Negra co-founded Pinko in 1993 as an entry-luxury brand for women.
According to Negra, Pinko is considered an early adopter of digital marketing and retail trends. In 2013 — before retail technology was all the rage — Pinko’s store in Milan was the first to undergo an extensive revamp to unveil a concept that combined both online and traditional shopping features in a single space, he says. Through a touchscreen “Store Stylist” located at the outlet, customers were able to directly preview and purchase the latest Pinko ready-to-wear products and have them delivered to their address within days. This pioneering concept soon extended to other Pinko outlets, and in recent years has become a common practice among popup stores and “click-and-mortar” businesses that offer both a website and physical store. More recently, Pinko introduced near-field communication (NFC) technology to its iconic Love Bag range as a method of certifying product brand authenticity. Starting with the latest Fall/ Winter 2018 (FW2018) collection, which is now available at the new flagship store in Singapore, users may use their smartphones to verify the authenticity of their Pinko Love Bag. This is an alternative to scanning the QR codes on the heart-shaped labels which are attached to the bag for the same purpose. In Negra’s view, it represents a further step in battling every fashion label’s worst nightmare — counterfeiting. Pinko has seen its fair share of counterfeits over the years of products ranging from the brand’s signature canvas bags to its Swarovski crystal-embellished sneaker collection entitled Shine Baby Shine. While Negra acknowledges that counterfeiting is dilutive to brands and their trademarks, the 68-year-old believes that the biggest damage dealt is to the brand’s customers: “[Fashion designers] don’t sell anything that customers really need; our products are not a must-have. If you buy something [for example, a branded product], it is only to attain a dream. For consumers, it’s a nightmare to wake up only to find out that somebody has a copied version of what they have bought.”
Distinguished by two swallows that meet on a rounded metal clasp, Pinko’s FW2018 Love Bag collection can be checked for authenticity using QR and NFC technology.
Aside from confirming authenticity, Negra sees myriad purposes for NFC technology, which he thinks will become an integral part of more Pinko products in the seasons to come. “NFC has the potential to serve as a good marketing tool for us. It would be very nice to show more information about the product — who made it, how it is done… The technology could also be used to give our customers suggestions on how to wear or style the clothing or accessories, or simply provide them basic information on how to wash or care for it.” The industry veteran’s foresight extends beyond technology in the retail scene. Just as he is undeterred by the rapid rise of e-commerce Negra is convinced the trend of renting designer clothing is just one of the several movements that will make up “the future of fashion”. “Clothing rental is going to be a huge opportunity in the fashion industry. It is much more ethical to rent a €2,000 ($3,124) dress which you intend to wear for one time only. Environmentally friendly and sustainable fashion, such as products that address concerns over how these items are disposed of, are going to be some of the biggest trends,” he predicts. Negra’s optimistic and open outlook indicates that Pinko’s business model will undergo more changes as the industry evolves “As fashion designers, we should always strive to never stop experimenting with the new as we anticipate the trends of tomorrow,” says Negra.