On Wednesday 22 September 2021, Marcolin celebrated its 60th anniversary in Milan with the event “Look at me now”.
Master of Ceremony Mia Ceran (journalist and TV presenter) welcomed the public to an evening of phygital entertainment. As well as those attending in person, there were also many guests from all over the world who participated via live streaming.
After a brief introduction, current CEO of the Agordo group Fabrizio Curci took to the stage. His speech started with reference to Giovanni Marcolin, founder of the company. “In these last 60 years, Marcolin has made artisan production and technological research the key values of the company, values that have led to its presence in 125 countries worldwide today”, explained Curci.
The CEO stated that the pandemic has challenged all manufacturing companies with a unique situation, transforming their vision and shifting focus onto sustainability. Curci then explained how Marcolin is tackling this issue: sustainability is seen by the Group as an evolution of governance to create a company based on 360° inclusion, with shared decisions and information made available to everyone working in the company.
And in fact it is people and the value of time which underpin the Marcolin company strategy: “The valorisation of people in terms of professionalism, regardless of other factors such as age, gender or nationality, has always been one of Marcolin’s principles, since the very beginning”, continued Curci. The modern era has brought about a change in perception of the value of time. Also when people carry out a “manual job, they need time to think”. Only by the power of thinking is innovation and creativity ignited. “People in this particular moment of time have a value, and it is the right time to invest in them”, continued Curci.
Another issue he addressed is investment in technology: a “healthy” technology that brings about improvements and does not take the place of human skills and abilities. The CEO declared, “Technology must help people, not replace them”.
His speech ended with a heartfelt sentiment: “I don't come from the world of eyewear, but I believe that wearing a pair of glasses is firstly a need but also, joined with fashion, can make a statement about your own personality. The reason that Marcolin exists and grows is probably the simplest: we have developed the ability to create and understand your wishes”.
During the evening, various speakers participated with online contributions, including Tom Ford, who reminded the audience that he first collaborated with Marcolin around 15 years ago. The designer praised the results of his strong working relationship with the Cadore-based company, both in terms of style and quality. Ford ended by stating his hope that the current partnership will also continue in the future.
Another long-term partner of Marcolin, Guess, was represented by Paul Marciano: “We started to work in the eyewear world with a partner who was taken over around 9 years ago by Marcolin, and the takeover did not change our working relationship. We find Marcolin to be a solid partner, supplying reliable quality”.
Before the grand finale, comprising a performance by professional dancers and a closing DJ set, a corporate video was premiered to celebrate the company’s 60th anniversary, with the claim: “A dream creates images, know-how moulds the material, art brings it to life”.