When you meet a business woman who has dedicated her life to work and to a company with a turnover of 200 million a year, you imagine her rigid, of few words and reserved. Silvia Damiani is the opposite, smiling, sunny and with a warm voice that immediately puts you at ease.
Your company has chosen Ticino as the headquarters of Damiani International at a time when many companies linked to fashion and luxury have left ...
«Damiani International has been in Ticino for over 20 years and in recent years we have constantly increased the number of hires. My brother Guido and I have been living with our respective families in Ticino since 2014: I must say that we are and have always enjoyed ourselves here, both as a company and as people. I thought you would immediately ask me about Covid "(smiles).
I wanted to wait a bit ... but it was actually a question that I would have asked her, since the high jewelery sector has also suffered a sharp slowdown ...
«At the moment our Mendrisio offices are partially used: the collaborators are operational according to specific needs, sometimes in smart working and sometimes in the office. In Valenza where our factory is located, after the reopening and especially in these pre-Christmas months which have always represented the most important part of the year for us, we are fortunately working at full production capacity. It is useless to repeat that if this virus had not existed it would have been much better… but it is affecting everyone, so it is important to react and look forward ».
And what about sales?
“There has been a decline, of course, especially for the European market, while the Asian ones are doing better. For example, in Korea, although the country has been heavily hit by the pandemic, we are growing by double digits. Beyond Covid, people continue to have good times to celebrate and want to make them memorable and eternal by giving or treating themselves to something beautiful. I think that our sector has, even in a situation like this, a greater potential than fashion: a jewel is truly "forever", it is capable of expressing a unique historical and artistic heritage and for this reason it represents an investment which increases its value over time and is handed down from generation to generation ».
Is this why there are more and more people investing in jewelry?
«Undoubtedly if there is a sector, given the great uncertainties, in which to invest, or more correctly diversify one's investments, it is precisely that of the jewel, but it is important to do it with someone who is authoritative and reliable. A Damiani creation is a unique work made by hand by skilled goldsmiths, which is characterized by the exclusive design, the great attention to detail, the excellent quality of the gems. For example, we give the possibility to upgrade the Damiani solitaires: if after ten years of marriage I want a bigger and more precious ring - because it is assumed that things in couples are also going well (smiles) - we recognize the value for which the diamond has been purchased and we give the possibility to exchange the ring with something more important. Furthermore, we are also active in the loose diamonds market, with Calderoni, one of the brands of the Damiani Group. In addition to the necessary certifications of authenticity, we offer an exclusive service to buyers: our company undertakes, if the customer wishes to resell the precious item, to buy it back in compliance with the official published values ».
Damiani, Calderoni… how many brands does the Damiani Group have?
"Our Group promotes excellence and Made In Italy in the world through the synergy of 6 complementary brands created or acquired: in the jewelry segment, in addition to Damiani, the Salvini brand is active in contemporary jewelry while Bliss is aimed at a wider audience. young. Calderoni, the historic Milanese brand of High Jewelery founded in 1840, is today a Business Unit of the Damiani Group specializing in the marketing of loose natural diamonds; then there is Rocca, the only high-end jewelry and watchmaking chain in Italy, and finally - but not least - Venini, a prestigious company in Murano, whose works are exhibited in the most important international museums, which represents the reference point for the art of glass ".
Jewelery has always represented power, the bigger the stones, the richer the families. But, sorry if I dare, sometimes there is not too much ostentation?
«First of all, according to our philosophy, the Damiani jewel is a jewel for oneself, and only later also for others. For this reason we are very attentive to the quality of any of our products, even the smallest and most accessible. As for how to wear a jewel, in 1997 I wrote a book about it: I think it is important to behave exactly as with clothes: even if we have many, we wear them with care, combining them according to the occasion and our state of affairs. soul. For me the jewel must be a precious detail, which gives light and emphasizes the elegance of a person ».
She deals with communication, but she is also a gemologist, this means that your grandfather and your father have managed to pass on their great passion to her ...
«Surely the passion we have for our work, both me and my brothers - Guido and Giorgio - starts from the love we have for the subject: in fact, all three are graduates in gemology. On the other hand we have also inherited an entrepreneurial spirit and for this we have to thank our parents ».
He talks very often about his brothers, I wonder if it is always easy to manage such an important group in the family ...
“We are very lucky because we actually get along very well. We have different and complementary talents: honestly none of us would like to do the other's work. My public relations activity has often led me to travel to foreign markets - Asian or American - so I have always been the one who brought and told the philosophy of the brand and the history of our family in foreign branches ».
And during the board meetings, when do you have to discuss the future of the company and make important choices?
«All three want the same thing: sustainable growth of the Group not in the short term but in the long term, with an eye to the next generations. Our investments are always aimed at maintaining a high level of products and services: we care about Made in Italy, our customers and our employees as well as ethics in our sector. Not surprisingly, my brother Guido was appointed president of the Assogemme Ethics Committee.
It is often said that the third generation is the one that manages to make even the largest companies fail ...
“Maybe we didn't make it in time (we laugh). Seriously, the love for this job has been handed down to us in this way that we have always taken our decisions very seriously, with great responsibility and with great respect also towards our collaborators, partners and customers ... for now the third generation has created development and with great passion we want to continue in this direction.
A grandfather started it all (smiles). He was a very good craftsman and since he was a boy he worked for the aristocratic families of the time and, considering that we are Piedmontese, also for the royal house. But the entrepreneurial spirit was transmitted to us by my father: thanks to the great help of our mother, he created the brand and began to structure the Damiani group, while my brothers and I introduced new marketing strategies and guided the international development of brands and the Group, including through acquisitions. To date, I think we have done a good job (laughs…)… but there is still a lot to do ».
How many are you in the world?
"Our Group has over 700 employees and we are present all over the world with 60 boutiques and about 2000 authorized dealers".
You are a big family, are your children already showing interest in following your footsteps?
"It's a bit early to say, our children are still too young to say what's going to happen, but yes, they're already very curious."
But passion can come from an early age ...
“Certainly, in fact, my son and my grandchildren talk about wanting to work for the company, it would be the fourth generation and would fill their great-grandfather with pride. But first, and this is an important thing, they will have to undertake to demonstrate that they have the requisites to enter and above all they will have to have experiences outside Damiani. I never tire of saying that a company is a creature, a living being that must be made to grow and whoever guides it has responsibilities towards all the families who work there ».
But she immediately started working in her father's company ...
«Yes, but if I went back I would try to have other experiences as well. I started working at 19 when I was still studying because I really wanted to understand this job that I already loved. I saw the passion that my mom and dad had and this infected me a lot. Compared to Guido, who previously worked with brilliant results in the real estate sector, I lacked an external experience, a different vision or rather an extra vision ».
He has personally followed all the advertising campaigns of your Group and has worked with many celebrities… can you tell us which ones?
"I had the opportunity to work with international stars: unique personalities characterized by great talent and elegance such as Sophia Loren, Brad Pitt and Sharon Stone, without forgetting Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Isabella Rossellini, Madalina Ghenea and Eva Longoria".
The fact of being called Damiani, a surname known all over the world, never weighed on you?
“There have been good and bad experiences, as I think for everyone. I am assuming that it is more a privilege than a problem. My father always said that we were lucky because when someone buys a jewel that bears our name he does it with joy, to celebrate something beautiful, choosing something that remains over time. This is why it is important to always and fully satisfy the customer's expectations. Returning to my surname ... I suffered a bit of envy and malice too, but this is normal, plus I dealt with communication when in the past I said that I did public relations the most mischievous thought that it was enough to dress well and go to some party (laughs). But I've always looked ahead. I love my job and I know its value ».
You have a son, Leonardo, who is almost of age, but how did you manage to do everything you did - I am thinking of the numerous trips - with a family?
“It's not like I'm always traveling (laughs); however when Leo was little I was able to carry out my business trips entrusting him to the loving care of my mom and when Leo got older I always had trusted people to lean on. Like all working mothers I have missed some things, but never the important moments. In fact, with the right organization I fortunately succeeded and I still manage to spend a lot of time with my son today ».
From what I can deduce, she doesn't have much time left to cultivate other passions ...
«Travel is not only part of my job but also a passion of mine that I cultivate with my family. I am also a nature lover. Then I like contemporary art, cinema, theater and design ».
She loves the house, the decorations, she said that if she hadn't become a gemologist she could have been an architect, an interior designer ...
«Absolutely, indeed, for some years this passion of mine has become a real job. In 2016 my family acquired Venini, of which I now hold the role of President. With its almost 100 years of history, Venini is synonymous with Made in Italy and excellence in artistic glass processing. It is a reality that has a lot in common with Damiani: the professions of master goldsmith and master glassmaker are very close if we think about it: craftsmanship, attention to detail and passion for beauty are key elements. If you come to my house you will see some splendid Venini creations, which I am particularly fond of ».
Except during this period I don't think you live in the house very much ...
“On the contrary, home is very important to me. It is a nest, a cozy place to be quiet with my family and where I can be completely myself. I'm not a good cook, I admit this (laughs amused), but they say I'm a good hostess ».
And do you use slippers?
«Yes, but they must be very pretty and I wear them strictly matched to my home outfit (laughs). I am of the sign of the Virgo and I am a precision. For me, attention to detail is essential ».
