In Golden Goose's Haus of Dreamers, where production and creativity come together
Born as a brand of handmade trainers, it has grown thanks to product diversification and attention to people. Today it has a turnover of 587 million euros, is looking at the stock market and has opened a place in Marghera where prototyping meets experimentation
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4' min read
4' min read
"Here in Golden Goose we are keen to remember that the company was born in Marghera. We are keen to repeat that, because people think it's a bit of a lame (sic) place. Instead it is like saying Brooklyn to someone from Manhattan'. This is how Silvio Campara, CEO of Golden Goose, responded to a question from Carlo Mazzoni, founder and editor of Lampoon magazine, in an interview published exactly one year ago. The occasion had been the inauguration of the company's new premises in Marghera, known to most as the industrial port area of Venice, 22 thousand square metres that had taken five years to complete and had been christened Haus (home, in German) of Dreamers. 'It will not be a production hub, it will be a creative hub,' Campara added. 'A place for prototyping and experimentation.
The facts confirmed the goals that the charismatic CEO of Golden Goose, who joined the company in 2013 as commercial director, after experiences at Alexander McQueen and Giorgio Armani, among others, and who in 2018 was promoted to the top position, had set himself. On 19 April, Haus in Marghera hosted four multifaceted artists - the perfect embodiment of what Campara calls 'dreamers' - from different disciplines: Argentinian artist Andrés Reisinger, Italian sculptor Fabio Viale, French-Italian painter Maïa Régis and young Puerto Rican singer Mia Lailani. "Haus is a celebration of craftsmanship, culture and art. More than a physical space, it is a dream come to life,' says the CEO of Golden Goose, to whom everyone recognises an infectious energy and enthusiasm. 'It is the place where the brand was born and now a permanent home for our community of dreamers. From Marghera to other metropolises around the world (an event was actually held in Paris last October, ndr), Haus will host a series of immersive events, dedicated pop-ups and experiential activations'.
Inside Haus there is also an Academy, where experienced craftsmen teach the talents of the future, and Manovia, a place dedicated to innovating, repairing and extending the life cycle of products of any brand. The evening of 19 April was followed by two days open to the public: by registering online, it was possible to attend a series of performances and workshops that celebrated creativity and freedom of expression. "By working closely with artists, craftsmen and members of the local community, Haus also aims to give back to the local area by promoting intercultural dialogue," adds Campara, who likes to use English terms. It is a language he knows very well, given his past as a globetrotting manager, and one that is particularly suited to his quick thinking and pragmatic, dreamer-like attitude and, last but not least, his fascination with American culture, to which the idea of 'give back' also belongs, the willingness of companies to give something back to the territory from which they have received so much.
In the case of Golden Goose, it is (also) Marghera, where the brand and the company were born in 2000, thanks to the passion for shoe craftsmanship of two designers, Francesca Rinaldo and Alessandro Gallo, who are still involved in the brand today. In 24 years from handmade trainers - which remain the brand's core business and are considered a high-end good, with prices easily reaching 500 euros - Golden Goose has diversified into clothing and accessories, investing heavily in retail, in the customisation of the collections and in attention to the people who work in the company, as demonstrated by the Haus of Dreamers in Marghera but also the Milan office, equally attentive to offering not only a working environment that fosters creativity, but one that becomes an example to follow for other companies eager to find innovative ways of organising work and the balance between business objectives and people's desires to fulfil themselves, with a privileged eye on energy, but also on the vulnerability that young people may have, because dreams are important, but we must be very careful not to break them, but to nurture them.
The economic figures from 2018 to oggi speak for themselves: under Silvio Campara's leadership, Golden Goose's turnover has grown steadily in double digits, reaching the 587 million in 2023, up 8% at constant exchange rates compared to fiscal year 2022, with an ebitda of 200 million, up 19% year-on-year, and capex (investments) of 38 million.
