Trussardi is an Italian fashion and lifestyle brand that celebrated 100 years in business in 2011.
Founded originally as a glove factory by Dante Trussardi in 1911, the company was successful in this venture and was eventually appointed as a glovemaker for the British Royal Familiy. However, the comapny's biggest successes were realized after Dante's grandson Nicola took over the company in 1965.
Nicola's age and business sense regarding the social changes of the 1960s helped propel this company to international fame as a fashion house and luxury lifestyle goods brand. One of the most important changes made by Nicola was the adaptation of a distinct logo—the Trussardi Greyhound— which would adorn its products and give the brand a unique identifier in the marketplace.
Under Nicola's direction, Trussardi expanded from gloves to luggage, handbags, home and office accessories, and leather jackets that were up-to-the minute in trendiness. The company maintaine dits commitment to fine Italian craftsmanship, and its reputation as a manufacturer of high-quality items spread around the world. Trussardi's first boutique in Milan was opened in 1976 and remains the company's flagship store. Trussardi goods were exported to the United States and all major markets in Europe.
The house of Trussardi expanded into fashion in the 1980s, offering menswear and a women's line. They staged their fashion shows at in theatrical halls and were among the first designers to make their shows open to the public. Under Nicola's leadership, Trussardi Group launched the lines Trussardi Jeans, Trussardi Home, Trussardi Baby, Trussardi Junior, Trussardi Eyewear and Trussardi Perfumes. Trussardi was one of several Italian companies who worked to improve the distinction of the "Made in Italy" label. The 1990s saw the expansion of Trussardi into the Asian market.
Nicola Trussardi's untimely death in 1999 from a car accident has not slowed the success of the company. Trussardi remains a family business under the leadership of Beatrice Trussardi, the fourth generation of the family to hold the reins. Under Beatrice's direction, the company expanded to include brands Trussardi 1911, Tru Trussardi and TJ.
Since 2005, Trussardi offers fragrances in conjunction with Selective Beauty. Trussardi's first fragrance was Trussardi for women, introduced in a leather-encased bottle designed by Nicola Trussardi himself.
