Alain Schimel met Teofilo Zilli, an Italian tailor based in Lyon. The young entrepreneur fell in love with Teofilo’s leatherwork and bought his workshop. ZILLI was born and started to represent luxury sporty with an iconic piece : the leather jacket, proposed in calf suede, lambskin, peccary, ostrich, silk, cachemire… with a single desire: to remain faithful to the culture of quality.
ZILLI opens its first boutique in London, on New Bond Street, a legendary road in the world of luxury, and one of the most chic addresses in Europe.
ZILLI opens its first boutique in Paris on rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré. Then The Parisian flagship boutique mooved at the heart of the French capital’s prestigious golden triangle on rue François 1er, in the mansion formerly belonging to Madame Panckoucke, who came from a famous family of encyclopaedists and editors. What was once a literary salon now hosts a presentation of all the ZILLI collections over three floors .
ZILLI headed east, and opened its first boutique in Moscow on Kuznetski Most.
ZILLI developed a full range of high luxury menswear: suits, jackets, jeans, knitwear, shirts, ties, shoes, bags and leather goods were added to the main Collection of leather and furs.
Boutiques were opened in Rome, positioned adjacent to the gardens of the Villa Medici, on Via Veneto.
ZILLI opened a second boutique was in Dubai.
Alain Schimel received the Knight’s insignia of the rench National Order of the Legionof Honour.
ZILLI launched its first collection of high luxury cufflinks.
ZILLI carries on expending with a new store opening in New-York: a prestigious location at the Four Seasons Hotel on 57th Street.
ZILLI launches its Eyewear collection worldwide. A total symbiosis with the ZILLI codes: the laid-back luxury, the boldness of the design, innovation, precious and technological materials.
Frédéric Mitterrand, Minister for Arts, decorated Alain Schimel, Founder and President of the House ZILLI,
promoting him to the rank of Officer in the National Order of the Merit.
ZILLI has chosen Milan for the opening of its new Italian store.
An historic location: the 19th-century Palace formerly belonging to the brothers Fabio
and Giuseppe Bagatti Valsecchi is home to a museum with Italian renaissance collections,
and on the ground floor, the ZILLI store.