Pinko

Pinko was founded in 1986 in Fidenza, in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, by husband-and-wife team Pietro Negra and Cristina Rubini. The label built its early identity around 'instant fashion' — releasing new flash collections on a near-weekly cycle to respond quickly to changing demand, rather than working strictly to the traditional twice-yearly runway calendar. That approach helped the brand expand quickly beyond its original core customer of young women, and Pinko eventually grew to more than 800 points of sale worldwide, opening its first Milan flagship store in 2006. The Negra-Rubini family was later joined in the business by their daughters, Cecilia and Caterina. In 2010 the company completed a new 15,000-square-metre headquarters in Fidenza, designed by architect Guido Canali and built around a 'Green Factory' sustainable-design concept. Pinko's most recognized product is the Love Bag, a top-handle leather bag whose particular popularity in the Chinese market has been widely credited with driving the brand's international growth over the past decade. The company remains privately controlled by the founding family and continues to be headquartered in Fidenza, where design and part of production are based.