An excellent artisanal company was established in 1973 in the heart of
the Italian Renaissance and in that cradle that has become a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. Everything started from a small artisanal workshop that scaled
the international markets. For FARE INSIEME, Giampaolo Colletti interviewed
entrepreneur Annalisa Felloni, owner of Felisi
by Giampaolo Colletti
@gpcolletti
“You can
count the seeds in an apple, but you can't count the apples in a seed.” What a
wonderful message. Because this ancient English proverb does an excellent job
of describing what it means to believe in an idea. And to build, brick after
brick, a company that becomes scalable. Because an apple seed never contains
only one apple, it can contain many others. After all, apples have always been
an iconic image that recalls excellence, ingenuity, study and, therefore,
preparation. As we are reminded by Steve Jobs and his Apple. But also Newton,
with that legendary story that narrates how the scientist was hit by a falling
apple while sitting under a tree, then hypothesising the existence of an
invisible strength that attracts us to the centre of the Earth. Apples, as we
mentioned. Golden apples are also find in the coat of arms of the Ferrara noble
family, i.e. the shield with the luxuriant tree, symbol of the fertility of the
territory. That tree, an integral part of the coat of arms, symbolises hope and
the future. «It
is part of the history of our brand and, every day, we do everything not to
forget it,»
reports entrepreneur Annalisa Felloni, owner of Felisi. We are in that rare pearl that is the city of
Ferrara, the hub of the Italian Renaissance that is a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. Inside and outside the city walls, craftsmanship has continued to play a
central role and weave relations for centuries. It is here that the company was
set up in 1973. In a land of non-leathermakers, Felisi gave life to a new way
of conceiving leather processing. We are now in front of a historic Italian
brand that designs and produces unique collections with an original style.
Everything started with a small production of belts with a unique
characteristic that became a distinctive trait - saddle stitches. «The intuition came to us when we started producing a bag
that could contain belt samples and, in making this bag called ‘P’, we used
colour», recalls Felloni.
Company profile. Nothing is left to
chance. Belts are processed using finishes used for horse-riding and with a
particularly sturdy leather. Before Felloni started to attract interest and
increase their turnover, men’s belts used to be traditional padded ones that
did not stand out much. But here comes the strength of an artisanal brand.
Standing out. «We started with leather and brass buckles. We
process cowhide leather for handles and details and colourful canvas. Today, as
in the past, our priority is not to lose our identity and guarantee an
excellent product to clients. We therefore match leather with canvas or nylon
in a wide variety of colours and combinations»,
stresses Felloni. A glorious past and a future waiting to be written. Without
ever giving up. Because,for a brand deeply rooted in the territory but looking
out to the whole world, the ambition is experimenting new products and designing
innovative solutions. «We revised the concept of
leisure time, travels, home and even the world of our four-legged friends. To
us, choosing Felisi is a life philosophy,» explains Felloni.
Italy calling the world. From the local territory to the whole world. A return journey. Because
Felisi did start from a small artisanal workshop but, today, its creations are
sold in the US, Asia and Japan in particular. This is how you become glocal, i.e. local by birth and identity
but with an international vocation. «To achieve this, we
bet on our ability to observe the world surrounding us and, mostly, on the
strength to never abandon our values. Our customers are the best testimonials
of our DNA together with the product they wear, and they tell us our story by wearing
our creations, which even change the way they are used over time,» says Felloni. For this entrepreneur from Ferrara, ongoing
research is at the base of innovation, which starts precisely from observation.
«We deal with many product categories, of course
leather goods, but also home-ware with Felisi home and there is also Felisi
dogs. Our products share high-quality, passion and research. Our target of
reference loves timeless products. We aim at becoming an integral part of our
customers’ life,» adds Felloni. Raw materials, of course. But
then there is human capital that makes the difference. People who love to
build: there are those who do it through design, those who use their hands,
those who use their voice and those who do so by listening. Three secrets about
us? Felloni says that: «We are great workers, we are
always thankful of the trust our customers show us but we are never pleased
with ourselves.» Our passion, determination and stubbornness
mean we always want to do more. Maybe this is precisely the key to success. To
never stop and always innovate.
https://podcast.confindustriaemilia.it/
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