Welcome to a new regular feature in Underlines Online! Every Wednesday we will get up close and personal with an industry figure bringing something new to the sector of intimate apparel. We hope you enjoy the insights!
So how did Italian, Luca Cannoniero, an engineer by training, with a previous career in cruising and then at Marks & Spencer for more than 10 years, end up acquiring Bye Bra (a company specializing in strapless, backless and shapewear solutions)? Read on…
“I am Italian and an engineer by training and an entrepreneur by vocation. I lived for over 10 years in London, where I covered a variety of roles at Marks & Spencer. I learned about the complexity of lingerie with its variety of sizes and fits, as well as how much end of season markdowns can cost a business.
“After moving from London to Belgium whilst looking for entrepreneurial opportunities, I deliberately stayed well away from those two variables … until I came across Bye Bra!
“I acquired Bye Bra in 2018 from the entrepreneur who founded it. At the time the brand already had a small international footprint, but was still a start up in many respects, with a very limited product range focused on mono-use adhesive solutions and bra accessories, a packaging that did not reflect the value of the product and an embryonal distribution network. The acquisition allowed me to bypass the start-up phase and focus on developing the product portfolio and distribution network, as well as repositioning the brand in line with the quality of its products.
“Moving from a large, consensus oriented organization where even senior management has little influence on the direction of the company, to a very small company where basically everything needed to be done, was and still is a refreshing and energising experience. Now our collection is entirely continuative and never out of stock. Products are functional by definition and they all serve a specific purpose: colours are neutral, sizes reduced to the bare minimum. In this way we can focus on effective and cost-effective quality solutions for our customers.”
So no regrets at the career path that led to you becoming your own boss?
“Working in the cruising industry at the beginning of my career was an eye opener on the world and the sea of opportunities that are out there. I was lucky to meet my wife and the mother of our two children – a defining moment in my life which helped shape me as a person and therefore my career. She is a great advisor and a very good listener too – quite essential for a talkative Italian! I graduated with an MBA at INSEAD which was a proud moment for me, considering where I came from and that I only learned English as an adult. Moving to London consolidated my belief that diversity is the greatest gift we have as humans and we should nurture it.
“I am pretty good at a lot of things but I do not excel in any one thing in particular…”
“I am generalist – I am pretty good at a lot of things but I do not excel in any one thing in particular! In a world where professions are becoming more and more specialised, Bye Bra gave me the opportunity to put all my skills and knowledge to work in a very synergic way.
“Being an entrepreneur can be lonely at times but the long working days are always a pleasure, and the pride and satisfaction about what we have achieved today greatly outweighs any negatives.”
“My working days tend to be like the weather in the UK – 4 seasons in the space of one day!”
So what is your life typically like week to week?
“There is no such thing as a typical day, week or even year. Life at Bye Bra is never boring. Until now, we managed to keep a very flat structure and a non-hierarchical organization. My working days tend to be like the weather in the UK – 4 seasons in the space of one day! I can switch from thinking about the strategy for the coming year, taking care of some key customers in person, working with my colleague Arlette on the development of the new collection and helping in the warehouse to push a big order out on time. I love to switch roles and ‘get my hands dirty’.
“We are present in many international markets in Europe and beyond, we source part of the collection from the Far East and we attend several international trade shows twice a year, so travelling is an important part of my life. It allows me to stay close to the customers and hear about how our products are doing from the ‘horse’s mouth’ which I find very important for the business.
And what of your long-term ambitions for the brand both in the UK/Ireland and globally?
“The goal for Bye Bra is not to become more profitable or to increase sales. Our goal is to satisfy our customers with more, better and more sustainable solutions. A happy customer will become a bigger customer, will bring more customers and ultimately will drive the KPIs that are needed for a healthy business to sustain itself and keep on growing.
“We are on a great path already. We have been growing double digit every year since I came into Bye Bra in 2018, even through the pandemic. We entered the word of shapewear and we are very happy with the customer response so far. We already brought many new exciting products to market and we will have another 40% range increase next year. We are taking important steps to become an even more sustainable business every day, like removing single plastic from our packaging, introducing natural fibres from sustainable forestry and recycled synthetic fibres, and reducing our overall carbon footprint.
“The UK and Ireland are two markets that are significant contributors to our growth and evolution. You can find us among others at NEXT, Bravissimo, Brown Thomas Arnotts, Shaws, Boohoo, PLT and soon on ASOS.”
Anything else we should know about Bye Bra?
“P.S. we are not doing swimwear … not yet at least but watch out 😉 as we have a very full pipeline of new product development…”.
More information on Bye Bra from David Finlayson on 07825 091369 or david@apm-agency.com
