Exclusive Enrico Coveri: Designer Collection Joins Audace Lunettes

By Paddy Kamen

The story of the Enrico Coveri brand contains triumph and sadness, involving two designers from the same family.

A dynamic and exciting designer from Italy, Enrico Coveri, hailed from Florence where he studied design at the Accadema delle Belle Arti, and went on to work as a freelance designer, creating knitwear and daywear collections for private labels, including Touche. A short stint in Paris with Pierre Cardin’s design institute – Espace Cardin, segued into a return to Italy where Coveri established his own company in 1979.

Coveri was a bold designer of young, fun-loving fashions. He blended strong colours into striking, clever designs of knitted tops and trousers that had broad appeal. He was also known for including comic characters and pop art designs in his clothes. In all his collections colour carried the day and even when he was bucking the trends exuberance was his hallmark. Enrico’s shows were always well-received by the fashion press and he won several prestigious awards.

Sadly, Enrico Coveri passed away in 1990, at the young age of 38. His family recovered however, with his sister Silvana taking over operations at the House of Coveri, with the help of her sons.

It is Enrico’s nephew, Silvana’s youngest son, Francesco Martini Coveri, who is now the artistic director for the brand. Born in 1974, Francesco was raised in the business and showed creative promise at a young age. His debut in 1996 with the “You Young Coveri” line confirmed that he had inherited his uncle Enrico’s talent, with an instinct for dressing women.

Francesco Martini Coveri is a man of many passions, some of which he combines with his role as a purveyor of fashion. For example, his love of music led him to create the sound track for his fashion shows, and his skill as a photographer allowed him to shoot the advertising for his You Young Coveri collection. Francesco has received a great deal of recognition for his work, including several prestigious Italian design awards.

Like many fashion houses, Enrico Coveri has expanded into accessories, and their eyewear, which reflects the sensibilities of the brand, is a big hit in Europe. New to Canada, the brand was discovered by Alain Lachambre, owner of Audace Lunettes, when he was at the Silmo trade show in Paris in the fall of 2007.

“I wanted to expand my product offerings and was looking for a fashion label. I wanted something with a lot of panache and credibility in Europe, but wasn’t very well known in Canada,” explains Lachambre. “Although there is definitely a market for the famous designer labels, there is also a clientele that wants something that speaks fashion but is less well known, more exclusive perhaps. Enrico Coveri fits the bill perfectly.”

One can be overwhelmed with the variety of options on display at a show like Silmo. But when Lachambre found Enrico Coveri he knew immediately that he had found his designer. “I was extremely impressed with the design, the look and finish of the eyewear. The collection is high-end but not extreme in its aesthetics. These are pieces that can be worn very easily.”

The product mix is comprehensive. “Most lines specialize in a certain material or purpose in their eyewear, but Enrico Coveri offers a great combination of metals and acetates in ophthalmic and sunwear,” notes Lachambre. “One thing that impressed me is their ability to combine metals and acetates in one frame, and when they use strass it is never overdone, just tasteful and elegant.”

The acetate in the Enrico Coveri collections is made in Italy, and the Italians are masters at working with it. In fact, every piece is entirely made in Italy. “The manufacturer for the label, Vecellio, has been in business for a long time and they do their eyewear from A to Z. Whereas you often see a manufacturer who is good at metals and they sub-contract out the acetates and obtain their hardware from other places, with Vecellio they do it all. And they’ve been in business for a long time, building product for the high-fashion market, so their experience means the product is exceptional. When you hold it in your hands you can easily see that it has been well crafted. The workmanship is second-to-none.”

Lachambre is planning on making the collection available to select retailers who are looking for a niche label for clients who want to express their individuality. “When so many retailers are carrying the major labels, Coveri gives them a chance to differentiate. And while volume may not be as high, the margins are more attractive. With Enrico Coveri people get a lot of substance and quality for their money, which is one of the reasons I am excited to be introducing this fantastic label.”