Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Lopriore.
Mike, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In addition to being the CEO of my father’s namesake footwear label Michele Lopriore, I am also one of the youngest entrepreneurs in Brickell, just under 30. Not only was I born into the industry, but I have dedicated most of my life to the design, manufacture, and business of shoes. My father, Michele Lopriore, founded our family-owned and operated company in 1986 and I grew up learning everything about footwear and working in various capacities, which allowed me to fully appreciate all the facets of how the products are conceived and manufactured.
I formally joined the company in Italy and today, I work closely with my father on both its creative and operational aspects, blending our commitment to traditional shoemaking with timeless fashion. I believe my astute understanding of our market and adapting to the needs of our customers has been key to the company’s continued growth.
In just three years, I spearheaded the brand’s expansion into the US market by opening a flagship in Miami’s Brickell City Center to complement our headquarters in Milan, another store soon-to-open at the American Dream in Meadowlands, New Jersey, a new concept store DressLux in Dadeland Mall and several pops up shops in Town Center at Boca Raton, Miami’s Dadeland Mall, Chicago’s North Michigan Shops, NYC’s World Trade Center Mall, and most recently Dallas’s Galleria. My life is very busy flying abroad between Italy and all the stores in the US.
I also work closely with various non-profits such as Manos Del Sur, which raises funds for improving the lives of needy children in Latin America and hosts several trunk shows, which raises funds for local Miami schools such as Gulliver and O.L.L.A.
Has it been a smooth road?
Ever since moving to a new country and opening a multinational company, I have faced and overcome various challenges on the daily. As a young entrepreneur, I understand that credibility is vital to the growth of any business. Living in a new culture where young entrepreneurs, such as myself, are, at times, not taken seriously due to age and lack of experience, I knew I had to establish credibility fast and I am proud of all that we at Michele Lopriore have accomplished here in the US in just three years.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Established in 1986 by my father Michele Lopriore, we at Michele Loprirore are proud to be a family-owned and operated brand that today includes the next generation – myself as CEO and my sister Giada – as part of the team. My father started in this business selling shoes at an outdoor “Mercato” where his success, natural salesmanship, and passion for footwear allowed him to consequently open his own store at Piazza Cadorna, Milan in less than a year. Blending an innate sense of style with the meticulous traditions of shoemaking, my father launched his namesake brand. Today Michele Lopriore is known for its dedication to quality and timeless fashion while providing unconventional designs of ultrafeminine appeal to its customers. I am most proud to be a family-owned and operated business that has been in the industry for three decades. The company’s deep respect for tradition shows in the care put into making each shoe.
What sets Michele Lopriore apart are the skilled artisans that create each shoe from the highest quality Italian leather, suede, and other fine materials and enhance every amazing detail through the use of textured surfaces, prints, buckles, tassels, and ribbons. Each pair, designed for maximum style at accessible prices, undergoes rigorous manufacturing standards that guarantee the line’s superior quality and comfort.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Making predictions is something I don’t like doing, but one thing is for certain and that is that shoes/footwear are one thing we cannot live without. What is changing is how people connect to brands and how brands connect to their customers. Social media has enabled consumers to feel more connected to brands and advances in technology are allowing brands to reach their target audience and provide an online shopping experience that is both exciting, easily accessible and user-friendly. It’s evident that in the next couple of years, brands must adapt and take advantage of all touchpoints with their consumer, which includes online and social media.
Contact Info:
- Address: 701 S Miami Ave Suite 264 C
Miami, Florida 33131 - Website: www.michelelopriore.com
- Phone: (786) 837-0099
- Email: miami@michelelopriore.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/micheleloprioreus/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Michele-Lopriore-1798357973525036/
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