Interview with Luca Dondi
A.Lange&Sohne’s Brand Manager for Italy and Southern Europe
Within the scenario of world high-wathmaking, A. Lange & Sohne is one of the most appreciated brands both for its aesthetic qualities and for technical and functionality innovations characterizing its every piece. Since last March, the brand’s Italy and Southern Europe division can count on a new, young brand manager, Luca Dondi, who boasts significant experiences in Ferrari and Maserati. Dondi explains to Luxgallery A. Lange & Sohne’s brand strategies in Italy.
What are A. Lange & Sohne’s brand strategies in Italy?
We expect 2009 to be a year of consolidation for the brand, with a slight increase compared to 2008. We do not expect Italy to face any drastic changes, especially considering the fact that we’ll anticipate trends by presenting a number of different novelties, at least one per month, involving the entire price range. Excellent quality, unique innovations, movements conceived as real works of art. A. Lange & Sohne has always worked in full respect of such core values and we’ll keep faithful to our philosophy this year too. We are sure that contents and quality will receive recognition by the audience.
Is it the first time that you deal with a watchmaking maison? What are the similarities with other luxury brands?
Having worked for Ferrari and Maserati, I discovered the liaison between these top automotive and watchmaking companies to be the constant search for functional innovation. I personally feel passionate about technique and brands that have an authentic history and noble origins; it was not particularly hard to move from Maserati to a brand such as A. Lange & Sohne, whose origins date back to Emperor Augustus the Strong, whose court opted for A. Lange & Sohne brand.
What place does Italy hold on A. Lange & Sohne’s market?
Among the connoisseurs of high-watchmaking, A. Lange & Sohne is a very requested brand, a good sign for the brand and for the entire market, that allowed for the achievement of great sale results in April, reporting a significant growth in number of pieces compared to the precious 6 months, despite the market’s overall decreasing trends. Italy is for us the third market in the world, Europe’s second after Germany. In Germany A. Lange & Sohne’s models are distributed on large numbers, whereas in Italy clients are very selective. Based on our experience, we know that whatever is successful in Italy, is very likely to be successful all over the world. In general. When we talk of A. Lange & Sohne, we refer to much awaited for items, realized in small quantities, increasing thus their value: in fact, a crono needs a six-months period to be manufactured.
What are the key models and novelties of 2009?
The main item, that has always brought great success, is the Lange 1, icon-item exactly as its entire family. As far as it concerns more complicated items, we count on Lange 31 and the big news available for purchase at the end of the year: Zeitwerk.
So, what should Italian fans expect?
Big news and world previews. Italy will be the first market on which we’ll launch Lange 31 and Zeitwerk. The former in July and the latter, as mentioned, towards the end of the year.
Who do you deem to be your most frightful competitors?
I believe that A. lange & Sohne, for its unique products and constant innovation, can quite stand alone, without any big competitors to struggle against. In fact, this year, we aim at growing as for the waiting list and for market quota.
Davide Passoni
Cult Products, Fashion, Luxury Representatives, Men, People And Brand, Stories Of Achievements, Watches, Women,
Tags: A. Lange & Sohne, brand manager, high-watchmaking, Luca Dondi
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