Luca Benini’s talent for infusing culture, not just hype, into labels has helped him build an empire that counts some of today’s biggest names in fashion as its clients.
A testament to the longevity of Benini’s magic spell, his company laid the groundwork for the current luxury streetwear trend 30 years ago—back when the boundaries between low-brow and high-couture were rigidly defined.
50-year-old Benini is the founder and CEO of Slam Jam, an Italian company that curates sportswear for brands like Nike, Stussy, and Carhartt WIP. It also manages production lines for a few smaller labels and boasts its own line as well.
“I would like Slam Jam to be perceived as a seal of approval on the products we distribute, a bit like the Woolmark logo warranties quality on the different products that bear it,” Benini explains to Business of Fashion. “I am a selector, a bit like a DJ: creating worlds by mixing existing bits is what keeps me going.”
If selecting and distributing sportswear for fashion labels may not seem like a lucrative business, Business of Fashion reports Slam Jam, with its 88 employees, generated $51 million in revenue last year.
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