Almost Famous London ...

Back to my first Love with more responsibilities and opportunities to learn more about the business, Cerruti 1881. The Cerruti Company had changed ownership, and I went back to oversee the retail concessions and franchise businesses in the UK. Three years later I decided to set up my own consultancy business, Marco Tripoli Designs Limited, consulting for brands which wanted to develop in the UK and Europe. This was the perfect opportunity for me to finally to put my expertise in use. My first project was a company called Almost Famous, a London based brand with a unique image, extrovert and really approachable. I was finally able to create collections which reflected the ethos of the company owners, and at the same time delivering products with a very distinctive image, from ready-to-wear to sunglasses, accessories, etc. I also started to work closely with extremely talented photographers, by directing the seasonal photoshoots, from casting models to the final editing of the campaigns. After 3 years I had created a successful brand, from inspiration to sale distribution, with great sell throughs, The brand was distributed in the UK and through some agencies in Europe. However it wasn't 100% my brand as I still had to adhere to the owners briefs and taste; but ultimately it still wasn't my dream, as it still wasn't my brand.