“Yes, but it IS a Luisa Spagnoli,” she laughed before popping to the back of the small shop and returning with a similar red coat. “This is my Spagnoli,” she said simply, “it’s eight years old.” Given that the coat could easily hang next to the 2011/12 iteration, she didn’t need to say much more. Pretending to know all about Luisa, fashion and good taste, I thanked Ilsje for her time, promised to get a coffee at her other business interest, Traumerei Café, also in Franschhoek, and headed home to Google ‘Spagnoli’…
The Spagnoli brand was established just after WWI, when Luisa added the breeding of poultry and Angora rabbits to her repertoire, which at that stage already featured a successful chocolate business called Perugina. It seems that the introduction of the Angora yarn for knitwear was a master stroke and despite not seeing the business hit the heights it has today, in her lifetime, it must have been clear to her that she had set the scene for something great. Her vision is probably best honoured by noting that despite the male-dominated age in which she found herself, she believed in the value of women and their ability to contribute to the economy.
Under the care of her son Mario, the company went from strength-to-strength and today Luisa’s great-grandchildren are at the helm of a company that had an estimated value in excess of 134-million Euro in 2010.
The company’s unrelenting quest to innovate new yarns and fabrics, to make use of both classic and fresh clothing designs and to create a strong and immediately recognisable brand image have seen Luisa Spagnoli creations adorn many of the most desirable women to have taken to the world stage. Not least of these was Kate Middleton who wore a stunning Luisa Spagnoli skirt and ‘sushi’ jacket as she set about on her first Royal outing to St Andrews with Prince William.
Given that Kate looks drop-dead gorgeous in the outfit, I’m looking forward to trading a dented card for a wife dressed in her own Luisa Spagnoli Meina jacket and matching Molly skirt thanks to Isabella Charlotte.
Isabella Charlotte, Huguenot Square, Shop 7, Franschhoek, 082 7848004
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