Laura Biagiotti

the designers

Laura Biagiotti was born in 1943. Today Laura Biagiotti is one of the leading lights of the “Fashion System” in Italy.

She graduated in archaeology from Rome University, but decided that she preferred a career in fashion designing. She first joined her mother's small clothing company but left in 1965 to set up her own design shop in Florence with partner Gianni Cigna whom she subsequently married.

Their firm manufactured and exported clothing for the eminent Italian fashion designers Roberto Capucci and Emilio Schuberth. They also had a deal to make ready-to-wear clothes for well-known house of Angelo Tarlazzi. As the company grew so did Biagiotti's aspirations to design her own clothes.

In 1972, she presented a small but successful women’s wear collection. She became known for working with fabrics of exceptional quality, especially cashmere in the most subtle colours. She took over a company called McPherson Cashmere and started making many garments in this luxury fabric.

She and her husband fulfilled a dream in 1980 by undertaking the loving restoration of “Marco Simone” at 16th century castle outside the gates of Rome to become both her place of work, and where she now lives.

Her first fragrance, “Fiori Bianchi”, was launched in 1982, followed in 1988 by “Roma”, and in 1992 by “Venezia”. In the year of 1994 she launched “Roma Uomo”, then “Laura”, then “Venezia Pastello”. “Roma” proved to be the breakthrough in 1988, in its characteristic flagon reminiscent of ancient Rome, a miniature column of marble, and is still today the best loved Biagiotti fragrance, sold throughout the world.

In 1987, she launched her menswear line Laura Biagiotti Uomo, and women of larger size than 14 have a line callused Laura-Piu. Laura Biogiotti Junior is a line of children’s clothes. Laura Biogiotti sunglasses are also popular.

Biagiotti was the first Italian designer to present a collection in China in 1988.

In 1994, she opened a boutique in Moscow and the following year was permitted to stage a fashion show within the Kremlin itself, which was a first. 38 Russian models strolled down the catwalk to applause from an enthusiastic audience.

Her husband Cianni Cigna died in 1996.

In 2000, Laura Biagiotti and her daughter Lavinia Cigna set up Biagiotti Roma, a new fashion house known particularly for knitwear. In 2002, the Biagiotti house celebrated it's 30th Anniversary with great joy.