OTB Group

OTB is the holding company of fashion brands such as Diesel, Maison Martin Margiela, Marni, Viktor & Rolf, and companies like Staff International, specialized in ready-to-wear production and distribution, and Brave Kid, specialized in childrenswear production and distribution.

OTB
S.A. (corporation)
Industry
Founded 2002
Founder Renzo Rosso
Headquarters Breganze, Italy
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
 Renzo Rosso
(President)
Stefano Rosso
(CEO)
Riccardo Stilli
(CEO)
Products Clothing, fashion accessories
Revenue Increase € 1.572 million (2013)[1]
Number of employees
 Over 7,000
Subsidiaries Diesel, Maison Martin Margiela, Marni, Viktor & Rolf, Staff International, Brave Kid.
Website www.otb.net

Overview and History

OTB is chaired by the Italian entrepreneur Renzo Rosso who founded Diesel. After co-creating the Diesel brand in 1978, Renzo Rosso acquired complete control of the company in 1985. In 2000, he acquired Staff International which currently holds global production and distribution license agreements with brands like Maison Martin Margiela, Viktor&Rolf, Dsquared², Just Cavalli, Marc Jacobs Men, Vivienne Westwood Red Label and Man. In 2002, Renzo Rosso became the majority shareholder of Maison Martin Margiela. In 2008 Viktor&Rolf joined the group, followed by Marni in 2012. Brave Kid is the company of the group specialized in the development, production and distribution of childrenswear. Brave Kid holds worldwide production and distribution license agreements with Diesel, John Galliano and Dsquared².

Key Milestones

Social Responsibility

Only The Brave Foundation

A not for profit organization born with the mission to fight social inequality and to contribute to the sustainable development of less advantaged areas and people throughout the world. It invests 10% of its funds in Italy, in the region where the group is headquartered, with the purpose to give back to the local community, and the remaining 90% primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa. The projects supported are selected following very simple criteria: they have to be sustainable, innovative, and bring about direct and concrete social impact. So far, the Only The Brave Foundation has invested 11 million euro in over 150 projects, improving the life of more than 130,000 people,[5] and ranging from the sustainable development of a 20,000 inhabitants village in Mali,[6] to a microcredit project to support families and small business affected by the earth quake that struck Italy in 2012.[7]

Staff International supports Made in Italy

In 2013, Staff International signed a deal with Ifitalia Group BNP Paribas, allowing its suppliers to access credit at favored conditions. The deal entails that best suppliers can mobilize their credit with Staff International in a short period of time through a program valued at 50 million euro,[8] and at the same conditions of OTB. The chance of obtaining favored access to credit is offered to all actors of the production chain, from suppliers of raw materials (fabrics and production accessories), to “façon” laboratories, cleaners and ironing factories. A quality rating defined by Staff International (which "concentrates 90% of its production in Italy")[9] will define the suppliers eligible to benefit from the program. The rating, based on the objective and transparent parameters of quality and reliability of the provided services, will be updated every semester. Operation C.A.S.H. (Credito Agevolato-Suppliers Help) marks the will to tangibly help the Italian textile production chain.[10]

Rialto Bridge restoration

In 2012 the Venice City Council announced that OTB will become the sponsor of the restoration of the Rialto Bridge[11] with a contribution of 5 million euro.[12] The sponsorship contract foresees that the City of Venice takes care entirely of the planning and the management of the restoration works, while the sponsor covers all costs.[13] “I think it is everyone’s duty to give back to the community we belong to. Among the responsibilities I feel there is also that of preserving the cultural heritage of my country. The Rialto Bridge is one of Italy's icons worldwide and it belongs to the whole world”,[14] commented Renzo Rosso. Thus the Deputy Mayor Alessandro Maggioni: “Venice thanks Renzo Rosso, because he leads the way to a new relationship between entrepreneurs and local governments, putting into practice useful actions for the territory. We are facing a period of severe crisis in Italy and even a city like Venice doesn't have the means to cover all the restoration and maintenance works its immense cultural heritage requires”.[15]

Group New Headquarters

The new OTB HQ not only reflects functional requirements, but also responds to important environmental considerations.[16] A campus-like space – 90,000 sqm, hosting one thousand people – that is not only offices,[17] but also includes several services for the employees and their families: a kindergarten, a multifunctional auditorium that can host up to 1,000 people, a company restaurant and bar, two outdoor soccer fields, and indoor field, and an equipped gym. The project was built on the principles of eco-compatibility and on alternative sources of energy supply, for example solar and geothermal energy.

Employees working at OTB and Diesel, HQ have the possibility to admit their children to a kindergarten named Brave Garden, created for the well-being of the company employees and their families. The school is run according to an innovative pedagogic method (the ‘Reggio Emilia’ method, managed jointly by Progettare Zerosei and Coopselios)[18] which places creativity and self-expression at the center.[19] Among the kindergarten’s activities is also an organic orchard which is managed by the children of the school to teach them about the relationship with nature early in their life, and to develop a sense of responsibility towards Mother Earth. Realized together with Slow Food,[20] the non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life,[21] the orchard teaches children the notions of birth, growth, change, care, life cycle, amongst others. Parents and grandparents of the children attending the school are invited to collective moments of discovery of the daily life of the orchard (sawing, picking up the vegetables, buying the products of the cultivation, etc.)

Maison Martin Margiela AIDS t-shirt

Since Autumn-Winter 1994,[22] a special t-shirt bearing the text THERE IS MORE ACTION TO BE DONE TO FIGHT AIDS THAN TO WEAR THIS T-SHIRT BUT IT’S A GOOD START has been present in all Maison Martin Margiela collections. Further to this seasonal version, in 2010, the Maison decided to release a yearly edition in a different language for World AIDS Day on December 1. First came Japanese, followed by French and Chinese.[23] A percentage of the sales of these t-shirts is donated to AIDES, a French charity dedicated to fighting the HIV virus and to looking after patients living with HIV and AIDS. More than 200,000 t-shirts have been sold to date, donating over €800,000 to charity.

Marni and the Children’s Imaginary World Project

Marni has developed the annual project “Children’s Imaginary World”, co-designed by children from around the world.[24] Since 2007, children of all ages from communities in Bogotá, Finale Emilia, Nairobi and Tokyo[25] are invited to draw a themed story. Their optimistic thoughts are translated into whimsical images and printed on jersey t-shirts whom proceeds go to schools and associations aimed at encouraging learning and creativity.

Talent Support

ITS

In 2000 Renzo Rosso and Barbara Franchin,[26] founder of International Talent Support, got together to find a way to give fashion design students the chance to show their talent to a professional, knowledgeable audience of designers, buyers, headhunters, and international media. ITS is a creative platform to grant visibility and job opportunities to young talents in fashion,[27] accessories and jewelry design. ITS is the result of a worldwide scouting effort in over 1,000 schools in more than 80 countries of the world, becoming a network of influencers passionate about young talent, including names such as Raf Simons, Viktor & Rolf,[28] Gareth Pugh, Ennio Capasa, Antonio Marras, Sophia Kokosalaki, Marina Abramovic, Franca Sozzani, Cathy Horyn, Colin McDowell, Hilary Alexander, Cecilia Dean, Patti Wilson, Maria Luisa Poumaillou, etc.[29] ITS is an important platform for OTB, the finalists of different editions are integrated in the style offices of many of the brands of the group,[30] confirming the quality of its scouting process.[31]

ANDAM

The ANDAM Award commonly kwnown as ANDAM, is a fashion contest created by the Association Nationale pour le Développement des Arts de la Mode.[32] ANDAM is supported by private and institutional players of the cultural industry, such us DEFI (Départemant de l'Enseignemant du Français à l'International) and the French Ministry of Culture and Communication. In addition to economical award ANDAM opens for the finalists the doors of Official calendar of Paris Fashion Week. Renzo Rosso was the mentor of the 2013 ANDAM edition,[33] the finalists, Alexandre Mattiussi and Christine Phung, received a cash prize as well as two seasons mentoring by Rosso.[34]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Per Otb (Diesel) il 2014 sarà l'anno della crescita in Asia". Moda24 - Il Sole 24 ORE. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "Renzo Rosso 1955— Biography - Beginnings, Fashion outlaw, Conquering the united states and the world". referenceforbusiness.com. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  3. ↑ "Viktor&Rolf - Heritage". viktor-rolf.com. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  4. ↑ http://www.otb.net/library/press/otb-marni-dic-2012_eng.pdf
  5. ↑ "Only The Brave Foundation | Only The Brave Foundation |". otbfoundation.org. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  6. ↑ "Millennium Villages | Only The Brave Foundation Launches Partenership with Millennium Promise". millenniumvillages.org. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  7. ↑ "Etimos Foundation". etimosfoundation.org. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  8. ↑ "Renzo Rosso Launches Initiative for Small- and Medium-Sized Businesses in Italy | PambiancoNewsPambiancoNews". en.pambianconews.com. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  9. ↑ "Lifestyle43". lifestyle43.com. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  10. ↑ "OTB - OTB". Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  11. ↑ "Renzo Rosso Signs Restoring Project For Rialto Bridge - www.sportswearnet.com". sportswearnet.com. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  12. ↑ "Rialto in jeans, as Venice finds cash for repair - Chicago Tribune". articles.chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  13. ↑ "Ponte di Rialto bridge restoration - Diesel CEO Renzo Rosso sponsorship (Vogue.com UK)". vogue.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  14. ↑ "Città di Venezia - Sala stampa - Renzo Rosso and OTB for the Rialto Bridge: restoration sponsorship presented today in Venice". comune.venezia.it. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  15. ↑ "Città di Venezia - Renzo Rosso e OTB per il Ponte di Rialto: presentata la sponsorizzazione del restauro". comune.venezia.it. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  16. ↑ "Diesel Headquarters / Studio Ricatti | ArchDaily". archdaily.com. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  17. ↑ "Diesel Headquarters, Italy | Copperconcept.org". copperconcept.org. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  18. ↑ "Nido aziendale Diesel Brave Garden.m4v - YouTube". youtube.com. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  19. ↑ "Libreria Palazzo Roberti - news e appuntamenti - Diesel Brave Garden". palazzoroberti.it. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  20. ↑ Blulab. "Scuola Brave Garden | La rete nazionale | Orto in condotta | Slow Food Educa - educazione alimentare e del gusto". slowfood.it. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  21. ↑ http://www.slowfood.it/educazione/filemanager/storie/premessa.pdf
  22. ↑ "La vente rétrospective LN-CC Maison Martin Margiela AIDS Awareness | GQ". gqmagazine.fr. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  23. ↑ "Maison Martin Margiela AIDS Awareness T-Shirts 2013 | Complex". complex.com. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  24. ↑ "Marni soutient les enfants défavorisés à travers le monde | Vogue". vogue.fr. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  25. ↑ "Marni's t-shirts for the Children's imaginary world 2013 charity project - The CITIZENS of FASHION". thecitizensoffashion.com. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  26. ↑ "Da Trieste i vincitori di ITS International Talent Support: Han Chul Lee (Its Fashion), Tomohiro Sato (premio della giuria), Xiao Li (Diesel Award) - Elle". elle.it. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  27. ↑ "ITS 2013 – Discover all about International Talent Support: fashion, jewelry, accessories and photo competition". itsweb.org. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  28. ↑ "ONE TO WATCH: Niran Avisar wins Diesel Award at ITS#TEN | Grazia Fashion". graziadaily.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  29. ↑ "JURY Fashion at ITS, Jury Photo at ITS, Jury accessories at ITS". itsweb.org. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  30. ↑ "contemporary fashion archive". contemporaryfashion.net. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  31. ↑ "ITS#NINE 2010 Talent competition (Vogue.com UK)". vogue.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  32. ↑ "Association Nationale pour le Développement des Arts de la Mode. | Andam". andam.fr. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
  33. ↑ "Alexandre Mattiussi receives the Andam prize - News : Design (#340256)". uk.fashionmag.com. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
  34. ↑ "Alexander Mattiussi Wins Andam Award 2013 (Vogue.com UK)". vogue.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-04-01.

External links