HIM Co. (High Italian Manufacturing Co.), a company based in Fosso, near Venice, Italy, has leveraged its 60-year expertise to reorganise its business and concentrate on manufacturing, responding to new market trends that have led to a shrinking of the sector’s licensing activity. For these reasons, HIM Co. has focused on boosting its direct retail footprint by creating its own footwear brand Odissì, and is busy introducing it on the market.

FashionNetwork.com has talked about Odissì’s launch with Antonello Orunesu, CFO and co-owner of HIM Co., and Thomas Bollier, general manager of Odissì.
 
Fashion Network: What revenue did HIM Co. generate in fiscal 2023, how much did it increase in percentage, and what is your estimate for 2024?
Antonello Orunesu: Our 2023 revenue is based on two ‘components’, one relating to manufacturing and the other to retail distribution. Excluding the licenses that will be discontinued in the coming years, [the value of] our 2023 manufacturing output was €15.6 million, equivalent to an increase of approximately 20%, with Italy accounting for some 10% of the total. Our forecast for fiscal 2024 is of approximately €12 million.

FNW: What is the current composition of HIM Co.’s portfolio?
AO: HIM Co.’s manufacturing portfolio includes labels like Amina Muaddi, Jil Sander, Lanvin, Jacquemus, Coperni, JWA, and Victoria Beckham, and will soon also feature Courrèges, RTW, Hed Mainer, Another Tomorrow, Monique Atelier and Rochas. In addition, we produce and distribute our own brands Carlotha Ray and Odissì.
 
FNW: What are your main markets?
AO: The USA, Europe and the Middle East, while in Asia [we are present] only in Japan and South Korea. Until February 2022, Russia had always been a very important market. No single country grew more significantly than others last year, given the crisis our market is experiencing, the impact of the forthcoming US presidential election, and the increasingly generalised conflict between the West and the East, China and Russia primarily.

FNW: In how many multibrand stores and in how many countries are your products currently sold?
AO: With Odissì, we are present in leading European and US department store chains: Galeries Lafayette Haussmann in France, El Corte Inglés in Spain, Breuninger in Germany. In the USA, [we are present at] Neiman Marcus and Saks. In addition, we are available at many leading multibrand retailers both in the EU and the USA.

FNW: How many employees do you have? Are you planning new hires?
AO: We have about 300 employees, and yes, we’re planning to keep our workforce stable. 
With regards to Odissì, Spring/Summer 2025 is the second collection developed by our footwear brand, but the first under the aegis of Daniele Michetti. He was appointed creative director in June and is a former winner, in 2010, of the ‘Who Is On Next?’ emerging designer competition by Vogue Italia. Michetti has worked in the design department of Stuart Weitzman, Tory Burch, Sergio Rossi and Giorgio Armani.

FNW: What is Odissì’s DNA and what peculiarities do your products have?
Thomas Bollier: Our design philosophy is ‘Rooted in Italy, Inspired by the World.’ This means we honour traditional Italian craftsmanship while incorporating avant-garde design elements influenced by global cultures. We believe that style should be driven by emotions, and that expressing your feelings through fashion is liberating. All our designs, from the initial concept to the final version, are developed at our headquarters in Italy. We carry out rigorous quality and craftsmanship control at all our production sites, to ensure each item is luxurious and durable.

FNW: The Odissì brand debuted in the last Fall/Winter. With what results?
TB: Major retailers from around the world have shown significant interest. Odissì’s Fall/Winter 2024-25 collection will be distributed in major department stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Shopbop (online), as well as Galeries Lafayette, El Corte Inglés, and Breuninger. Additionally, we are developing our own e-shop, which will go live in early autumn.
 
FNW: What will the next Spring/Summer collection look like?
TB: In the Spring/Summer 2025 collection, we are blending the raw energy of Brooklyn with the rich, textured aesthetics of Marrakesh. Each item is crafted to reflect meticulous attention to detail, while challenging the traditional boundaries of contemporary women’s footwear through bold, expressive designs. Our goal is to create items that resonate emotionally and allow their wearer to express their individuality unapologetically. For this collection, we have carefully selected textural materials such as soft patent Nappa leather, raw-edged calf leather, and lightweight natural fabrics.
 
FNW: What is the price range of your footwear?
TB: The Fall/Winter 2024-25 collection is priced from €275 to €595, while Spring/Summer 2025 is priced from €195 to €495.

FNW: In which and how many multibrand stores are you currently distributed, and in how many countries?
TB: The Fall/Winter 2024 collection is currently available at Breuninger, Carbon38, Neiman Marcus, Mercury, Saks Fifth Avenue and Shopbop (online only in all these chains); in North America also at Julian Gold, Shoes on King, Shoes at Surrey and Yarids in the USA, and at Brown Shoes in Canada. In Europe, it is available at Illum (Denmark), Galeries Lafayette Haussmann (France), Breuninger (Germany), Cenere (Italy), Loja das Meias (Portugal), El Corte Inglés (Spain), NK (Sweden), Bongénie Grieder (Switzerland), Rive Gauche (Switzerland), and Spazio (Ukraine); in Asia, at SKP (China). The Spring/Summer 2025 sales campaign is still ongoing and we will have the full picture once it is over.
 
FNW: Do you have any retail projects planned? And what results and distribution targets have you set yourself for 2026-27?
TB: We are working internally on various retail projects, but they are still in development. In terms of our 2026-27 retail targets and financial results, while we are optimistic about Odissì’s significant growth potential, it is still too early to provide details. The specifics will become clearer as we continue to develop and expand the brand.