Minoronzoni 1953 launches women’s handbags and womenswear; revenues rise in the US and Spain

Minoronzoni 1953, the flagship brand of Bergamo-based Minoronzoni, is extending its offer for the first time with a dedicated womenswear collection, unveiled at the recent Pitti Uomo 110 trade fair. This debut features the brand’s first women’s trousers, in leather or suede, alongside bags, belts, and a range of outerwear.

Maria Sole Ronzoni leads the Minoronzoni group alongside her sister Virginia, who oversees the creative side. The two sisters had to take the reins of the company, founded in Bergamo in 1978 by their father Giacomo (known as ‘Mino’), following his death in February 2025. The Minoronzoni 1953 brand, aimed at men, accounts for the bulk of sales in Italy and represents the group’s premium label.

“The launch of our womenswear range stems from the desire to have a woman who aligns with the brand’s target male aesthetic. A man who loves travel, elegance, extreme yet understated luxury, materials, earthy and neutral colours, and the absence of a prominent logo…,” president and CEO Maria Sole Ronzoni tells FashionNetwork.com. “The Minoronzoni 1953 woman is similarly free-spirited: she loves travel, natural colours, and deconstructed forms; she is, as the French would say, ‘décontractée’.”

“Meanwhile, in the brand’s summer collection, we’ve increased the use of suede and slightly reduced leather, as suede is on-trend and works better in the heat,” adds creative director Virginia Ronzoni. “We’ve also expanded our belt offer, and we continue to offer a selection of men’s shoes. The canvas travel line features our bestseller, the travel holdall.”

Having initially specialised in producing belts for the denim sector, Minoronzoni now has a design development department and a dedicated ‘Made in Italy’ prototyping facility, as well as a factory in Romania with over 300 employees. In January 2026, it launched a training academy at its Bergamo headquarters, which has led to the recruitment of ten young people into operational roles at the company.

The Minoronzoni 1953 brand is expanding abroad, with a focus on Northern Europe. “We are bringing new showrooms on board and identifying which countries are strategic for a product like Minoronzoni,” says Maria Sole Ronzoni, whose company closed 2025 with turnover of €45 million. “Spain and the United States are delivering the strongest results for us, as confirmed at the latest Pitti Uomo, which remains a prime international showcase- a strategic trade fair where buyers, journalists, influencers, and industry professionals gather every year. Meanwhile, new contacts have come from Qatar, Lebanon and Israel,” conclude sisters Maria Sole and Virginia Ronzoni, who, for the second time, brought their father Mino’s old Harley to their stand at the Florence trade fair- both as a heartfelt, personal tribute and because the label’s aesthetic roots lie in the world of touring motorcycling.

With around 400 direct employees and an extensive network of representatives and consultants, the Minoronzoni Group has expanded steadily over the years and now comprises three proprietary brands. The other two are Tosca Blu- a regular fixture at the Mipel trade fair- a brand specialising in shoes, handbags, and some leather outerwear, launched in the late 1990s as a tribute to the eldest daughter, Virginia, which has for several months been pursuing an international expansion plan that foresees entry into the Middle East and Asia via a hybrid model of franchising and selective distribution; and Le Pandorine, acquired in 2025 and currently undergoing a relaunch, which by Spring/Summer 2026 had reached around 300 shops in Italy, and for which the Ronzoni sisters have in the pipeline the brand’s first women’s trainers and a resort capsule comprising bags and beach towels.