A man who came from afar to paraphrase the story of a modern-day pope. Path and reverse itinerary, a man, an entrepreneur from Bassano comes to Romania, the former homeland of a patriarchal but equally hard and ruthless communism to evangelize after the fall of the regime, a nation and a capital according to the dictates of the quality it smells of, secular creativity, intuition commercialism, stubbornness in pursuing a purpose, an end, in the context of a new reality, a market that moves in the wake of a nascent commercial liberalism.
Adriano Mengotti is a particular man, bear the name of an enlightened Roman emperor and here Romania, the empire knew him well, Dacia subjected to, a province of the Roman empire by Trajan, Hadrian’s predecessor.
Man of culture, lover of the beauty of history and customs. I was invited to Bucharest, I was curious to discover a name that for a long time was just a dot on a geographical map. Upon my arrival at the hotel in the very central Calea Victoriei, I found with the other members of the group invited to the event Adriano waiting for us. A vigorous handshake, empathic character, speaks and looks you in the eye like quality people who want to convince you of the goodness of their company, even before having tested it.
Two unforgettable days will be spent in the heart of Bucharest.
We talked and I asked Adriano some questions.
It is said that success is measured by the long-lasting reputation in the Market, which is recognized only through the knowledge and the respect of Customers’ requests.
In fashion and retail, we must be aware and always ahead respecting the trends, going along innovation and creating new ideas, to satisfy in advance the Clients’ wishes, moreover, the Romanian Customers who appreciate, at the most, the beauty and craftsmanship of what luxury stands for.
Today, Mengotti boutique celebrates its successful presence in Calea Victoriei, where, following my dream, I wanted to reposition the traditional luxury. A challenging adventure which started under the signature of the Made in Italy, growing into a reality gathering some of the well-known, admired and appreciated fashion brands worldwide.
Curiosity, culture and tradition: these ingredients that the philosophy that has characterized the Mengotti Group. Are the
For over one hundred and thirty years, a company which proudly maintains its family character, has grown and developed to become one of the best known and most appreciated companies in the fashion retail world in the Veneto region, and beyond.”
In the meantime, we get to know the family, a united nucleus whose wife Renata is the glue, the shock absorber of every problem, the strength on which private life and business are based. Behind a successful man is a great woman. I have the opportunity to spend some time with them, a visit to the city center, freely exchanged words, even a visit to the sacredness of a small Orthodox church, in the heart of Bucharest, a splendid dinner in a typical Romanian restaurant make me appreciate the qualities of this family. My social and working life has always been pervaded by this search for quality also from the point of view of human relationships.
A FAMILY AFFAIR SINCE 1889
Adriano and his son Filippo are at the helm, the fourth generation of a family that has always seen fashion as an opportunity to express oneself through garments that represent the emotion of a tradition that has supported the best of Made in Italy for 130 years.
A selection of fine garments and exclusive fabrics from the best brands to satisfy the curiosity and guarantee refinement, style and timeless quality.
Since then, the business has grown exponentially. also with the support of his wife Renata, who in the 1980s together with his son Filippo, opened Elefantino, a children’s fashion shop which still is an icon in Bassano.
The business took off and in the early 1900s the premises grew, expanding the turnover. Right from the start, Mengotti’s aim was to provide customers with beautiful products, made from high quality materials, combining fashion, functionality and, above all, the emotion that cannot be missing from a piece of clothing or a wearable accessory.
The quality in the boutique is gathering some of the most appreciated worldwide fashion brands such as Prada, Fendi, Tod’s, Loro Piana, Saint Laurent, Moncler, Loewe, Dior Homme, Christian Louboutin, Givenchy, Balenciaga.
Filippo the crown Prince
Filippo Mengotti believes in Romania too, also because the people have a very active social life, they like to dress up, they love luxury and fashion, and admire the Italian lifestyle. They are very well informed and connected to international fashion. There is a great appetite for beauty in general”.
As far as the future, Filippo is eager to expand the range of the international brands, and to extend the presence of new boutiques in other Romanian cities.
“Today, we have in our boutique the most desired brands in the world and we also want to add other more which are requested by the Romanian clientele”.
A day of great quality, spent in Bucharest, before an event at the residence of the Italian Ambassador Afredo Durante Mangoni his wife Eleonora in the important institutional headquarters. Reinterpretation in rationalist style of an austere and elegant building from the end of the 19th century, where the couple of ambassadors did the honors together with the Mengotti family with familiar amiability. The restoration of two masterpieces was presented to the international press present and to leading figures in Bucharest’s social life
“Woman in green” and “Aman brothers at Table” by Theodore Aman, who was the first Romanian modern painter who gave birth to the Museum named after him visited by all the guests present at the event.
A beautiful event the day after in the evening a very selected list of
We made during the amazing and cool dinner placed at the first floor of the flagship as an italian fashion restaurant many enquires to Adriano and Filippo together with the ambassador couple
“Why did you choose Romania?” this is the most frequent question Adriano Mengotti is asked. “I believe Romania has chosen me. I have been in love with this country, I have followed my dream to expand the Mengotti concept abroad, a big investment, a personal effort which has gratified me over the years. Every time that a client leaves Bucharest boutique satisfied by its purchases, I feel that indeed I did something good. My goal, together with the Italian team, has been to transfer the love for beauty, the respect for “the customer” in several training courses abroad which I have always thought of as being fundamental for the team’s growth, and this has greatly paid off over the years.
I loved the romantic atmosphere between the two world wars, which I felt in the old cards and pictures, dreaming of being able to bring back that precious luxury allure in Calea Victoriei in Bucharest.”
The dinner, the company, the food, the good wine, the scenography all played their part in this story, but the best came from the diners, the exquisite hospitality, the conviviality and the complicity of the participants made the evening a unique event.
We parted with a promise to meet again soon because Adriano and son have great news in store for the future, after fashion, hotels, real estate, sports facilities in the Carpathian mountains will see them as protagonists in the near future. You always have to find incentives to keep going and pursue your dreams. See you soon in Bassano, Mengotti family.
