The Canali family knows how to keep the party going.
The Milan-based menswear brand has spent a big chunk of this year celebrating its 90th anniversary. The festivities kicked off during Milan Fashion Week in June at the Palazzo Reale, in the shadow of the Duomo, where it unveiled a special capsule collection as well as artwork it commissioned from students at the NABA Nuova Accademia delle Belle Arti.
The New York edition of the celebration was held at Glass House across from Bryant Park where retailers, editors, influencers and friends were able to immerse themselves in the history of the brand and take a peek at the future while munching on Italian-themed hors d’oeuvres.
The Canalis brought the sculptural artworks from the students — which were created out of Canali anniversary fabrics and collection items — to the two-story space along with a digital AI-generated video titled “Canali Horizons: A Journey From Heritage to Tomorrow.”
Guests were also encouraged to take photos with swan installations that were positioned inside the entrance. For the anniversary capsule, Canali reinterpreted the brand’s original logo of a swan holding a trenchcoat in its beak which was intended to speak to the water resistance of the company’s first product, a raincoat.
Stefano Canali, chief executive officer, said the evening was intended to share the family’s gratitude with “friends and colleagues.” Among the retailers who turned out to pay their respects were Louis DiGiacomo of Saks, Kevin Harter of Bloomingdale’s and Dan Farrington of Mitchells Family of Stores.
Select VIP guests, which included Chris Meloni, Rupert Friend, Zachary Quinto, Sophie Elgort and others, were dressed in the anniversary collection. Top customers were also invited to the soiree. “We feel it’s important to say thank-you to the clients who have supported us through the years,” said Giorgio Canali, Stefano’s cousin and regional director of the Americas.
Stefano Canali said that next up in the company’s anniversary celebration will be a similar event in Beijing followed by one in Mumbai in November.
The Canalis also included their employees and tailors in the celebration. Stefano Canali said that two weeks ago, the family hosted a party for 800 of its staffers in Milan, many of whom have been with the company for decades. “It was a one-of-a-kind party,” he said. “Many of these people have spent their lives with us,” Giorgio Canali said.
In between hugs and handshakes, Giorgio Canali said the company also held small events in its flagships around the world to celebrate, a schedule that has been tiring but worth the effort. “By the end of the year we’ll be done,” he said.
The company’s story starts with Giovanni Canali, who joined his brother Giacomo’s tailoring shop in Triuggio, Brianza. After World War II, the second-generation Canali brothers — Giuseppe, Genesio and Eugenio — restarted the business, focusing initially on raincoats, and later expanding into tailoring and formalwear. The current executive team is the third generation of the family which has been careful to maintain the company’s expertise in tailoring while branching out into complementary products.
Canali had sales of 207 million euros in 2023, a 10 percent increase over the prior year, and the family is projecting a similar increase this year.
