19 April 2017 – Rome

It was 1986 when two young entrepreneurs decided to establish Ricamificio Marini. My brother and I were children then, playing among the embroidery machines and the workers in the garage of our family home.

From the embroidery workshop to LUISS

In April 2017, Flavio Marini, founder of the We Positive brand, was invited by Professor Francesca Masciarelli to speak to students on the International Management master’s programme at LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome. At Villa Blanc, he gave a talk in English about the history of Ricamificio Marini, the creation of We Positive and the strategies behind the brand’s growth in Italy and abroad.

Flavio Marini during his 2017 talk at LUISS Guido Carli University.

The article recalled that Flavio and his brother Fabio developed We Positive around short messages of optimism engraved on leather bracelets. The bracelets were made in Italy at the Marini Ricami facilities at the time. Founded in 1986 by their parents Franco Marini and Bruna Ciprietti, the family business gave the brothers experience in materials, production and design. By 2017, the brand had built an international following; the original Italian article reported that its bracelets had reached more than 33 countries.

The talk also described partnerships with Warner Music and Universal Music for the MySong bracelet line, featuring song excerpts associated with artists including Vasco Rossi, Ligabue and Il Volo. The original account mentioned charitable initiatives with Lega del Filo d’Oro, the Giulianova committee of the Italian Red Cross and the Marco Simoncelli Foundation SIC58.

Flavio discussed the role of a business website, online marketplaces such as Amazon and Alibaba, and social platforms including Facebook and Instagram. For an emerging brand in 2017, these channels offered greater visibility and made it easier for customers to discover and purchase products from a phone.

Flavio Marini at LUISS University. Photograph credited in the original article to Il Centro.

After the presentation, students asked questions about production, marketing strategy and product placement. The discussion connected the experience of a family embroidery business with the development of a consumer brand.

Read the original report in Il Centro (Italian)

This is the story of a family business guided by family values and the ambition to achieve great things. This is our story.