The Parma-based cosmetics group Davines has finally inaugurated its new green headquarters designed by architect Matteo Thun. Inside there are training centres, production and packaging, a bio-restaurant with 0-km foods, the largest geothermal plan in Emilia-Romagna and plenty of greenery. Just one thing was missing: the inauguration of the botanical garden, surrounded by greenhouses and bio-diversified gardens.
“We will complete it around the middle of April,” ensures FashionNetwork.com Davide Manzoni, General Manager of [comfort zone], a brand totally Made in Italy and active in the professional skincare sector, Spas and wellness centres. “Not all the plants could be planted in July. The village will have more than 700 plants that are strategic for the production of our cosmetics. The project also requires that our researchers (who number about fifty) can head directly into the garden to collect flowers, plants, roots they need and use them to prepare the base formulations.”
The village is open to the public and there have already been important events organised. “We are almost ready with our green kilometre, part of the plantation project along the motorway to Parma that we have been talking about for several years,” recounts Davide Manzoni. “When the project is completed, there will be 11 kilometres of trees that can be admired along the motorway. The plants will absorb more carbon dioxide, reducing the smog in that heavily trafficked artery. Demonstrating to the world that in Italy there is a road that has a green lung stretching out over 11 kilometres with flowers and plants would make us very proud”, emphasises Manzoni.
On a level of products, [ comfort zone ] has relaunched the anti-age line of “Skin Regimen”, which made its debut in 2012, renewing the formulation and bringing references from 13 to 22. In a few months the company will launch a line made of products specifically formulated for women over-50.
Founded by the Bollati family, the Gruppo Davines SpA was born more than 30 years ago as a subcontracting laboratory and last year reached a turnover of 149 million euro (compared to 94 million in 2015), attaining a double-digit increase or more than 18% in one year. The Davines brand is now distributed in about 80 nations worldwide and generates 70% of its turnover [ comfort zone ] in 48 and produces about 30% of corporate activity.
In December the Parma-based group opened its sixth branch in Hong Kong, where up until now it possessed only an office. The other 5 corporate branches are located in New York (the first to be opened, in 2003), which was then followed by Paris, London, Mexico City, and Deventer, a Dutch city strategically located between Belgium and Germany. All the production is proudly Made in Italy. “We did not move abroad for a question of value or territorial identity”, confirms Manzoni. Part of the ‘B Corp’ initiative for 4 years, the group certifies very precisely its entire supply chain to ensure products that are as environmentally friendly as possible. Davines now employs more than 150 people.
Manzoni is also a journalist and trainer in communications seminars, while last year he wrote the book “PNL per l’estetista di successo. I segreti per eccellere nel business dell’estetica” (PNL for the successful beautician. The secrets to excel in the beauty business), other with trainer and linguistics and communication expert Paolo Borzacchiello. “This year the book was translated into Albanian, because it will be used as a text in beauty schools in Albania. In May I will present it to the local press with the presence of the Albanian Minister of Eduction”, boasts Davide Manzoni.
