As a founding member of ECCIA – the European Cultural and Creative Industries Alliance – Walpole’s work reaches far beyond British shores. Composed of seven European member organisations in Italy, France, Spain, Sweden, Portugal, Germany and, of course, the UK, ECCIA's members join forces to represent the luxury sector’s shared values in Brussels at the European Commission. Our latest interview series introduces you to the CEO of each ECCIA member and brings you the key details that every high-end brand should know about the luxury sector in the country they represent.
For the next instalment in the series, we head to Madrid to speak with Xandra Falcó, CEO of Círculo Fortuny in Spain...
Walpole: Can you tell us about your association? How many members are there in your organisation, and what are the requirements of membership?
Xandra Falcó: Currently we have 72 members in Círculo Fortuny. In order to be a member you need to be a luxury Spanish brand or institution with national and international recognition in the world of excellence. Any new brand needs to present a candidacy which that new members commission will study and verify if they comply with the criteria of quality, excellency, creativity, identity, international recognition, selective distribution and history of the brand. If so, the brand will be presented to the board for voting.
What are the qualities and characteristics of your country’s luxury sector that make it unique in the world?
Our brands come from a wide variety of sectors, from the historic and cultural world of the Museo Del Prado and Patrimonio Nacional to our jewellers, perfume brands, wines etc. But if I need to distinguish the qualities of Spanish luxury, I would point out two things. First, Spain is about experience, the Spanish lifestyle, which is pure luxury in everyday living, starting with our gastronomy and hotels. The second would be the authenticity of our brands that comes from a deep-rooted excellency in craftsmanship.
What would you say the primary talking point is amongst the luxury sector in your country right now?
One of our major subjects today is the luxury tourism. Following the presentation of the ECCIA study on high-end tourism, we have generated a big debate on its importance and how to develop it further. We have been talking with key players and administrations to point out the outcome of the study and our recommendations. High-end tourism is obviously key to the development our luxury brands in Spain.
What is the biggest challenge to the growth of the luxury industry in your country, both domestically and internationally?
As I just mentioned, high-end tourism is crucial for the development of the luxury industry within our borders. Internationally, some our our brands need a bigger scale to compete in a global market, but most of them excel in the markets in which they are already present. Investment to further develop the international markets is key.
What are the calendar highlights of that your company organises throughout the year?
I would point two events. The first is the Circulo Fortuny Craft Awards (Premios Circulo Fortuny Alta Artesania), which we celebrate every year at the Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. Our aim is to give visibility to small ateliers that have been creating outstanding products for generations, as well as to draw the attention to the importance of craftsmanship.
The second would be the Fortuny Day, which changes its topic every time it is held. This year, the main theme was the Metaverse – it was fascinating to listen to the different views of the keynote speakers and roundtables. This is an event where most of our members attend.
What has been the proudest moment for you in your tenure as CEO
One of my proudest moments has been when Patrimonio Nacional accepted to become a member of Círculo Fortuny. Patrimonio Nacional is the institution in charge of conserving the extensive collection of assets that make up the Spanish National Heritage, which has been the legacy of the Spanish Crown though the centuries. Patrimonio Nacional has just opened the Galeria de las Colecciones Reales, just beside the Royal Palace in Madrid, which I deeply encourage you to visit next time in town.
Which person in your country’s luxury sector inspires you – and why?
Many of them do, they are all inspiring entrepreneurs. However, maybe I would choose Felipe Conde: his family has been making Spanish guitars for over 100 years. We invited him to join Círculo Fortuny when I heard a breathtaking speech by Leonard Cohen at the Pricesa de Asturias Awards. Leonard Cohen explained that all his music was inspired by the Spanish guitar, and all of his guitars where handmade at a luthier in Madrid called Felipe Conde. It's a tiny shop and he makes tailor-made guitars for world-recognised artists such a Cat Stevens, Bob Dylan, Paco de Lucia and many others. Felipe Conde represents a truly luxury handmade product that has continued intact across generations.
Why is an organisation like ECCIA important?
ECCIA is key to convey the message of the importance of the high-end sector at the European Commission, and to defend the values of our national associations and our members. At Círculo Fortuny we are very proud to be a founding member of ECCIA where we learn everyday from the experience and knowhow of our sister associations in Europe.
> Find out more about all the member organisations within ECCIA and its work here
> For more information on Walpole's international work and ECCIA, please contact Charlotte Keesing on [email protected]
