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Luigi Bianchi Mantova (LUBIAM) has been a luxury suit, jacket, and formalwear producer since 1911.
The company was founded by master tailor Luigi Bianchi in the renaissance city of Mantova and has remained a family-run operation for four generations, making it the oldest continuous men’s clothing company in Italy.
The label offers a “Made to Measure” service that guarantees delivery of a garment of tailor made quality and fine finishing, with production in ten working days plus shipping time.
Historically, Lubiam was the first clothing factory equipped with an assembly line. In 2010, Luigi Bianchi Mantova honored its history by re-introducing its clothing collection under the “LUIGI BIANCHI MANTOVA” label.
The fourth generation of Bianchi – the sons of Giuliano, Edgardo, Giovanni, and Gabriele, together with their cousins, Andrea and Laura Benedini – currently assume executive roles within the company.
HISTORY
Since 1911, LUBIAM has been a company that has stayed loyal to its tradition and maintained strong ties to the region and its culture, bearing the name of the founder's home town of Mantova. Lubiam has expanded its market to all of Europe, America, Canada, Asia and Japan in the last 100 years.
The first tailor shop of “LUIGHI BIANCHI” – MEN’S CLOTHES AND DRESSES AND SUITS FOR WOMEN, opened at No. 11 Via Pietro Fortunato Calvi in Mantova. This was where sophisticated made to measure dresses were soon accompanied by the first examples of pret-à-porter garments. However, the women’s line of clothing was dropped in order to concentrate all energy and attention on the men’s line.
The company passed from 250 employees in 1933 to 400 in 1936 and became ‘LUIGI BIANCHI INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION.’ In 1938 the new plant opened on the outskirts of the city with 500 employees. [1]
In 1939 the LUBIAM label was born, an acronym for LUigi BIAnchi Mantova, to underline the deep ties to his city of origin. At this time, LUBIAM was one of the first brands to open a showroom in the centre of Milan.
In the decade from 1950 to 1960, a revolution occurred in Mantova in the economic productive sector as well as in the whole of Italy. Manufacturing alone created more than 5,000 jobs and the clothing industry was important, both in the ready made clothing, mainly due to LUBIAM, and in the rapid expansion of the production of sweaters and shoes [2]
LUBIAM is known for their slogan “Wearing LUBIAM will make you feel like another," which was first promoted on national television publicity segment, "Carolsello." The show also introduced stylised “L” that recalls the lapel of a jacket, which later became the LUBIAM logo.
Between the end of the seventies and the first half of the eighties, the capture of the foreign market reached its peak. During this time, LUBIAM built their presence in the American market with its own subsidiary. [3].
In the 1990's LUBIAM entered into “Harrods” of London in addition to its other acquired positions in “Barney’s” in the United States, “N.K.” department store in Stockholm and the many “F.One” department stores in Japan.[4]
The LUBIAM collections – labels include:
Labels carried in the United States:
Luigi Bianchi Mantova – Clothing Lubiam Studio – Diffusion Line L.B.M.1911 – Sportswear
Labels around the world (Primarily Europe, Russia, Middle East and Far East):
Luigi Bianchi Mantova – Clothing Lubiam Studio – Diffusion Line L.B.M.1911 – Sportswear Lubiam 1911 – Classic Historic Clothing Label Lubiam 1911 Cerimonia – Tuxedos and evening wear. Brando – Sportswear (Not carried in the US due to copyright infringements).
The Lubiam Prize
The Lubiam Prize was created in 1971 and is open to young students in Italian Fine Arts Academies, who can compete for 8 grants, each valued around € 250.
The Prize was created by Enrico Pirondini and the works were displayed in Palazzo Te, in Mantova, the sumptuous summer villa designed by Giulio Romano for the Gonzaga family.
The success of the Awards encouraged continuation for a further 11 editions, the last being associated with illustrious “godfathers”: Corrado Cagli, the Frenchman Gustave Singier (when the Prize became international, inviting one foreign Academy each year) and the Swiss artist Pietro Salati who rounded off the Palazzo Te venue in 1975.
After this, due to space restrictions, the Prize was moved to the “Little Athens” of Sabbioneta, the fifteenth century city and the home of the court of Vespasiano Gonzaga Colonna. This was the height of the naïf period and the Yugoslavian master Josip Generalic acted as curator. The list of illustrious names continued with Graham Sutherland, Hans Hartung and Edward Pignon. The dimensions of the Prize grew to include continental pieces and was then opened to young artists under the age of 35, chosen by Italian art critics.
The last edition of the Prize was organised by Remo Brindisi in 1982, which can be seen by the catalogue published by Gabriele Mazzotta.
References
- ^ *Dall'Ara, R. (1999). "LUBIAM UN UOMO UNA STORIA," Editoriale Sometti, Mantova
- ^ *Ferrarini, G. &Stadiotti, A. (2009). "Una provincia allo specchio Mnatova," Telesio editoria e comunicazione
- ^ *Mc Inerney, J. (1984). "Le mille luci di New York," Editoin Italia da Bompiani
- ^ *Levine, J. (1999). "THE RISE AND FALL OF THE HOUSE OF BARNEYS"