Amelie Sets Sights on Global Stage with International Store Expansion
Amelie is poised for a significant international expansion, with its founder and CEO, Marina Acconci, revealing plans to open the brand's first mono-brand stores abroad by the close of 2026. This strategic move will see the label make its international debut with the Autumn/Winter 2026 season, targeting key markets in Poland and the United Arab Emirates.
The brand's journey began after Marina Acconci's three-decade career as a lawyer. She launched the first Amelie store in 2012 at her own outlet centre, the Brugnato Outlet Village in Liguria. Initially conceived as an experiment to monitor the centre's operations, the store quickly surpassed expectations. What started as a test with a few basic, one-size pieces made by a local artisan rapidly evolved into a thriving enterprise. This successful formula was replicated across Italy, leading to the formal establishment of the Amelie brand in 2017. Today, Amelie operates 60 mono-brand stores throughout Italy and employs approximately 250 people, with plans for a wholesale project under consideration to enhance its presence in less-covered areas of the Italian market. The brand prides itself on an in-house team dedicated to designing collections and a robust, dedicated production network.
The name Amelie holds a personal significance for its founder, Marina Acconci, who was born Amelia Marina Acconci in Sarzana. She explains that "Amelia" became her sole first name after moving to Genoa, though she affectionately signed her diary "Amelie" as a teenager. This personal touch extends to the brand's core philosophy: a size-less approach to fashion. Acconci emphasizes, "we don’t measure women in centimetres or kilos," crafting designs for a real woman encountered on the street or in the office, rather than on a catwalk. Her creative process is deeply informed by her legal career, particularly her work supporting women who have experienced violence. These profound experiences, she notes, have revealed "a more authentic femininity," leading her to "overturn the paradigm" by dedicating her creativity to empowering women, helping them project the image or tell the story they desire.
Amelie operates under the umbrella of Icon Retail and anticipates closing FY2025 with single-digit growth. Looking ahead, Acconci expresses confidence in further business expansion in line with the company's broader scope. Despite the current challenges facing the fashion sector, she assures that Amelie is under no financial pressure, projecting continued operations with "great peace of mind" and stability.
The upcoming winter wardrobe from Amelie showcases a distinct focus on luxurious textures and evocative prints. Velvet, described by Acconci as "stretchy and soft," takes centre stage, alongside versatile taffeta, which "lends a fresh touch." The collection's prints draw inspiration from South African botany and the garden, metaphorically representing "dedication, commitment, and acceptance." Furthermore, the offering weaves in narratives of historical women, from a 17th-century nun with literary aspirations to an American writer, exploring diverse female archetypes to "tell a little of who we are," as Marina Acconci concludes.
