Alfredo Canessa, who created and developed the global luxury goods business Manifatture Associate Cashmere (MAC), will head up the new team. MAC produced and marketed the Malo, Gentry Portofino and Vico Dritto knitwear brands, prior to its sale to the Italian fashion house Ittieri in 1999. Mr Canessa will become chairman of Ballantyne with immediate effect.

Massimo Alba has been appointed creative director and will be responsible for devising and implementing a new strategic direction for the Ballantyne brand. As part of the project, he is bringing together an international team of young talent to design the “new Ballantyne”, which will be unveiled for the first time at the international trade show, Pitti Uomo in Florence in January 2003.

His new team will operate from a new studio in Milan, controlling all aspects of design, communication and distribution for Ballantyne’s global development. An internal press office, with responsibility for press worldwide, will form part of the new set up. A new sales team will also manage all the commercial and distribution aspects of the business from Milan.

Dawson’s cashmere yarn business Todd & Duncan, Europe’s largest cashmere spinner, will play a significant role in the re-styling of the Ballantyne brand. Todd & Duncan’s design team are currently creating a range of new cashmere and geelong yarns, in a variety of colours and textures. They are being designed exclusively for the “new Ballantyne” project and will inject freshness and energy into the new identity.

“This is a very significant investment for the Dawson business and a revolutionary step we have been exploring for some time to move the Ballantyne brand into a new league.” said Paul Munn, chief executive of Dawson International PLC. “It creates a very powerful partnership that embraces the best of Italian fashion flair and commercial expertise with the heritage and premium quality of Scottish cashmere manufacturing. It’s a move we see as injecting drive, energy and passion into a brand with true integrity, able to take on the current challenges of the luxury goods sector and create a worldwide luxury goods brand that delivers results.”

The new team will split their time equally between Scotland and Italy working with manufacturing teams in Innerleithen and Hawick in the Scottish Borders. Commenting on the new challenge, Alfredo Canessa said: “We have long respected everything that Ballantyne stands for and we are passionate about the potential of the brand. We see this as a fantastic opportunity to combine the very best of Scottish/Italian skill, talent and commercial experience to create a highly successful global luxury goods brand.”

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For further information please contact:
Paul Munn, Chief Executive: 01577 867000
Gordon Beattie, Beattie Media: 01698 787881
07768 588163

Alfredo Canessa is a highly respected figure in the Italian fashion industry, having held a variety of senior positions in a number of prestigious textile trade organizations. He is chairman of the Centro di Firenze per la Moda Italiana, which runs Pitti Immagine, organizers of the fashion industry’s most prestigious international trade exhibitions. He was formerly president of the Italian Knitwear Federation.

MASSIMO ALBA, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, BALLANTYNE CASHMERE

Massimo Alba was the creative force behind global luxury goods brand Malo, where he worked for 10 years prior to its sale to Ittiere. Since that time he held a similar position with Agnona, part of the Italian Zegna clothing group. He and his team are already working on Ballantyne’s autumn/winter 2003 collection for menswear and womenswear. Their new look Ballantyne will be unveiled in January 2003 at Pitti Uomo trade show in Florence.

In addition he will be responsible for all aspects of Ballantyne’s corporate image including design, marketing, brand and retail development.

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