September 16, 2021
HOW THE WP LAVORI IN CORSO CONCEPT CAME ABOUT
When, in 1982, Giuseppe and Cristina Calori decided to found a one-of-a-kind store carrying a selection of brands that no one else could offer, especially in Italy, they immediately sought inspiration overseas. The image to aspire to was the American general store, an icon of life on the road, but also of that super-practical elegance that distinguished the international brands of the time, in stark contrast to somewhat closed world of the traditional Italian boutique. anchored in the past and unable to relate to the new generations of consumers.
So WP Lavori in Corso came into being. The imagery on which the new concept drew was vast and international, designed to bring together original brands with a common focus on quality and functionality - from Vans and Paraboot shoes to Barbour and Baracuta jackets, the Japanese Beams + and Nanamica, Woolrich and Levi's from the USA and the Italian Superga. All of those brands were modern classics and so they would remain, interpreters of trends that did not disappear after just one season. The interior of the first store, like that of all the others, was designed to reflect precisely these values of authentic relevance and internationality. It was filled with vintage furniture, memorabilia from all over the world and design objects - a family atmosphere where customers could interact personally with the products, get to know them and handle them.
The criteria with which WP buyers still select the brands perfect for the group's first store, opened in 1985 in Bologna, are simple, yet epochal: clothing and merchandise from all over the world, brands with a story to tell, brands founded on shared values, and guided by innovative design. Over the years, WP has built a composite but coherent image, with a plethora of different inspirations and ideas, ready as always to grasp international trends and must-haves, bringing together trends and research in a selection that has no equal and is distributed today by the group’s 8 stores.
