During her life, Luisa Spagnoli created two successful companies, raised three children who continued her business, and saved many of her compatriots from poverty. Both companies are still working and flourishing, and her fourth generation heirs remain true to the principles of the founder of the family business. But all this is brief, and if we look a little deeper, we will see an outstanding woman who amazed everyone with her energy and determination.

The founder of the Perugina chocolate factory and the women's clothing brand Luisa Spagnoli was born in 1877 to a fish and seafood merchant. Her father wanted Louise to continue his work, but she had no desire to deal with fish.




At 21, she married Annibale Spagnoli, and after a while she opened a grocery store with him. Louise knew how to trade firsthand. In 1907, in their hometown of Perugia, they created a small candy factory "Perugina", which later turned into a confectionery giant.

The harsh Perugia continues to be the chocolate capital of Italy in our time. Many tourists who have visited this town are surprised at such a turn in history when they are told about the bloody feuds and wars that were engulfed in ancient times by the inhabitants of Perugia, and suddenly ... a chocolate factory. In the tourist center of the city, chocolate shops are everywhere today.



But back to Louise Spagnoli. The factory initially employed only 15 people, and after First world war - more than a hundred. How did this happen?

Louise was a practical person, purposeful in life and business. She not only developed a whole plan to improve the quality of life of her employees, but also put it into practice. At a time when workers' strikes were raging in all countries, protests and confrontations Luisa Spagnoli organized the construction of new houses, playgrounds for recreation and entertainment, and a kindergarten near the factory.



Especially the kindergarten was of great importance for the women working in the factory during the First World War, when the husbands went to the front, and they had to take the place of the head of the family. In those days, women for the most part did not work, for them, regardless of the income in the family, the fate of a housewife and a teacher of children was destined for them.

At the beginning of the war, everything changed - many factories were closed, as the men left to fight. Louise's factory, on the other hand, was developing. An enterprising woman employed women who were left without husbands. This is where the kindergarten was needed. At the end of the war, the factory already employed several hundred people.



Louise impressed everyone with her entrepreneurial activities, and at that time a woman in business was an incredible event. However, it was not easy to realize their creative plans, there were many “well-wishers” around who tried to trip up or just tarnish the good name. But her husband and partner were always with her.

Together they held business events, organized, as they now call, corporate events, helped not only to survive in that cruel time, but to live, relax and even have fun. All this supported people at that difficult time. And people were drawn to them.

And in 1923 Louise came up with wonderful chocolates with such a romantic name Baci Perugina - "kiss". Hazelnuts, which were abundant in the country, began to be used in the production of sweets. These sweets remain popular not only in Italy, but all over the world today.

For Italians, Baci sweets are a symbol of love, they are always presented with a special meaning, and on Valentine's Day they are always presented.But there is also a mystery in these sweets, which you always want to open, and for this you just need to unfold the wrapper of the candy, and you will find a note in it.

Of course, these will be words of love, many of which belong to famous poets, philosophers, historical celebrities. Therefore, such sweets can be given by the one who loves, and to the one whom he loves. Over time, the confectionery company made Luisa Spagnoli famous far beyond the borders of Italy. But we'll come back to sweets.



Luisa Spagnoli, as you know, had no business education, but the success of her company speaks of the great natural intelligence of this outstanding woman. She successfully pursued various marketing strategies and attracted investors to her business.

The first major investors were the Buitoni family, pasta producers. Giovanni Buitoni was sent as a representative to Perugia, who, once there, was delighted with Louise's extraordinary intelligence and talent in her entrepreneurial activities. And then great changes took place in Louise's personal life.

Giovanni was 14 years younger than Louise. But these were two people, as if created for each other. They both possessed the ability to burn at work, giving themselves completely. They complemented each other so much that they understood perfectly. All their joint ventures have always been successful.

In this case, three unusually intelligent, talented and at the same time respectable people met. Louise's husband left the company in 1923, leaving her freedom and the right to decide everything on her own. After parting, they remembered or talked about each other always with great respect.


In 1928, Louise, this active and restless woman in her ideas, decided to organize a second enterprise. After visiting Paris, she saw angora rabbits in a pet store, and decided to import them to Italy. Thus, already in 1930, a new company was founded, which produced products from rabbit down.



Once again in her life, she confirmed the nobility of her soul and character. The rabbits were not killed, but carefully combed out the fluff, from which they received air, nice and warm yarn... Work began at Angora Spagnoli. Her products - shawls, sweaters, coats, shawls, scarves - quickly gained popularity.

Together with Louise, the grown-up eldest son Mario became interested in the new enterprise. Subsequently, he will achieve success, become the head of the company, reach its heyday.



But Louise will never see it. She died on September 21, 1935 from throat cancer. The disease turned out to be neglected, because Louise, who loved her work so much and was absorbed in activity, had no time to go to the doctors. The operation did not help, although Giovanni found the best specialists in Paris and was by her side until the last hour ...


By the end of World War II, Mario Spagnoli had taken the brand internationally. Mario learned a lot from his mother - he took over from her the best qualities of a businessman and a person. The company's products were of impeccable quality.

The sale was carried out in the largest cities in Italy: Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice, Naples and Perugia, where their own chain of stores was created. As in the First World War, his mother, so his son in the Second World War helped many Italian families. Mario Spagnoli donated sweaters, socks and other angora products to his workers, for a large sum at that time. The popularity and fame of the company grew, its products were recognized not only in Italy, but also internationally.



His son Lino gradually entered the business of the company, adopting the qualities of his father, sown by his grandmother. Mario and Lino Spagnoli use the company's funds to build townhouses for their employees, some of them still exist today, open kindergartens, a swimming pool, organize dance and sports clubs, hold various sports competitions and holidays, including corporate parties. Everything that Louise dreamed of or did, her son and grandson put into practice.

Lino Spagnoli managed to further develop the company.With an intuition to anticipate the market and trends, he has always been ahead of many competitors. The company's product range has grown significantly. In addition to knitted products, the company also began to produce textile clothing. Soon the Spagnoli family became the owner of almost 100 shops.



In the 80s, the business of the company began to pass into the hands of the fourth generation of Spagnoli - Lino's children. Lino Spagnoli died suddenly, in 1986.

Today Nicoletta Spagnoli took over as director of collections production, while Mario Spagnoli took over the commercial aspects of the enterprise. He developed new schemes for promoting products, connected new advertising projects, and carried out a general reorganization of retail chains.

What can be said about Luisa Spagnoli's clothing collections today, what is her style and main consumers?

Luisa Spagnoli's clothing style is elegant and feminine, using the finest quality raw materials. Here you will find the angora that started it all, lace, silk, cashmere, satin, organza and many other luxurious materials. Skillful use of high-quality materials allows us to find the most demanding fashionistas for the company's products.



The clothes are designed for everyday use as well as for luxurious social events. It does not contain defiant extravagance, there are many monochromatic products in it, but there are also prints that are calm and feminine. Everything in the brand's products is made with high quality, at the level of manual labor.

Each collection can be called unique. The outfits are tastefully made from the finest fabrics. All details in the products take their place, giving a special Italian charm. Therefore, such clothes will create comfort and good mood.

The Luisa Spagnoli brand has gained recognition not only among fashionistas, but also in the professional community. This is evidenced by the Leonardo Award for Italian Quality for helping to develop and strengthen the status of Italian clothing.

However, Nicoletta Spagnoli considers the greatest achievement to be the love and admiration of women for the brand's clothing.



Many of us like it, but some simply admire the wife of British Prince William - Kate Middleton. So, the Duchess of Cambridge at many important official events appeared more than once in the images of Luisa Spagnoli. And this is a confirmation of the high quality of the brand's products and the best reward for the Spagnoli family.

“Of course, the prestigious award fills me with pride, but one of the most rewarding results of my work was winning the heart of Kate Middleton,” says Nicoletta Spagnoli.



To this day, both companies created by Luisa Spagnoli are considered symbols of Italian style and quality. Almost 100 years later, the recipe for Baci candies still remains the same. They wanted to buy her confectionery business more than once, but "Perugina" then resisted. However, in 1988 it was sold to the Nestlé concern.



Luisa Spagnoli was an outstanding woman who amazed everyone around her with her talent. She can be called the first female entrepreneur and happy woman to experience the opportunity to turn her talent into reality. Dignified and noble people turned out to be next to her, isn't this happiness? She experienced high feelings of love and happiness of motherhood, joy for the children who continued her work.

Luisa Spagnoli helped many Italian families survive the cruel years and saved them from poverty. The suffering that she had to endure at the end of her life will make many shudder. Her life is over, but this is the lot of each of us. Not everyone succeeds in living it with such dignity and nobility.



Luisa Spagnoli for many businessmen will remain a role model in business and helping those in need.

In her native Perugia, a Chocolate Festival called Eurochocolate is held every year on 18 October.This largest festival in Europe is a grand event that lasts about a week. During this time, millions of visitors visit Perugia, and more than 200 chocolate manufacturers present their sweet products. Among the guests are not only chocolate and entertainment lovers, but also experts in this field.

In 2016, a film was made about Luisa Spagnoli. The role of Louise is played by the Italian actress Louise Ranieri. Luisa Spagnoli went down in history as the first woman entrepreneur - the founder of a fashion clothing brand and a grandiose confectionery company.