Despite flying for almost a day from Italy to Manila, Gianni Dori is all smiles as he presents the 2025 summer collection of Rodo to Filipino shoppers at Rustan's Makati. This is the first time the Italian luxury label has become officially available in the Philippines, and Gianni, the CEO and owner of the brand, can't help but express his excitement.

“We have extensive fans around Asia, and I believe that Filipinos will love what we have,” Gianni tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. “The Philippines is known for handicrafts, and I think Filipinos will see the beauty in our handwork. I think they will appreciate Rodo in 360 degrees, from the weaving to the intricate techniques.”

The brand's story started with Gianni's father, Romualdo Dori. He looked at the wicker basket, which is commonly used for groceries and other household chores, and thought of translating its weaving technique into bags. In 1956, Romualdo made it happen by founding Rodo—a play on his initials—in Florence. Soon enough, he built a factory in Mogliano, Marche, where the brand still crafts its pieces today.

“The Rodo brand has this DNA of weaving because of my father,” Gianni says. “For him, that was a good technique for bags. Weaving the materials, then lacquering them, and embellishing with brass ornaments. That’s a key element from the ’50s that we still maintain today.”

Eventually, the brand’s profile expanded into footwear. Apart from the wicker weaving technique, the brand also explored using precious metal or crystal embellishments in its works. Gianni often alludes to Florence as the muse of the brand. Its rich heritage continues to inspire its creations.

Today, many of its pieces are seen gracing the red carpet, carried by the most beautiful women in Hollywood, such as Kerry Washington, Florence Pugh, Demi Moore, and Julia Roberts. Rodo's pride lies in its ability to maintain its identity through the years. Although it has to work with trends and evolving market preferences, the brand has never lost track of what it is. Gianni expressed that they don't spend millions on marketing and just let their pieces do the talking.

“We need to maintain our own identity, our iconic pieces,” he muses. “We travel around the world, meet the customers, and understand their direction. We try to update with new products, but we aren't totally changing the image of what we are.”

Like its signature weaving technique, the inner system of Rodo is led by a tight-knit family. On Gianni's side is his brother Maurizio, who is the creative director. That tradition continues with Gianni's son Giorgio and niece Martina, as third-generation leaders of the company. The brand remains one of the few privately owned accessories producers in Italy.

font-family: Gilroy; display: inline !important;>“My niece and my son are the new pillars in our business, like my brother and I were the pillars for my father,” Gianni explains. “It's essential for the family to stay in a business like ours. We are not giant, we are not small. We are a medium-sized company. We need to have internal strength.”

In leading the company, Gianni always keeps in mind the guidance and wisdom his father left to him and his brother. “My father always told us, ‘Listen, you only need to work on the quality, even if I am not around anymore. As soon as you let quality go, you're gone,’” he recalls. “In Italy, there’s one factor that has been hard to maintain—quality. For some people, quality could mean a certain price. What we are offering is still a good balance of quality and price.”

Rodo will be celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2026. To mark it, the brand will be bestowed with the recognition of “historical brand of national interest” by Italy's Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy next year. Luckily, the Philippines will be part of its milestone as its signature pieces are now available on the pristine shelves of Rustan’s Makati.