E. Marinella | Marinella celebrates its 100th anniversary

E, MARINELLA | Marinella

Review of Events Held in Italy and Japan

100 Years of the Tie Brand "Marinella"

In 2014, E. MARINELLA, a tie brand that Italy proudly presents to the world, celebrated its 100th anniversary. A grand party was held in Italy as a major event.

Text by IWANAGA Morito (OPENERS)

The Venue: The Royal Palace of Naples, a Historic Building

It is no exaggeration to call "Marinella" the pinnacle of tie brands. The quality of their ties, favored by presidents worldwide, is unparalleled. The brand logo features the crests of the British Royal Family and the House of Bourbon side-by-side.

The founder, Eugenio Marinella, dreamed of creating a "little London in Naples" brimming with the cutting-edge British taste of the time, and opened his shop in 1914, at the age of 34.

Now, 100 years later, an opportunity has arisen to trace its journey.

The Royal Palace of Naples, the venue for the exhibition "A Century of History, One Hundred Years of Style (Un secolo di storia, cento anni di stile)," was built in the 17th century and is known for housing some of Naples' most significant artworks. This time, the second floor, now open to the public as a historic house museum, served as the exhibition space.

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The Royal Palace of Naples, venue for the exhibition

In the corridor near the entrance, photographs of the Marinella family and the shop in its early days were displayed, alongside pictures of Eugenio Marinella with prominent figures from various fields during his buying trips to London, articles from different newspapers, and letters of gratitude from world leaders, including former U.S. President Bill Clinton. These exhibits attested to the sincere dedication that has built such profound trust and renown throughout the brand's long history.

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Also on display were past order forms, fabric swatches, archives of ties and accessories such as hats and suspenders, and tools like sewing machines and irons. Videos of artisans working in the atelier were projected onto the building's ceilings, presenting the brand's history through a variety of visually engaging methods.

Following the exhibition, a party was held at the San Carlo Theatre. As one of Italy's three major opera houses and the oldest theater still in use in the country, it was a fitting venue for such a commemorative ceremony.

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Next, a grand dinner was held in a specially constructed venue in the gardens of the Royal Palace of Naples, attended by approximately 1,200 invited guests. Campanian wines and traditionally Neapolitan dishes, reinterpreted with a modern touch, were served. Towards the end, as a surprise, a short film depicting the history of Marinella and its ties was projected onto the 12th-century Castel Nuovo using projection mapping. The dynamic presentation elicited cheers from the attendees.

In Japan, a commemorative exhibition "Marinella MUSEO" celebrating Marinella's 100th anniversary was also held in October at the Italian Cultural Institute.

Materials from the Italian event were brought over, offering visitors a rare glimpse into the brand's heritage. Maurizio Marinella, the owner, attended the reception party and mingled with guests.