Herno dresses the Barcelona women's soccer team (as well as the men's team and the basketball team). What would you highlight about the female soccer players?

We are very happy with this collaboration. First, because we sell more to women than men, a 60-40%. But also because it is very pleasant to work with female soccer players, they are easy to work with. And the Barça women's team has the best female soccer players in the world. We work hard, but this collaboration has brought us a lot of joy. I know we are not solving big problems in the world, we are just creating fashion. But I enjoy the happiness that work brings us. I love soccer, I support Juventus from Turin, but I admit that Barça is the best team in the world.