The key points
- The brand was founded by the brothers Giuliano and Giordano Calza
- He opens a boutique in Capri and launches a capsule of ceramic products
- The goal is to keep e-commerce at 30% of the market
From the sea of Naples to that of Brighton, which is not exactly the same. From a European metropolis, Paris, to New York that never sleeps (at least until before Covid) to Shanghai. All (a lot) before turning 30. Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that Giuliano Calza – thanks to the osmosis between many different cultures and lifestyles and many study and work experiences concentrated in a few years – has created, together with his brother Giordano, a brand, GCDS, considered a case of study. For the speed of growth and the originality of the offer, close, so to speak, to the world of streetwear, but with a touch that could be defined, with pride, of Neapolitan flair.
Now GCDS returns to the land of origin of the Calza brothers, with a boutique in Piazzetta Umberto I, the most famous and central of Capri, which opens tomorrow: “Giuliano is the creative soul of the brand, I strive to be more rational and follow, as a Bocconian, the economic and financial aspects – says Giordano Calza -. But in the end we remain two dreamers and visionaries and when there is a risk to achieve something that projects us even more into the future, we give each other courage and we do it. The opening of Capri, where there are all the major luxury brands in the world, is an excellent example “.
The island has always been a destination for international tourism of the highest level, alongside the Italian one, made only minimally by day trips or “hit and run” visits. «Talking with those who have lived in Capri for many years or have commercial and hotel activities here is like leafing through an album of celebrities from the cinema, especially Americans – adds Giordano -. Capri tourism, however, is not only made up of Americans, whom we expect in large numbers this year, but also of Europeans and Asians. We will see few Chinese, while there will almost certainly be Japanese. The Russians will be missing, of course, but there are things we cannot change, such as geopolitical tensions. We focus on everything else: creativity, observation of the world, investments in digital, alongside those in retail ».
Like any brand born within the revolution triggered by the internet, GCDS has made the best use of the possibilities offered by social media and online sales, but, despite being Millennials, the Calza brothers strongly believe in physical stores: “I hope e-commerce of clothing and accessories, globally, never exceeds 30%, which is already a very high percentage – explains Giordano Calza -. It is clear that retail must change and to a large extent it has already done so and that physical and digital distribution, just like communication, must become a corporate and mental ecosystem, I would say. But what would become the places where we live or go on vacation without shops, large and small, and places to eat or drink something, where to really stay with other human beings? “.
The ability to combine apparently distant worlds and aesthetics can be seen in the furnishings of the new boutique: the walls are covered with glossy yellow eco-leather and the floor is covered with blue carpet with a maxi logo, but there are also ceramic amphorae and even an installation of bougainvillea and lemons, two symbols of the strength and beauty of Capri’s nature.