Stefano Ricci affirms Italian fashion heritage and global ambition for 2025

 Florence— Italian menswear house Stefano Ricci presented its 2025 company profile this week at its headquarters in the Tuscan capital, unveiling a vision rooted in artisanal excellence, cultural preservation and global expansion. As the family-owned brand enters its fifth decade, it is redefining luxury not merely as a product, but as an enduring lifestyle informed by heritage, responsibility, and emotion.

 Founded in 1972 as a bespoke tie atelier, Stefano Ricci has grown into a comprehensive luxury lifestyle group with over 80 mono brand boutiques across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the United States. At the heart of this growth remains a staunch dedication to Italian craftsmanship a commitment the Ricci family has recently deepened through strategic investments and cultural preservation initiatives.

 One of the most significant milestones in the Ricci family’s preservation efforts is their acquisition and revitalisation of the Antico Setificio Fiorentino, a historic silk mill founded in 1786. Under the Riccis’ stewardship, the mill which produces limited runs of exquisite handwoven silk using antique looms, including one reconstructed from Leonardo da Vinci’s original designs has become a pillar of the brand’s commitment to Florentine artisanship.

 “We’re not just preserving objects  we’re preserving hands, memory, and soul,” CEO Niccolò Ricci told foreign reporters. “Our vision of excellence means investing where others retreat.”

 In addition to Antico Setificio, the company has recently acquired tailoring firms Petrarca Confezioni and Pantalonificio Chimera in Tuscany, expanding its in-house production capacity and safeguarding over 100 artisanal jobs. The Ricci Group also inaugurated a 10,000 square metre production hub near Fiesole powered by solar energy, part of its strategy to integrate sustainability with tradition.

 The Stefano Ricci Explorer Project was another focal point of the briefing. Launched as a global campaign to intertwine fashion, conservation, and cultural storytelling, the initiative has taken Ricci collections to remote and iconic locations  from the Galápagos Islands and Angkor Wat to the Altai Mountains of Mongolia. Each campaign shoot highlights local heritage or environmental conservation, with partnerships spanning from the Charles Darwin Foundation to organisations supporting eagle conservation and Peruvian textile preservation. The 50th anniversary show at the Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor featuring tenor Andrea Bocelli underscored the brand’s international cultural reach. The Explorer Project also earned Stefano Ricci a place as an official Corporate Member of The Explorers Club, the esteemed scientific society dedicated to field research and environmental stewardship.

 “Today, the most valuable thing is time  and the freedom to explore the world with wonder,” said Creative Director Filippo Ricci. “We don’t just sell garments; we tell stories.”

 Despite headwinds in the global luxury market, Stefano Ricci posted a 3 percent year-on-year growth in China, its largest market by retail footprint, with 33 boutiques. The 2024 openings of a flagship at Beijing Huamao Centre and an exclusive SR Boutique at The Ritz-Carlton helped the brand deepen its connection with China’s ultra-high-net-worth clients. Across Europe, the Middle East and North America, the brand continues to develop exclusive experiential spaces such as Casa Stefano Ricci lounges in Singapore and Beijing, blending retail with hospitality in refined private club-style environments.

 The Ricci family envisions a luxury ecosystem far beyond tailoring. The company’s offerings now span ready-to-wear and made to measure menswear, footwear, leather goods, eyewear, fragrance, high end jewellery and watches, interior design, bespoke furniture and tableware, as well as fine wines, spirits, and gourmet experiences. Each piece, from a hand-engraved belt buckle to a velvet-upholstered armchair, is made in Italy with a view toward longevity, heritage, and emotional impact.

 “Excellence is our mission,” said Niccolò Ricci. “Our clients don’t need another shirt  they need something that moves them.”

 Stefano Ricci’s loyalty to its hometown of Florence extends beyond business. The brand has sponsored restoration and lighting projects for landmarks such as the Ponte Vecchio and the Loggia dei Lanzi, and often collaborates with the city’s museums and heritage institutions. By preserving dying crafts, training new generations, and producing everything in Italy often within walking distance of Florence’s historic centre Stefano Ricci has positioned itself not just as a luxury house, but as a cultural steward of Italian artisanal identity.

 Now in its second generation, with Niccolò and Filippo at the helm, the brand is poised to expand into hospitality, private residences, and digital luxury experiences, while preserving its family run intimacy. As the next generation of clientele many sons of loyal collectors enters the Ricci world, the family remains firm in its values.

 “In a world of noise and novelty, we offer legacy,” said Stefano Ricci. “Fashion fades. Quality and emotion endure.”

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