Marco Palmieri, founder and CEO of Piquadro, shares his story on the Chapeau podcast: the story of the entrepreneur and the brand, from its beginnings to the present day

Recorded in May at the Piquadro showroom in Milan's Piazza San Babila and published on October 13, 2026, the conversation between Marco Palmieri and the hosts spans nearly 40 years of his career.

Chapeau is an Italian business and entrepreneurship podcast that connects the new generation of professionals with business leaders through candid and informal interviews. This roundtable discussion proved ideal for chatting about the behind-the-scenes realities of running a business, the challenges faced along the way, and the rollercoaster of emotions that Piquadro's President shared on air.

From his first leather goods business at age 18, shuttling between Tuscany and Romagna in the family's Fiat 127 packed to the brim with merchandise, to today, at the helm of a group comprising three brands, each with a unique DNA, which, in Fiscal Year 2025–2026, generated a combined revenue of 180 million euros.

The Early Days

Marco Palmieri's journey into the leather goods industry began shortly after he turned eighteen. While traveling with friends between Versilia and the Romagna Riviera, he noticed two contrasting worlds: on one hand, Rimini and Riccione, teeming with fashionable young people with limited financial means; on the other, the Tyrrhenian coast, a vacation destination for affluent families.

Driven by a desire for financial independence, he decided to take a chance by buying leather goods in Romagna to resell them along the Tuscan coast. Every week, he would load up the family's Fiat 127 and make a coast-to-coast business trip, crossing the Bolognese Apennines.

Technology

After earning his diploma as an electronics technician, he enrolled in the Department of Electronic Engineering at the University of Bologna in 1987, where he continued his technical training. He designed an electronic circuit board in machine language and presented it to an IT company, which decided to purchase it.

Piquadro's connection to technology began here: after the sale, he left university and started producing leather goods in his parents' garage in Porretta Terme, in the province of Bologna.

He began learning how to work with leather from local artisans, alongside Beatrice, his future wife. For a decade, he produced various types of accessories for established fashion brands.

The Big Bang: The Piquadro Brand Is Born

The experience gained in leather goods production and Marco's passion for technology came together in a flash of inspiration. It was 1998; laptops and cell phones were bulky and heavy, and there were no bags suitable for carrying them.

So he created a custom bag, equipped with padding to cushion impacts and practical pockets for work accessories.

Even the design of this product was unconventional for the time: the bag was made of black leather with steel accents, featured in an advertising campaign that even showed it with a computer keyboard attached to it.

"The tech-loving world identified with our positioning, and that's where Piquadro's success began." — Marco Palmieri

The integration of technology to enhance product functionality and a clear, recognizable visual identity became two pillars of the brand.

From the First Store to Going Public

In 2000, Piquadro opened its first boutique in Milan, on Via della Spiga, marking a milestone in the retail sector. Over the years, the company continued its international expansion and structural growth.

In 2006, the Silla di Gaggio Montano plant, located in the Bologna area, was inaugurated; it is now the Piquadro Group's headquarters.

This was a decision strongly championed by Marco, who wanted to maintain a constant connection with the region where the company had grown. This passion led him, in 2020, to decide to take over management of the Corno alle Scale ski resort.

The mountains then inspired Piquadro's eponymous collection, developed for athletes of the Italian Winter Sports Federation.

In 2007, Piquadro went public on the Milan Stock Exchange, marking another important milestone in its development.

The Piquadro Group: The Acquisitions of The Bridge and Lancel

In 2016, Piquadro acquired The Bridge, a historic Florentine brand with an identity deeply rooted in the tradition of Tuscan leather goods.

In 2018, the Group acquired Lancel, a fashion house founded in 1876 on the outskirts of Paris.

The revitalization strategies for both brands involve the management and creative teams, drawing on the historical archives.

The Vision and Approach

The Chairman defines entrepreneurship as a journey made up of decisions, risks, and the ability to adapt to unforeseen situations.

"You have to start with a sufficiently clear idea, but maintain the flexibility needed to refine it." — Marco Palmieri

This is likely the foundational approach of Piquadro: from manufacturing for other brands to developing its own signature products, all the way to international expansion and the creation of a group comprising three brands with distinct yet complementary identities.

The full interview with Marco Palmieri for Chapeau is available on the podcast's YouTube channel.