Krizia: Everything----Including the Sink

Aldo Pinto traveled solo from Milan for the opening of the Krizia boutique at Bullocks Wilshire. His wife, Mariuccia Mandelli, who designs the collections, stayed home. “She suffers from jet lag,” Pinto said, “so I came.”

But he bought a Kodak Disc camera at the airport (“It cost nothing”) so that he could take photographs of the new department to show her.

In addition to the women’s ready-to-wear line, the Krizia signature now appears on 21 products ranging from eyeglass frames to furs. In Europe, you can actually buy Krizia-designed kitchens.

“They sell you the whole room, all the fixtures, and fit it into the plan you have,” Pinto explained.

In February, the couple will introduce their second women’s fragrance, Teatro La Scala by Krizia, named after the theater in Milan. “It’s a landmark and we thought it was important to link a landmark to a top-grade fragrance,” Pinto said. For instance, “St. Laurent has Paris.”

With an annual sales volume of $160 million, Pinto’s only worry seems to be who will help him count the money. His two sons from a previous marriage now work for the company.

“I wish I could have another two children instead of looking for people,” he said laughing. “We have a niece who I would like to hire. We’re trying to convince her. But she wants to be an actress. I hope she won’t be too good.”

Missoni--Italy’s Rosita and Ottavio Missoni feel a certain communion with Southern California.

“I think it’s the feeling of freedom, of living in the open air,” suggested Rosita, who designs the clothes while her husband creates the stitches, patterns and colors for the Missoni knitwear collection produced in their factory outside of Milan.

Not surprisingly, their sales figures reflect an understanding of the local life style; after New York, Missoni has more customers in Los Angeles than any city in the United States. “Maybe it’s because, in our way of thinking, people should feel free and dress according to their habits,” Rosita explained.

“We have nothing against formal clothing, but our clothes are unstructured and kind of soft feeling, with lots of happiness in the colors and patterns.”

For their first visit to Los Angeles since the launch of Missoni perfume five years ago (it is now available in Europe only), the couple traveled en famille for an appearance at Nordstrom in the Westside Pavilion. Joining them was their son Vittorio, who is the company’s sales manager, and his wife, Tanya. Another son, Luca, was back home running the knitting factory, and a daughter, Angela, was at work on the new Missoni lingerie collection.

But Rosita explained that turning the business into a family enterprise was not their original plan.

“My husband tried to get the children to do something else,” said the petite Missoni matriarch.

“He thinks to be a plumber would be a very good job for his son.”