Sisley

A place, Paris, a date, 1968, and a Denim collection. That’s how the story of the Sisley brand started, a brand that, year after year, has continued to offer a revolutionary way of dressing compared with the standards of the time, in perfect tune with the most avant-garde trends of the present and aimed exclusively at the young.

The encounter with Benetton occurred in 1974, when the Group, perceiving the potential, bought exclusive rights to use the name, but it was not until 1985 that Sisley took on its own personality within the Group. An independent creative and sales staff organisation was set up; a new image was born in terms of points of sale, product and advertising. 1996 marked another important stage in Sisley’s history: the logo was changed from the gold-burgundy emblem that made the brand famous throughout the world, to a more elegant and refined logo, a white inscription on a black background.

Every season, Sisley launches men and women’s collections whose basic objective is to be always on the same wavelength as those who follow fashion and keep themselves abreast of the trendiest tendencies. The collections, in fact, include sporty and casual wear, formal and elegant dresses – therefore an all-round offering for every moment of the day and for various needs- which interpret future trends, take in fashion crazes from all parts of the globe and leaves matching to individual tastes. Extremely up-to-date collections right down to details, to accessories, colours and to fabrics, which are combined to a refined style, with no overstatements.

With 850 points of sale throughout the world, Sisley represents an unmistakable fashion presence in the clothing world, and a recognisable way of dressing. Part of this uniqueness is due to the creativity of the design team, a true workshop of imagination and innovation. Sisley designers are attentive to what is fashionable or will be fashionable tomorrow. They are receptive to the stimuli communicated by top world fashion designers and are sensitive to the phenomena that attract the younger generations. Yet creativity and imagination do not exclude precise commercial choices aimed at achieving an excellent quality-price relationship, which means continuous research and development in the textile sector and in new technologies applied in it.

Another indisputable factor for the success of the brand throughout the world is its advertising campaigns. It is well known how much emphasis is placed on communication within the Group, to convey a promotional message whose objective is not only to sell a product. Also it aims at creating an image and a life style differentiate certain individuals from the crowd. It could not be otherwise, not even for Sisley, even though the latter has chosen a different strategic approach. No controversial campaign with a moral tone and social criticism, as those of Benetton. Rather, they create a possible reality, a fiction which customers dream about, but one in which they can identify and recognise themselves.

That’s how the Sisley Travellers’ Diary was created which, over the years, is evolving in terms of settings, contents and aesthetics. From adventurous destinations such as Canada, New Zealand, Morocco and Brazil to metropolis such as New York, Los Angeles, London and Venice and to more intimate and inward journeys, in which the setting offer the opportunity to talk about feelings, fantasies or even just moments of normal life. From the first and unforgettable Sisley Diaries, based on the UP SIDE DOWN concept – i.e. printed upside down on the back cover and often also on the last two or three pages of the magazine- to the truly independent books, which have now become collectors’ items, some featuring brief, jotted travel notes. Others had no text to hint, to imagine or give an insight into the private lives of the players.