The Bridge is an Italian fashion/leather goods brand established in Florence in 1969. In 2016, it joined the Piquadro Group.
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| Founders | Fiorenza Benvenuti, Fernando Biagioni, Roberto Boncinelli, Andrea Ferri e Arturo Senserini |
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Key people |
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| Products | leather goods |
| Revenue | €25,1 mil. (2022) |
History
editOriginally called Il Ponte Pelletteria (The Leather Goods Bridge), the company was founded in 1969, at Scandicci, near Florence. The founders were five Florentine leather goods workers: Fiorenza Benvenuti, Fernando Biagioni, Roberto Boncinelli, Andrea Ferri, and Arturo Senserini.[1]
The brand took the name The Bridge in 1975 and, in 1987, moved its manufacturing site to the industrial district of Scandicci.
In 2015, The Bridge took part in the international fair, Pitti Immagine Uomo for the first time, with a collection designed by creative director Eduardo Wongvalle.[2] In October 2016, The Bridge opened its first mono-brand store in South Korea, and expanded its Asian retail interests with other stores.[3][4] The same year, following an unfavourable period that led to layoffs,[3] The Bridge brand was acquired by Piquadro S.p.a.;[5] The acquisition took place in two stages: in December 2016, 80% of the share capital was purchased [6][7][8] and in 2022, the remaining 20% was acquired. [9]
At the end of 2022, The Bridge reported about sixty employees at the Scandicci site and twenty-five employees at mono-brand stores, with a distribution network of around 600 stores in Italy and 700 outlets around the world.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ "Mani eccellenti". Marie Clair Italia. 2021-02-16.
- ^ ""Da Pitti Uomo: The Bridge"". 2015-01-14. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
- ^ a b Bolelli, Gianluca (2016-10-11). "The Bridge: nuovo flagship in Corea del Sud". Retrieved 2023-03-14.
- ^ Italians of the world (2017-09-19). "The Bridge, il marchio di pelletteria made in Italy inaugura il suo secondo negozio in Corea del Sud". Ildenaro.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-04-03.
- ^ "Comunicato stampa "Piquadro acquisisce The Bridge"" (PDF). 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
- ^ Fashion United. ""Piquadro compra The Bridge"". Retrieved 2023-03-07.
- ^ Pianese, Barbara. ""Piquadro acquista The Bridge"". Retrieved 2023-03-07.
- ^ "Comunicato stampa "Closing dell'acquisizione della società fiorentina di pelletteria di lusso da parte del Gruppo capitanato da Marco Palmieri"" (PDF). 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
- ^ Legal Community. ""Piquadro completa l'acquisizione del 100% di The Bridge: gli studi coinvolti"". Retrieved 2023-03-07.