How Italian-Based Gia Borghini Became A Global Brand

Whether or not you have spotted Gia Borghini’s exquisite silhouettes on celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Ashley Graham or Gabrielle Union-Wade, the world’s best influencers, or on the pages of on the web stockists like Farfetch and the cabinets of manner purveyors Kith, the Italian-based footwear model has made its have class of elevated footwear and handbags — and will make a sound case for swapping out sneakers.

It’s no coincidence that the fashion brand name with a movie star subsequent, Gia Borghini, hails from Italy: its founder — or architect, which is highly fitting — Barbara Borghini, was constantly surrounded by magnificence, haute couture vogue (quite a few legacy manufacturers are Italian), the worth of superior top quality design, and a potent perception of intuition.

“I am a genuine Italian, so I permit my thoughts and instinct guidebook me a lot more than logic,” Borghini shares. “It’s most likely not a suitable thing to say for another person who runs a small business, but I am very sincere about it. I believe gals are normally more instinctive, and this can be our most significant power and what permits us to do and juggle so many points in existence.”

Introduced in 2016, Gia Borghini speedily catapulted to “It” position when Danish influencer and stylist Pernille Teisbaek developed a collaboration with the brand name.

Gia Borghini is named right after Borghini’s daughter, Ginevra, who Barbara suggests is “a potent resource of inspiration.” With female empowerment staying one particular of the most important pillars of the brand name, it’s serendipitous that it arrived on the scene in 2016.

Gia Borghini stands for the quality of timeless pieces, whether flats (usually with a distinctive twist that has become a signature trait of Gia Borghini), boots or heels — the model supports area Italian artisans, simply because it thinks in the power and natural beauty of craftsmanship. The brand extra not long ago added carryalls and eyewear to its product assortment.

Gia Borghini is acknowledged for its curated collections with celebrities like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, whose restricted-launch collab was followed by a extremely-predicted drop with Pernille Teisbaek. The start with Teisbaek was so profitable, it led to the stylist’s appointment as Imaginative Advisor in Spring 2021.

With a really engaged neighborhood of 200K Instagram followers, distribution in over 500 on the internet and bodily stockists, and an audience of trend fans waiting around on Gia Borghini’s newest collections, Borghini’s intuition is clearly on-place.

Explore how the power of instinct and the proper influencer collaborations played a part in Gia Borghini’s meteoric rise in the style landscape.

Karin Eldor: What was the spark or breakthrough that led you to launch Gia Borghini?

Barbara Borghini: After several many years of remaining a stay-at-house mum and thoroughly focusing on my spouse and children, I was looking for a new practical experience and discovering my deep enthusiasm for sneakers. I also immediately realized that having access at my fingertips to the best artisans in Florence experienced a big probable.

Eldor: How did you establish the option or whitespace in the marketplace? It is specially exciting since you are from Europe – exclusively Italy – the place you ended up surrounded by the legacy models of haute couture. I appreciate that you determined a place for your brand name, which nonetheless leans on lovely development and silhouettes, and higher good quality craftsmanship.

Borghini: A large amount of footwear firms at that time — in 2016 — were designed by adult males and run from their perspective. I required to disrupt that narrative. Nearly 90% of my team are ladies. In phrases of structure and craftsmanship, driving all over, assembly and conversing to local artisans and fashion entrepreneurs served condition the strategy for the brand name that you see right now. I also believe it’s really crucial to stay curious and to never ever stop exchanging tips, learning, listening, and constructing a solid group of experts centered in distinct elements of the planet, who can deliver various perspectives to the desk.

Eldor: Of class, Gia Borghini’s good results is attributed to elevated, on-issue, advanced silhouettes and types, and large good quality craftsmanship. How did you make certain the world understood this messaging, as a world footwear manufacturer?

Borghini: I check out to talk through our information and our social media. Through the distinctive voices that assistance the manufacturer and our shoppers. We actually check out to produce modern, at ease and elevated sneakers with powerful interaction and constantly considerate purchaser assistance. I also think seeing influential girls like Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner and Ashley Graham putting on our shoes all over again and once again is a accurate testament to the comfort and ease and high quality we present.

Eldor: Gia Borghini has leveraged the electric power of *the suitable* collaborations, with star ability like Pernille Teisbaek, Chiara Ferragni and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Can you share a bit a lot more about what led to these three collaborations?

Borghini: I approached just about every one of these girls simply for the reason that I could identify myself in their design and style — I could see several similarities but interpreted in different techniques. We seemed to share several comparable passions and values throughout interior, artwork, trend, and loved ones. I also really like to build powerful and extended-lasting associations. I want to construct a Gia Borghini family, more than just a crew! Pernille is now a Artistic Marketing consultant, Chiara continues to don our sneakers and assistance the model, Rosie has a new task coming up with us just after collaborating on four collections, and there’s so considerably much more to come…

Eldor: What advice do you have for other manner models, wanting to concentration on collaborations?

Borghini: Observe your instinct. Choose a collaborator for the reason that you are individually interested and sense they can bring a various position of perspective to your brand, while sharing the same values. In some cases collaborating without a system, entirely primarily based on your instinct, is the best strategy. To me which is a correct authentic partnership. The purchaser sees via every thing these times, so it’s incredibly vital to be genuine and genuine, and the rest will abide by.

Eldor: You have also aligned with top-tier influencers. Can you share your feelings on the position influencers have performed in your brand’s good results?

Borghini: The influencers and friends of the property necessarily mean so much to me individually and are the key component to the achievement of the brand name. I feel like they are all element of the family members. We attempt as significantly as probable to proceed doing the job with the talent who has always supported us from working day a person.

Eldor: I appreciate that you examined internet marketing and communications early on – how do you use this skill established to your recent job as a founder? I’m confident that realizing the art of storytelling is so significant to your good results as a manufacturer founder and entrepreneur!

Borghini: I strongly consider that communication is important. The marketplace is extremely competitive, so you need to have a powerful, clear and loud voice to endure and be identified at an international level.

Eldor: Do you have any assistance for other girls who are on the lookout to start a fashion brand? It can be these an scary move.

Borghini: It is pretty overwhelming but if you believe that in it and really feel you have a strong information to deliver, you must certainly go for it — but be prepared to perform quite really hard and also sacrifice some factors.

Eldor: Creating a world manner model is not constantly an straightforward feat, but we increase more powerful from these challenges together the way! Can you share a minute that was hard or a slip-up that you successfully overcame and discovered from?

Borghini: Every working day there is a new problem and I also frequently make issues. But what operates for me is to just take a phase back, regroup with my workforce and strategize on how to best move forward. I desire a ‘trial and error’ technique rather than possessing a aim and not heading immediately after it at all.