When Nicola Trussardi decided it was time to bring the Trussardi name onto the world's fashion stage he did it, naturally enough, in grand style. But rather than present his first collection on one of the usual haunts like a Grand Ballroom or a studio he took over the world's most celebrated Opera House, La Scala in Milan. Then with the same no nonsense approach he had shown to everything he had done in business since taking over from his father and brother in 1970, Nicola Trussardi opened the doors of his exhibition to the general public.

"At the time it was not done to have anyone other than those from the fashion press, the television people and one's potential and influential clients invited to a launch", smiles Nicola Trussardi, often referred to as Doctor Trussardi because of his Masters Degree in Economics. "My idea was quite the contrary. I wanted the public to see what we as a company had to offer. And the only way to do this was to show them. That to me makes sense".

Founded in 1912 by Nicola Trussardi's grandfather, what today is an empire spanning the gamut of luxury products from clothing to wrist-watches, perfume and even motorcyles, began less expansively as a family business involved solely in the manufacturing of leather gloves. Distinguished and celebrated gloves made only from the finest leathers and sold the world over. It was not however, until Nicola Trussardi's sudden and unheralded entry into the company that the name Trussardi really began to make fashion headlines internationally.

A gifted marketing strategist with a creative mind to match, Nicola Trussardi quickly responded to the sudden downturn in demand for luxury goods in the early 1970's by diversifying the company's output toward producing goods more in keeping with the changing social values of the time.

"When I first came into the company on the sudden and tragic deaths of both my father and my only brother in the same year, it was a time of very poor economic and social conditions in Italy and Europe in general", Nicola explains. "People had begun to move away from luxury goods toward goods which they saw as more practical, less extravagant and perhaps too, less ostentatious. It was, I believe, a reaction to the times. My task was to keep the company going, and I realised very quickly that if we concentrated simply on making gloves very soon we would no longer have a business - no matter how good the gloves were.

"It seemed to me at that time that people were after a more casual approach to life, and the trimmings that went with it", Nicola continues. "Since leather had been the material with which our company had always been associated I decided to familiarise myself as much as possible with the entire process of leather preparation, and in due course opened my own small tannery. The first thing we did was to produce leather wear which was practical and functional, much of which I designed, as well as some knitwear. This was the early 70's and we were also involved in making leather products for other designers of note, so I learned a lot in the meantime by watching and listening carefully.

"When we stared making handbags for instance, I realised that for most people handbags were purely functional pieces", he continues. "My response was to attempt something new; instead of making handbags which were rigid and stiff, I began to use soft leathers, soft materials, and made handbags more a part of the total fashion sense of that period. My idea was to create something which could be used in many situations, which could suit many different occasions. This was something relatively new at the time, and it worked very well for us". As did the introduction of the now famous greyhound logo.

In 1973 Nicola Trussardi began searching for a way of making a definitive statement about the range of products he proposed for his family's business. A long-time dog lover, Nicola had always been fascinated by the esteem in which certain breeds of dogs had been held since ancient times. After considerable research he decided that the greyhound with its blueblood pedigree, its blend of regal elegance and heritage was the perfect symbolic representation of what he wanted the Trussardi label to stand for.

And so it was that the very first Trussardi product range to follow the success of the leather wear, a stylish range of mens and ladies accessories in gold, silver and Bria wood carried the distinctive Trussardi emblem.

"The leather wear and the gift items were hugely successful", says Trussardi. "So successful in fact that I quickly followed them up with the first of our own boutiques. This was in Milan in 1976, and since then we have opened boutiques across the world, including Paris, Madrid, Singapore and Toronto. In the early 1970's of course we were a little company, but I saw the importance of diversifying if we were to make any sort of lasting impact. It is for this reason that today one finds the Trussardi name on a wide array of products.

Inspired by the success of these early ventures, Nicola Trussardi soon expanded the company interests to include Nicola's own designs for a range of motorbikes, underwear, fashion glasses, mens colognes, perfumes, linen, Manchester and at one stage even cigarettes. More recently, the Trussardi image has lent itself to the design of a select collection of wrist-watches in collaboration with Bulova Eco Swisse Italia and Finstile.

An innovative designer and stylist, Nicola works hard to maintain the Trussardi image of time-honoured handcraftsmanship in harmony with contemporary technological sophistication. One look at the watches bearing the Trussardi logo and one sees the unmistakable signature blend of artistic flair and functional practicality. Like everything bearing the Trussardi name these watches represent Nicola's constant concern that quality be the overriding consideration of any Trussardi undertaking. It was in recognition of this that both the Mayors of Milan and Florence presented Trussardi with awards for outstanding contributions to their respective cities, citing the company's ongoing commitment to excellence as a fine example for other Italian manufacturers.

Eager to keep up the momentum he set in motion twenty years ago, Nicola Trussardi is not content to rest on and live off his past laurels, and so the diversification continues. With wool and silk blend carpets, exquisite rugs and an exclusive range of stylish furniture now part of the Trussardi stable of luxury products, it seems inevitable that market development is high on the agenda of things to tackle.

"Italy is certainly our largest market at the moment", Nicola explains. "But we re very big in Germany and Austria as well. Now there is Japan, a potentially huge market for Trussardi. In fact, I can remember that when I first took over and we were putting out our first range of handbags, I was interviewed by a Japanese journalist who fell in love with the product. She even took one back to show a friend of hers who was a Japanese importer at the time because she believed even then that what we at Trussardi had to offer was something a little different, and yet appealing".

Celebrated for its use of all natural fibres, including the much wanted category, Trussardi fashions have won international acclaim with critics as well as trend-setters. Vibrant colours, elegant silks and precious hides have become the Trussardi hallmarks, fostering the development of a diverse range of clothing, everything from sportswear and designer jeans to classic evening wear. Their most popular line is undoubtedly ready-to-wear, particularly in Italy.

"Italians are very much into the concept of ready-to-wear", explains Nicola. "Italians love to eat well, dress well and live well. For Italians being well-dressed is very important, and we are very lucky here in Italy in that we have an extensive textile industry providing us with fabulous materials with which to work". From Hussar jackets with rigid shoulders and frog closures, to riding pants in soft leather the Trussardi image is one of refined and understated elegance. Matched with the appropriate Trussardi fragrance, the look is one of sheer good taste, and what Nicola Trussardi himself likes to refer to as 'total Trussardi'.

When not thinking up ways of furthering the Trussardi name and projects, Nicola Trussardi spends time with his wife, two sons and two daughters. And of course his greyhounds. Last year, the company whose logo bears the refined, classic features of the pedigree dog, sponsored the famous greyhound race run around Lake Samaden in St. Moritz. A lover of theatre, the arts and good living, Nicola Trussardi maintains that had fate not led him to take over the family business he might well have pursued his passion for a career in economics, perhaps as a business advisor. Indeed the company's purchase last year of the former Palazzo Marino al Scala in Piazza Scala is part of Trussardi's expansion into real estate concerns. The acquisition of the building is part of an investment program in the real estate sector carried out by an arm of the company, Fintrussardi which has already made its presence felt in via Mazoni and in the Brera district of Milan. The purchase of the Palazzo is, according to the Trussardi newsletter, "the solidification of the long relationship between Milan and Trussardi and of a commercial policy based on diversification. A corner of Milan now will have the greyhound's stamp...." but lest it, appears that economics take precedence over creative pursuits in Trussardi's future plans, the bulletin finishes with the proud assertion: "...and it will be the corner closest to the Teatro della Scala".