The landscape of luxury Italian craftsmanship is undergoing a strategic transformation as Guido Campello, the visionary co-chief executive officer of Journelle, embarks on a high-stakes mission to rescue and revitalize dormant heritage brands. In a move that signals a bold new chapter for the European innerwear sector, Campello, alongside his wife and business partner, the renowned dermatologist Dr. Sapna Palep, has finalized the acquisition of Valery. This storied lingerie and swimwear house, rooted in the northern Italian region of Piedmont, represents the first cornerstone of a broader plan to consolidate and restore the global reputation of "Made in Italy" intimates.
The official unveiling of the acquisition is set to take place at Immagine Italia, the prestigious international lingerie trade show held in Florence. The timing is symbolic, as the industry gathers to witness what Campello describes as a "waking up" of a brand that has been in "sleep mode" for two seasons. Valery, headquartered in Sommariva Bosco near Cuneo, boasts a history spanning nearly half a century. Despite its temporary hiatus, the brand has maintained a formidable reputation among retailers and connoisseurs for its intricate designs and artisanal quality.
For Campello, the acquisition is as much a personal endeavor as it is a commercial one. In a recent interview, he revealed a poignant connection to the brand: his mother’s name is Valeria. This emotional resonance, combined with the brand’s deep-seated heritage, made Valery the ideal candidate for his revitalization project. While financial specifics of the deal remain confidential, Campello noted that Valery’s recent challenges were primarily rooted in a lack of generational succession—a common plight for many family-owned Italian enterprises that possess immense creative capital but struggle with modern business transitions.
The strategy for Valery is comprehensive. Campello’s team has secured the brand’s extensive archives, including decades of sketches and technical patterns. The immediate goal is to curate and relaunch its bestsellers, evolving the aesthetic to meet contemporary tastes while preserving the DNA that made it a household name in luxury boutiques. By integrating Valery into the Journelle ecosystem, Campello aims to leverage the brand’s dual expertise in lingerie and swimwear. He observed that while the American market often treats these categories as distinct entities, the Italian tradition views them as synonymous expressions of the same sartorial craft. This synergy offers a significant growth opportunity for Valery in the North American market, where Journelle already has a strong retail and e-commerce foothold.
Campello’s expertise in the Italian manufacturing sector is unparalleled. His parents, Valeria and Ugo Campello, founded the iconic luxury brand Cosabella in 1983. Although headquartered in Miami, Cosabella became a global success by strictly adhering to Italian production standards. Campello led Cosabella through decades of growth before its eventual sale to the Swiss-based Calida Group in 2022. This deep-rooted familiarity with the Italian supply chain is now being channeled into Journelle, which Campello acquired in 2019.
Under Campello and Palep’s leadership, Journelle has transitioned from a high-end multi-brand retailer into a powerhouse of private label development. Founded originally in 2007 by Claire Chambers, Journelle currently operates flagship boutiques in New York and Chicago, carrying over 100 luxury brands. However, it is the company’s internal growth that is most striking; its private label business surged by 44 percent last year. Campello realized that to truly dominate the luxury space, he needed to control the entire pipeline—from the design table to the factory floor and, finally, to the retail shelf.
To facilitate this, Campello has revitalized Collezioni, a production facility in Carpi, Italy, which historically manufactured for Cosabella. More recently, he has expanded his manufacturing footprint through the "Made in Mediterraneo" project. This ambitious initiative focuses on preserving the human capital of the Italian lingerie industry. In January, Campello opened a new laboratory that formerly served the legendary brand La Perla. By hiring veteran artisans and utilizing specialized machinery from former La Perla facilities, he is ensuring that the "know-how" of master seamstresses and lace-makers does not vanish.
"Yesterday I visited five more laboratories, all former La Perla laboratories," Campello remarked, highlighting the abundance of available skill sets in the region. "You have the know-how, the artisans, the machines, and all the elements that you need to create a product that’s exceptional." He views this as a moral and economic imperative. The rise of fast-fashion innerwear has put immense pressure on traditional specialists. Furthermore, many lace factories in Busto Arsizio, historically the heart of Italian textile production, have pivoted toward producing for ready-to-wear luxury brands, leaving the lingerie sector underserved. Campello’s mission is to reclaim these resources for the intimates world.
The inspiration for this revival comes from other titans of the fashion industry. Campello cited Diego Della Valle’s successful resurrection of the house of Schiaparelli as a blueprint for what he hopes to achieve with Valery and subsequent acquisitions. He believes that the "Made in Italy" label remains the most powerful marketing tool in the United States, representing a standard of quality that consumers are willing to invest in.
The geopolitical climate also plays a role in Campello’s strategic calculations. As discussions regarding U.S. trade tariffs continue to dominate the economic discourse, Campello expressed optimism about the resilience of Italian exports. He praised Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for her efforts in balancing international relationships and safeguarding the "Made in Italy" brand. In Campello’s view, Italy holds a distinct advantage over other European nations that have outsourced their production to North Africa or Madagascar. Products manufactured in those regions may face harsher tariff structures and lack the prestige associated with Italian craftsmanship.
"The easiest way to sell a product in the U.S. is to say it’s made in Italy," Campello asserted. "I think it’s sad that we don’t do it more. We don’t build it. So that’s our goal. That’s what we’re doing. And Valery, I think, will allow us to do so."
The acquisition of Valery is likely just the beginning. Campello has signaled a clear intent to scout for other "dormant" brands that can be brought under the Journelle umbrella. By consolidating these heritage names, he is building a specialized luxury group that can compete with global conglomerates while maintaining the soul of a boutique artisan house.
The revival of Valery is scheduled to be a centerpiece of the upcoming trade show circuit, where buyers will get their first glimpse of the "awakened" collections. For the residents of Sommariva Bosco and the broader Piedmont region, the move brings hope for the preservation of local jobs and the continuation of a proud textile tradition. For the global lingerie market, it marks the return of a sophisticated aesthetic that blends Italian sensuality with technical precision.
As Journelle continues to expand its retail footprint and its manufacturing capabilities, the acquisition of Valery serves as a proof of concept. It demonstrates that with the right leadership and a deep respect for heritage, the "sleep mode" of the Italian lingerie industry can be deactivated, giving way to a vibrant, modern renaissance. Campello and Palep are not just selling underwear; they are safeguarding a cultural legacy and proving that in the world of high fashion, the most enduring trend is authentic craftsmanship.