40 YEARS OF STYLE AND RESEARCH WITH WP LAVORI IN CORSO

In 1982 Giuseppe and Cristina Calori decided to import to Italy brands that stood out for pioneering and innovation, all of them with an authentic story to tell. Little did they know that they were indeed changing the Italian style for ever, bringing a new and international twist. Forty years later, with the same passion as the early days, WP – Lavori in Corso is still going strong on its path of research and innovation. The first brands for which the father-and-daughter duo became distributors were Vanson Leathers and Desert Sons, both historic American brands one renowned for its leather jackets and the other and its handcrafted moccasins. The real turning point, however, came the following year, in 1983, when WP - Lavori in Corso became the official Italian distributor of Vans. It was indeed an historic moment: the legendary Californian brand made its first appearance in our country thanks to WP - Lavori in Corso, and the original distribution agreement became over time a true creative partnership. In fact, the two brands collaborated first on a collection of fabrics thought exclusively for the Italian retailer and later on a series of different patterns for the shoe upper. Over the next few years, WP Lavori in Corso even convinced Vans to expand its footwear line to include running, basketball, aerobics, and snowboard sneakers, which later became true staples of the brand.

Those between 1984 and 1986 were years of great change: the brands distributed by WP Lavori in Corso expanded so much that they expanded into the areas of fashion and casual style, including international designers such as Anna Sui and Stephen Sprouse as well as famous American and British brands such as Paraboot, Pendleton, Filson and BarbourIt was during this growing phase that the company also became a retailer and opened its first concept store in Bologna. The imagery evoked by Giuseppe and Cristina Calori's vision was that of the American general store, something like a frontier bazaar, a place to find objects that had come from distant lands carrying incredible stories. WP Lavori in Corso's concept store became a perfect representation of life on the road, breaking sharply away from the old-fashioned world of the classic Italian boutique. Over the years the list of important brands expanded to include cosmetics and beauty products, such as the famous Khiels. In 1988 the creative potential of the company expanded even more, thanks to the historical partner Vans: WP - Lavori in Corso was the one suggesting the Californian brand to create in Italy a clothing collection designed by Enzo Fusco, the first to bear the iconic motto "Off The Wall" on t-shirts and Bermuda shorts. The success of the initiative was tremendous. Just two years later, it was Vans itself who asked WP - Lavori in Corso to market the collection in the United States, creating the Vans clothing line. In the following years, the list of trademarks and brands distributed and imported by WP Works continued to grow exponentially. That's when B.D. Baggies, Crescent Down Works, Prison Blues, Sperry Top-Sider, Spiewak, Khaki Jungle and Interstellar Propeller - maker of the iconic coloured baseball cap with the helix on top - also arrived. Meanwhile, the company turned ten years old and celebrated its history with a commemorative book, a second and third edition of which came out in 2002 and 2012, starting a tradition that continues today, celebrating the company's anniversary every ten years. In 1996, the story of WP - Lavori in Corso had become already so legendary that Piaggio, on its own anniversary, joined forces with WP by becoming the apparel licensee of the Vespa clothing brand. During the early 2000s, Japanese brands such as Goldwin, Beams and Enginereed Garments also arrived, as well as other historical brands as the Italian Avon Celli and Baracuta, later acquired outright in 2012. WP - Lavori in Corso also expanded its business into the hosting sector: in 2015 WP Relais was born, a series of residences of great elegance and glamour, designed and furnished by the WP Lavori in Corso family. In between acquisitions, close to the 40th anniversary of its founding, the new e-commerce was launched, and its huge 80,000-item archive reorganized. To celebrate the 40th anniversary, the priceless archive of WP - Work in Progress is being explored by creator and archivist Samuel Trotman, aka @samutaro. In an exciting tour that will kick off a series of exclusive interviews featuring some of the main leaders of "archive" and Italian fashion, the history of the company and its brands will be deepened and celebrated. To complement the initiatives undertaken for the 40th anniversary, a selection of vintage garments and t-shirts with archival graphics will be offered for sale both online and in the retailer's stores.