features


M...like Moshino, Montana

February 2004




Moschino
The resounding success of the Sector Group’s operation with its Roberto Cavalli watch brand has encouraged the Italian enterprise to connect with another star of Italian fashion, the late Moschino. Enrico Ceccato, Managing Director of the Italian holding company (which is part of the Opera investment group, itself controlled by Bulgari), does not conceal the group’s plans and strategies for expanding into the domain of licencing. Having begun with a sector that is naturally complementary to fashion, nothing stands in the way of this phenomenon spreading into other territories. The only condition is that it is necessary for the brands in question to have a strong and evocative name. As one example, a true watch brand was created with Pirelli, famous for its tyres and calendars.
Moschino finds itself therefore in an environment where the group is seeking to develop the specific creativity of each particular brand. Its challenge is to transfer the well-known vitality, happy and transgressive exuberance of Moschino into the watch domain. We will see the Moschino watch brand’s use of the logo and the name itself that already characterizes the many clothes and accessories signed by the celebrated designer.

Montana
Claude Montana began his career as a jewellery designer. He showed his first collection in 1977 and then opened his own clothing company in 1979 which caused some violent reaction with its provocative styles. Montana watches first appeared in 1998 and are made under licence by Peace Mark whose Head Office is in Hong Kong. The Peace Mark company also has the Milus and Umbro brands and is also in the private label business. The Group designs, manufactures and distributes timepieces for international brands in the USA, Europe and Asia and has production facilities in Shenzen, China and Bienne, Switzerland, employing more than 1,800 staff. Turnover for the Peace Mark Group at year-end March 2003 was US$ 144.2 million.
Modern with well defined lines, the watches appeal to today's more sophisticated consumer whose tastes lie somewhere between the classical and modern look.