Scalamandre is Reinvigorated by New Owners
December 17, 2009
NEW YORK, New York - After facing a lengthy period of internal economic and political conflict, Scalamandre, the prestigious fabric company, now looks forward to a bright future, thanks to new owners, Brian Landow and Louis Renzo, who rescued the reknowned company from bankruptcy this summer.
Landow and Renzo formerly worked for the Lanco Corporation and C.L.B. Cheque Cashing Inc. respectively, bringing years of successful business insight into the textile fray when they bought Scalamandre in the summer of 2009. ''Four months ago, in the middle of May, myself and Louis took over the company,'' explained Landow, president. ''The company needed tremendous help; financially as well as operationally. The most important thing is the heritage of this company. It's amazing how excited the industry is that Scalamandre is being revitalized with a fresh look, really looking at the big picture, looking at the correct direction of the company.''
Scalamandre co-founder, Franco Scalamandre, was born in Naples, Italy in 1898, son of a silk broker and textile importer in Calabria. Scalamandre married Flora Baranzelli in 1929 and together they founded Scalamandre Silks which focused on the recreation of fabrics used in historic homes and museums. Seven years later Scalamandre opened the Scalamandre Museum of Textiles located in the company's showroom which paralleled historic textiles alongside meticulous reproductions until the late 1960s. Scalamandre is credited with having recreated more than 600 textile reproductions and donning the halls of some of the most famous properties in America. Not only were Scalamandre fabrics used extensively in the White House under John F. Kennedy, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Clinton and Bush, but the company's textiles can also be found in William Hearst's San Simeon Castle and Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.
As the oldest grandson of the original founders, Ward Bitter now runs Baranzelli Silk Surplus, a now completely separate, retail arm whose delineation from Scalamandre occurred due to possible controversy over Renzo, the new owner. As president of C.L.B Check Cashing, INC. Renzo pleaded guilty and was convicted of Rewarding Official Misconduct, a class E felony, which forced him to not only surrender 30 branch licenses but also be subjected to a lifetime ban from involvement with the entire financial services industry. Renzo paid over two million dollars to the New York State Banking Department, the largest fine ever levied against a check casher.
Although neither Bitter nor Landow discussed the trial with Fabrics and Furnishings when interviewed, it seems that both parties were significantly affected by its outcome. Landow and Renzo have committed themselves to resurrecting Scalamandre from financial exhaustion and Bitter has preserved his family name, seeking out and succeeding in the retail portion of the industry through Baranzelli Silk Surplus.
Bitter explained that after spending five years in the back-end operations of the company, he introduced a cutting-edge computer system to cater to demanding clientele and bolstered a largely undeveloped trimming division into an industry-leading source of trimming designs. ''I came into Scalamandre 35 years ago, around 1979,'' explained Bitter. ''I worked my way through the mills and sales and operations - all aspects - and eventually became the president for four years. Then I worked for Morgan Stanley and an Internet company or two, but came back to restructure [Baranzelli] about eight or nine years ago. As of three years ago I started controlling the company.''
Despite the turmoil, Bitter insists business is doing quite well with stores in Boston, New York, Long Island and Florida, although the store in West Palm Beach has been hit particularly hard by the economic crisis. ''No one is buying or selling homes anymore, very few people do that,'' explained Bitter. ''But people are trying to make their lives happy and fresh, so they are decorating. I charge for the labor and the product we provide. I'm getting away with a business level that is better than most because it offers people free advice and estimates upfront. They know what its gonna cost and then its not a massive scary thing on at the end of the project.''
Landow is also feeling extremely optimistic about Scalamandre's future, explaining that he and Renzo want to ''stay true to the designers,'' he said. ''Its important to mention here that Lou and I feel that you can't play both sides of the business. We have no intention of getting involved with what the Bitters did, which is open a retail store.''
Despite Scalamandres impressive applications and loyal customer base, the company had not launched anything new in over a year and a half. After just four months in the business however, Landow and Renzo decided to launch a plains program in 10 patterns with 405 SKUs. There is a huge array of colorswhites, beiges, goldsas well as textures like chenille and linen.
''We're going to revitalize the company and bring fresh ideas into the industry as well as into the company,'' said Landow. ''The industry is actually having a stock issue. But now, because of putting capital into the business we are doing well with stock. This is an inventory game.''
Scalamandre is reinvigorating its stock and business plan, while also managing to maintain a high level of quality and interpersonal relations. Four years ago, Scalamandre was asked to quote the Metropolitan Opera House for its 32-inch fringe for the main stage curtain which they wanted in bronze. A few weeks into the process they came back to Scalamandre and asked if the fringe could alternate between bronze and gold, concerned about the potentially higher cost. ''I told them yes, but a deal is a deal and we will donate the difference,'' remembered Edward Goodman, Director of the Marketing/Trimming Division. ''They told me, You just got two tickets behind the conductor. And instead there were eight tickets sent by messenger. I took the people from the mill who made the fringe to the opera that night.''
The company also has plans to relaunch its archives in limited editions, bolstering sales and interest in the companys lengthy history. ''I dont think there is a company in this industry worldwide that has the depth and comprehensiveness of the archives of Scalamandre,'' said Landow. ''Even though were moving forward and broadening our product, we will always stay true to our DNA, where we came from. We'll need to keep that in mind in regards to where we're going.''
Landow and Renzo formerly worked for the Lanco Corporation and C.L.B. Cheque Cashing Inc. respectively, bringing years of successful business insight into the textile fray when they bought Scalamandre in the summer of 2009. ''Four months ago, in the middle of May, myself and Louis took over the company,'' explained Landow, president. ''The company needed tremendous help; financially as well as operationally. The most important thing is the heritage of this company. It's amazing how excited the industry is that Scalamandre is being revitalized with a fresh look, really looking at the big picture, looking at the correct direction of the company.''
Scalamandre co-founder, Franco Scalamandre, was born in Naples, Italy in 1898, son of a silk broker and textile importer in Calabria. Scalamandre married Flora Baranzelli in 1929 and together they founded Scalamandre Silks which focused on the recreation of fabrics used in historic homes and museums. Seven years later Scalamandre opened the Scalamandre Museum of Textiles located in the company's showroom which paralleled historic textiles alongside meticulous reproductions until the late 1960s. Scalamandre is credited with having recreated more than 600 textile reproductions and donning the halls of some of the most famous properties in America. Not only were Scalamandre fabrics used extensively in the White House under John F. Kennedy, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Clinton and Bush, but the company's textiles can also be found in William Hearst's San Simeon Castle and Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.
As the oldest grandson of the original founders, Ward Bitter now runs Baranzelli Silk Surplus, a now completely separate, retail arm whose delineation from Scalamandre occurred due to possible controversy over Renzo, the new owner. As president of C.L.B Check Cashing, INC. Renzo pleaded guilty and was convicted of Rewarding Official Misconduct, a class E felony, which forced him to not only surrender 30 branch licenses but also be subjected to a lifetime ban from involvement with the entire financial services industry. Renzo paid over two million dollars to the New York State Banking Department, the largest fine ever levied against a check casher.
Although neither Bitter nor Landow discussed the trial with Fabrics and Furnishings when interviewed, it seems that both parties were significantly affected by its outcome. Landow and Renzo have committed themselves to resurrecting Scalamandre from financial exhaustion and Bitter has preserved his family name, seeking out and succeeding in the retail portion of the industry through Baranzelli Silk Surplus.
Bitter explained that after spending five years in the back-end operations of the company, he introduced a cutting-edge computer system to cater to demanding clientele and bolstered a largely undeveloped trimming division into an industry-leading source of trimming designs. ''I came into Scalamandre 35 years ago, around 1979,'' explained Bitter. ''I worked my way through the mills and sales and operations - all aspects - and eventually became the president for four years. Then I worked for Morgan Stanley and an Internet company or two, but came back to restructure [Baranzelli] about eight or nine years ago. As of three years ago I started controlling the company.''
Despite the turmoil, Bitter insists business is doing quite well with stores in Boston, New York, Long Island and Florida, although the store in West Palm Beach has been hit particularly hard by the economic crisis. ''No one is buying or selling homes anymore, very few people do that,'' explained Bitter. ''But people are trying to make their lives happy and fresh, so they are decorating. I charge for the labor and the product we provide. I'm getting away with a business level that is better than most because it offers people free advice and estimates upfront. They know what its gonna cost and then its not a massive scary thing on at the end of the project.''
Landow is also feeling extremely optimistic about Scalamandre's future, explaining that he and Renzo want to ''stay true to the designers,'' he said. ''Its important to mention here that Lou and I feel that you can't play both sides of the business. We have no intention of getting involved with what the Bitters did, which is open a retail store.''
Despite Scalamandres impressive applications and loyal customer base, the company had not launched anything new in over a year and a half. After just four months in the business however, Landow and Renzo decided to launch a plains program in 10 patterns with 405 SKUs. There is a huge array of colorswhites, beiges, goldsas well as textures like chenille and linen.
''We're going to revitalize the company and bring fresh ideas into the industry as well as into the company,'' said Landow. ''The industry is actually having a stock issue. But now, because of putting capital into the business we are doing well with stock. This is an inventory game.''
Scalamandre is reinvigorating its stock and business plan, while also managing to maintain a high level of quality and interpersonal relations. Four years ago, Scalamandre was asked to quote the Metropolitan Opera House for its 32-inch fringe for the main stage curtain which they wanted in bronze. A few weeks into the process they came back to Scalamandre and asked if the fringe could alternate between bronze and gold, concerned about the potentially higher cost. ''I told them yes, but a deal is a deal and we will donate the difference,'' remembered Edward Goodman, Director of the Marketing/Trimming Division. ''They told me, You just got two tickets behind the conductor. And instead there were eight tickets sent by messenger. I took the people from the mill who made the fringe to the opera that night.''
The company also has plans to relaunch its archives in limited editions, bolstering sales and interest in the companys lengthy history. ''I dont think there is a company in this industry worldwide that has the depth and comprehensiveness of the archives of Scalamandre,'' said Landow. ''Even though were moving forward and broadening our product, we will always stay true to our DNA, where we came from. We'll need to keep that in mind in regards to where we're going.''
