Let us introduce you to our first men’s Boutique of the Month, Giancarlo Ricci. Having traded in menswear for 26 years on Bold Street Liverpool, Giancarlo is an expert in premier designer men’s clothing. Bringing a handpicked selection of some of the best brands the menswear world has to offer, from Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren and Armani to Timberland and Cruyff, it is the go to destination for timeless investment pieces with a modern urban edge. Channeling a contemporary and minimalistic vibe through their design and interiors too, with clean white walls, a glass exterior, wooden floors and industrial lighting, they not only perfectly reference their demographic but provide a relaxing and effortlessly cool shopping experience.
We met up with Giancarlo’s Managing Director Marc Goodman to find about the secret to their success and grab a taster of what the future has in store for the boutique.
How did Giancarlo Ricci start?
My father started retailing with made to measure suits on the outskirts of Liverpool in the early seventies. Then he moved into the city centre in 1971 and opened a store selling his suits, trousers and associated product shirting. Around the late seventies early eighties he opened another store round the corner with an offering of more casual products. In 1986 we opened this store and basically it grew in size to a large level. At one point we had four stores in a row, selling men’s and women’s, as well as a café, club and coffee shop, the works, but now we have gone back to predominately menswear, and last year we also opened the footwear store across the road.
Where did the name Giancarlo Ricci come from?
My father was involved in the manufacture and design business in Italy a lot. He used to design products for a shirt line, footwear line and knitwear line and it was made up all those years ago.
What do you love the most about working at Giancarlo Ricci?
I love working with our general public, we have a very interesting mix of customers. I love products, I love clothing, I enjoy the buying process a lot and selling on the shop floor. I actually enjoy everything about the process from start to finish.
“I actually enjoy everything about the process from start to finish”
What aura did you want to create for the customer through your choice of interiors and décor?
We have always said we wanted to create a relatively minimalist environment without it being simple, we always wanted a very comfortable and casual environment for our customers to shop in, something spacious, and with products being the main feature of our store rather than the store being the main feature. As you walk through our shop you will see that it is glass fronted, so the store is the window rather than having a boxed in window display. We try and make sure the product is key.
How would you describe the Giancarlo Ricci man?
As we have been open such a long time we have quite a diverse range of customers. Our age group is very wide, we have kids from fourteen years to men in their sixties. The optimum age group is probably sixteen to thirty five though and the majority of them are lads who have a lot of disposable income.
How do you decide on what brands and products to stock?
Obviously brands come and go and I am always watching what brands are developing out on the marketplace. It needs to be, at the moment anyway, our brands need to be of a casual nature, casual to smart, not tailoring but everything from classy jeans and shirts to tracksuits and trainers.
Do you have a favourite brand that you stock?
At the moment it is Canada Goose, but that will change all the time.
What do you think Giancarlo Ricci’s biggest achievement has been so far?
Well we surpassed our 25th birthday for a start, we had our most successful ever year last year, we have won design awards for our interiors within the architectural world, and opening our two new businesses (the Ralph Lauren and footwear stores).
Would you ever move back into tailoring and womenswear again?
If I felt there was a market for it I would definitely move back into tailoring, and that is the thing about fashion, it does change and once it has moved we have to follow suit. However I wouldn’t move back into womenswear.
“If I felt there was a market for it I would definitely move back into tailoring”
Where would you like to see Giancarlo Ricci go in the next five to ten years?
I would like to expand our footwear offer, and we are also looking at expanding our clothing areas in order to become a bit more departmental. We still want to retain our individuality though.
What do you think is unique about miinto?
I find the people who work there very accessible and helpful, I feel like as a vehicle they are on the same wave length as me, nothing is too much trouble and I think the concept is exactly what boutiques need to be successful within the internet today.
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