As part of working with brands that are dedicated to high quality artisanal craft, Jordan Lane Gilmore set out to spend more time in Italy and with legacy brands as well as pioneers in bespoke, made-to-measure and made-to-order (MTO) tailoring. His interests in the sustainability of fashion and retail businesses has led to the backing of ventures who’s DNA is based on on-demand & MTO centric business models.
Along with a mutual interest, especially with Manuel Vanni, to keep the suit-making business alive in North America, Mr. Gilmore was met with a remarkable and frankly unwarranted welcome and generosity by his Italian counterparts... for which he is eternally grateful.
Image: Manuel Vanni, bespoke menswear brand
Wholesale and direct channel placement executed.
Jordan Lane Gilmore served as a creative director for the Manuel Vanni luxury brand in 2016, developing and curating media & creative assets, such as Lookbooks.
Through his Harvard graduate study and for water well deployment and research in Southeast Asia, Jordan Lane Gilmore made Singapore a base and Tamil Nadu, India a frequent project site for water technology.
His time in these markets and industries, gave him exposure to both textile production in the region and the world’s top luxury markets.
Image 1: Kyleigh Kuhn , Image 2: Harvard Asia Center Image 3: Eidos, via Glenn Allsop
During his Harvard graduate study, Jordan Lane Gilmore conducted research on the impacts of industry on water systems, which revealed that the apparel and textile industry was not only the 2nd largest user of water, but one of water’s largest polluters.
The Sustainable Fashion Academy serves apparel companies globally, primarily through educational seminars to all levels of the organization and staff.
Jordan endorses the SFA as a tool to "greening" your brand and works with the SFA to draw support for the GLASA award which champions and further enables pioneers of sustainability in the industry.
After in-field work & research at various stages of the textile supply chain, Jordan Lane Gilmore moved to a fashion capitol (Milan) where global supply & production decisions are made. This paired with personal goals for sustainability has led Mr. Gilmore to support brands that focus on the quality & care of the product, which tends to make those products more sustainable.
The Prodigal Studio is a network of independent freelancers that come together to provide services of creative agency, collaboratively, to brands. This ranges from the production of short films to digital design works, and more info on the studio’s projects can be found here.
Jordan Lane Gilmore launched the Milan studio and effectively Prodigal’s Europe HQ, with a focus on luxury goods brand assets.
Denis Frison is an Italian stylist & designer, now successfully having launched a bicoastal operation and garnered the coveted ambassadorship at the Spring Street Studios in NYC. Denis a friend & brand with which Jordan Lane Gilmore partners & endorses readily.
After shadowing artisans of the denim industry in the US, particularly those with an interest to reduce their impact on the environment, Jordan Lane Gilmore set out to learn more from some of the best artisans in the world, particularly Italian manufacturers and tailoring houses.
Through this process, Mr. Gilmore realized it was a unique time for the tailoring business - where the value of the "Made In Italy" brand was being challenged. This begged some interesting questions like; Is the value positioned to grow or decline? Does the average consumer these days know what Made in Italy is/means?
Considering "Made In Italy" is an official merchandising mark - one indicating that the product is totally produced in Italy and guarantees a particular level of quality - these questions appeared relevant... So relevant that piloting Simeone mono-brand retail seemed an opportune time to put the ideas to the test. It would also prove to be a great way to generally understand the direct-to-customer (DTC) experience and ultimately prepare the brand for its global wholesale clients in the seasons to follow.
Photo Courtesy of Simeone Archives FW15/16
Simeone HQ and Retail Launches in Canada.
Jordan Lane Gilmore served as the Managing Director of Simeone and increased the footprint of the retail, wholesale & private label channels by no less than 25% annually.
Various Vieni Estates, Le Parc & Simeone pop-up shops & installations across the country.
Jordan Lane Gilmore serves as an investor & advisor to early CPG, apparel, & textile brands, those particularly navigating the US and Europe retail markets.
Brand Investor | USA
A "shake-up" in the luxury menswear industry, perhaps showing negative impacts as early as 2015, was an indicator to Jordan Lane Gilmore that a strategical focus on markets outside of the United States was a more likely success. With Simeone's first wholesale collection being presented globally (from Milan), there were much more ripe marketplaces for a premium level 100% Made In Italy product. Much of Asia, especially Russia and Japan, as well as the Middle East, for example, proved to be not only receptive but understood that, for a young brand, Simeone presented a very unique business model compared to other Italian brands.
Mr. Gilmore served as the Managing Director of Simeone and increased the footprint of the retail, wholesale & private label channels by no less than 25% annually.
Images: Simeone SS17/18 Collection
Destinations of Style was dual purposed Across-Country 52-city driving Tour of North American menswear boutiques, cataloguing the highest performing stores and profiling regional style-makers, fashion trends & the business of retail.
Jordan Lane Gilmore produced & hosted this content; interviews, company profiles, & retail research thanks to the sponsorship of Simeone Napoli, Jeep.com, & Jeep.ca.
Luxury Boutiques, Stores, and E-commerce channel placement executed.
Jordan Lane Gilmore served as the Managing Director of Simeone and increased the footprint of the retail, wholesale & private label channels by no less than 25% annually.
Modeled after the North American tour of menswear boutiques, cataloguing the highest performing stores and profiling regional style-makers, fashion trends & the business of retail, the European tour involved Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands and more.
Jordan Lane Gilmore served as the Managing Director of Simeone and increased the footprint of the retail, wholesale & private label channels by no less than 25% annually.
Simeone penthouse & showroom successfully launched.
Jordan Lane Gilmore served as the Managing Director of Simeone and increased the footprint of the retail, wholesale & private label channels by no less than 25% annually.
More Luxury Boutiques, Stores, and E-commerce channel placement executed.
Jordan Lane Gilmore served as the Managing Director of Simeone and increased the footprint of the retail, wholesale & private label channels by no less than 25% annually.
MANAGING DIRECTOR | MILAN
After a successful first (FW17/18) wholesale campaign globally as well as after the pilot of Simeone mono-brand stores, the brand decided to bring the SPRING-SUMMER 2018 Collection to the US. Already, while the campaign has not completed just yet, we have put flags in 12 cities across the country and look forward to more strategic partnerships for future Simeone collections.
Jordan Lane Gilmore served as the Managing Director of Simeone and increased the footprint of the retail, wholesale & private label channels by no less than 25% annually.
Image: Simeone SS18 Collection
Simeone Retail Launch successful completed and operational.
Jordan Lane Gilmore served as the Managing Director of Simeone and increased the footprint of the retail, wholesale & private label channels by no less than 25% annually.
Various marketing, growth, and branding partnerships across the country, with Ferrari, MLSE, and Campari.
Jordan Lane Gilmore serves as an investor & advisor to early stage apparel and textile brands, those particularly navigating the US and Europe retail markets.
XY Retail facilitated the launch of Isaia Flagship Stores (Hong Kong, Tokyo, NYC, Milan, Capri, SF, LA, London, & Dubai) and online stores simultaneously across the globe. This included unique retail experiences like modern Tailor shops.
Jordan Lane Gilmore served as the Chief Business Development Officer at XY, advancing the retail software product GTM strategy toward the largest account to date & the largest partner of the company’s history.