MILAN — Luxury brand Retori is gearing up to unveil its second collection.
Dubbed Chapter 02, it will be showcased in Paris on July 8 during couture week. Conceived for fall 2025, the collection will be revealed just weeks ahead of its arrival in select global boutiques and on the brand’s official website.
This strategy will help strengthen the brand’s relationship with its customers, explained chief executive officer Zaccheo Manzoni during an interview at Retori’s showroom in Milan. “We aim to align the presentation of collections with their in-store availability: January and February for spring/summer and June and July for fall/winter.”
While highlighting that the collection is made in Italy, choosing Paris during couture “is strategic as it enables us to deepen our connection with an international network of artists, buyers, press and global consumers,” said Manzoni.
Designed and founded by Salma Rachid, Retori was launched by Alsara Investment Group last year, bowing in September for spring 2025. It comprises women’s and men’s ready-to-wear and accessories collections and Manzoni described it as “transseasonal and timeless.”
Named from rhetoric, the art of storytelling, each collection is a chapter, “infused with the emotional stories of artists from around the globe. The brand connects a diverse community of artists, enabling them to share their unique journeys through life,” Rachid told WWD upon the launch.
Chapter 02 is shaped as a dialogue with Miko Veldkamp, an artist of Dutch and Indonesian descent who was born and raised in Suriname, “delving into an exploration of identity, self-discovery, evolution and change,” said Manzoni.
Chapter 01 was the result of conversations with textile artist Diedrick Brackens and El Salvador-born painter Daniella Portillo resulting in a sophisticated and functional wardrobe in gentle silhouettes.
The second collection will be unveiled at the atelier of French antiques dealer, interior designer and patron of the arts Madeleine Castaing at 18 Rue Visconti in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
By staging the presentation at the atelier, Retori hopes to pay tribute to this legendary personality, explained Manzoni, honoring her creative freedom. Castaing was a muse to the likes of Chaïm Soutine and Jean Cocteau.
Zaccheo Manzoni
Manzoni joined Retori last year from Canali, where he held the position of chief commercial officer. Prior to that he held the role of director, business development licensing at Mayhoola, spearheading the licensing business for Valentino, Balmain and Pal Zileri.
During his career he spent 10 years at eyewear firm Safilo across Italy, India and the Middle East, and then joined Fendi, where he held various management roles across Switzerland, the U.S. and Hong Kong, most recently serving as vice president, worldwide travel retail and Asia franchisee until 2020.
Manzoni said he was attracted to Retori as it aligned with his own personal path, citing Paulo Coelho and his novel “The Alchemist,” “where the journey of life is more important than where it will lead us. Salma’s concept of storytelling through the artists and the clothes fascinated me, as did the exploration of the concept of destiny.”
Retori’s customer “is curious, drawn to storytelling, and eager to understand the meaning behind each garment,” Manzoni continued, explaining the reason for mainly choosing the direct-to-consumer channel.
He said Retori’s debut was positively received, and sales of the first collection exceeded expectations, despite the complex global landscape. “This success encouraged us to fine-tune our communication strategy, built around exclusive appointments throughout the first half of 2025 in culturally and commercially relevant cities.”
Markets that have responded well to the brand are the U.K., Germany, Japan, and the U.S., as well as Italy.
Touting Retori’s focus on artisanal craft, and the ongoing research into luxury fabrics, Manzoni said the business is equally split between women’s and men’s.
Salma Rachid is the daughter of Rachid Mohamed Rachid, who established Alsara Investment Group in 2017 and is also the chairman of Valentino and CEO of the brand’s parent company Mayhoola, which also owns Balmain and Italian menswear brand Pal Zileri.
Shahzad Akhtar is the CEO of Alsara Investment Group, which is developing luxury brands based in Milan that include cool puffer label Khrisjoy and design venture Fromm. It has also been planning a revival of the label of Walter Albini, one of the founders of Italy’s rtw. Other brands and companies in the group’s portfolio include Akoni, which produces eyewear for Valentino and Balmain; investor Bidayat; Egypt-based jewelry brand Azza Fahmy; accessories label Okhtein, and Flyroom. Salma Rachid is also creative director of Akoni.
In addition to Harrods, the brand has linked with Istanbul department store Beymen, recently hosting a lunch with premium clients attended by Rachid, as well as Berlin’s multibrand fashion store Lou & the Finches, which opened an apartment-style pop-up to showcase the Retori collection. In Dallas and Tokyo the brand teamed with Stanley Korshak and Takashimaya, respectively. It has also partnered with Al Tayer Group’s luxury online platform Ounass.