Seventy Venezia Is a Brand to Watch at Milan Fashion Week
Inscribed on a window of Seventy Venezia's Milan flagship is a quote in Italian from the Polish philosopher Mieczysław Kozłowski: "A volte sulla riva di San Marco giungono velieri che recano nelle loro vele i venti di altri mondi."
For designer Francesca Tegon, these words—"sailing ships arrive on the San Marco shore carrying the winds of other worlds in their sails"—are a reminder of the Venetian heritage that underpins and informs the aesthetic of the 50-year-old fashion label founded by her father.
That sense of pride of place was on vivid display today at the brand's Fall 2020 presentation during Milan Fashion Week.
"We are an Italian brand and family-owned company, with its origins right in Venice," Tegon said. "It is very important for us to place ourselves in a specific place, to communicate to our customers a sense of belonging, and the town where our history began."
Tegon's father Sergio, a Venetian businessman who worked at the luxury department store Coin's for many years, founded the label in 1970, hence its name. Today its men's and women's ready-to-wear lines are still a family-run business, with his Francesca in charge of the Seventy collections; son Pierpaolo heading the brand's administration; and daughter Giovanna working in sales.
The word "Venezia" wasn't formally part of the label until last September, when Seventy opened its brand new store in Milan during last fashion week. The spring collection showed then featured effortless, city-chic pieces, with belted blazers, military jumpsuits, bright suits, and structured floral dresses.
Meanwhile, the latest collection focused on tailored menswear for the modern woman. "I am in love with the jackets – I would wear them every day!" Tegon says. "There are a variety of choices, from soft wool fabrics close to the body, very neatly tailored, to those with a more relaxed fit." The garments would look just as good picking up a morning coffee (or an evening drink) somewhere on the Grand Canal as they would at Sant Ambroeus in New York.
In fact, the American market is an increasingly important one for Tegon and her team, and Seventy Venezia collections are now sold exclusively in 20 Nordstrom locations in the U.S. "The taste of our European clients is quite similar to that of our American ones," she says. "The woman we dress is the same around the world. She is contemporary, active in the workplace, curious, and empowered in her lifestyle and choices."
Still, despite catering to a global audience, the brand is committed to reaffirming its Italian spirit and family ethos. Tegon still looks to the lessons her father taught her over five decades of business.
"What I have learned most from my father is curiosity," she says. "You can take inspiration from everything if you are curious, you are always learning and growing."
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