Craftsmanship with a Heritage

Launched in 2011, Cruciani C has steadily gained a following. The brand introduced bracelets made of lace, featuring motifs like clovers, hearts, and butterflies. Their vibrant colors, charming designs, and playful, easy-to-wear appeal have led to explosive popularity, particularly in its home country of Italy.

While the appearance is simple, there's a crucial difference from conventional bracelets. This is according to Luca Caprai, the creator of these novel accessories and CEO of Cruciani. Compared to the average Italian, he is a man of few words, and his carefully chosen phrases carry significant weight.

"Cruciani C is unique in its materials. Bracelets made primarily of lace are extremely rare. My father was both a collector and producer of lace. We leverage that background and expertise in our manufacturing, and the key point is that the products achieve a certain level of quality. Another characteristic is the affordable price point (starting from around 1,000 yen). We've focused on pricing that allows customers to purchase without hesitation. I believe these factors have contributed to its widespread recognition today."

Caprai's father, Arnaldo, has been running a lace factory since 1955. He is also one of the world's foremost collectors of antique lace, with his collection even being presented online as a "Museum Collection" of museum-quality exhibits. The lace used in the products is, of course, of the highest quality, manufactured from spinning to production within a single factory. It has garnered immense support, primarily in Europe, as the finest lace for home furnishings.

Indeed, Cruciani C bracelets are inexpensive. However, with a background in handling genuine lace, they are by no means mere fleeting trends.

Buoyed by strong sales in Italy, an e-commerce site is set to launch on March 13th. But why Japan, and why now?

Second Only to Italy in Global Potential

"Cruciani C is currently available worldwide. However, in terms of sales volume, Italy is naturally in the top position. But in terms of future potential, we anticipate Japan will rank second. This conviction comes not only from gathering information from buyers and fashion industry professionals during visits to Japan for knitwear sales but also from observing the market firsthand and people on the streets. Japanese people have a highly sophisticated awareness of fashion. Those with delicate sensibilities are naturally interested in accessories as well as clothing. I feel there's a foundation in Japan for both men and women to regularly wear and enjoy accessories."

As evidence, the newly opened Japanese e-commerce site sold 300 units on its first day alone. Since then, an average of about 150 units have been ordered daily. These facts likely underscore the brand's high expectations.

However, the Japanese market tends to lose momentum without continuous "initiatives." Are there any concrete plans for future strategies? When asked this question, the astute CEO paused for a moment. It's easy to imagine that this very caution is one of the keys to his success in navigating the competitive fashion landscape.

"Following the success, counterfeit products have already begun to appear. This is the fate of any popular item, but we want to avoid such situations as much as possible. Therefore, unfortunately, there is little I can share about specific projects. However, the opening of the Marunouchi shop on April 19th is a major event for Cruciani C's advancement. We are certainly doing everything we can to ensure the success of this shop. We would appreciate it if you could mention this in your article so that as many people as possible can visit (laughs)."

Impactful Collaborations Also in the Works

The brand currently boasts approximately 1,000 official supporters worldwide, including supermodels ranked among the "world's top 5" such as Izabel Goulart and Bar Refaeli.

In Japan, celebrities like Yu Yamada, Emiri Henmi, and Moe Oshikiri are already known as wearers. For an item to gain widespread recognition, not only product quality but also media-driven momentum is essential. How does the astute CEO view this aspect?

"Collaborations with renowned designers and celebrities are always a priority for us. Looking back, last year we achieved a surprising collaboration with the South Korean rapper PSY, which garnered significant attention. He is someone who has accomplished the feat of achieving over 1.4 billion views on his music videos through the extremely modern medium of YouTube. We strongly hope to collaborate with similarly charismatic artists in Japan."

According to the Japanese importer, numerous promotional events centered around Cruciani C are already in progress, including collaborations with fashion magazines and pop-up cafes on beaches during the summer. These lace bracelets have created a pop culture phenomenon worldwide. 2013 is undoubtedly a special year, both for the brand's history and for the Japanese accessory scene.





Opens April 19 (Fri)
Cruciani Marunouchi Store
1F Fuji Building, 3-2-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-5224-3883

Available at: Strassburgo, Cruciani stores,
Cruciani C Official Online Shop
http://www.cruciani-c.jp/