Seeing the potential of plastic, Grendene began to produce plastic basketwork holders for gallon wine bottles produced in the mountains of Rio Grande do Sul in Southern Brazil, to replace the existing ones in wickerwork.
Grendene began manufacturing plastic parts for farm machinery and implements – evolving to soles and heels for shoes. Grendene was the pioneer in the use of polyamide (nylon) as a raw material for these components – these were Grendene’s first steps toward its vocation for fashion.
Pedro Grendene Bartelle noticed the strip-sandals of fishermen on the French Riviera, and had the idea that revolutionized both Grendene – and fashion. Thus the Melissa Aranha was born, which became – much more than an item of injected plastic footwear – a fashion symbol.
In 1980 Grendene opened its plant making molds for its plastic footwear, at Carlos Barbosa, in the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul.
This year saw the start of Melissa's successful partnerships with major world designers – and the creativity of Jean-Paul Gaultier, Thierry Mugler, Jacqueline Jacobson and Elisabeth De Seneville.
The year that grendene migrated from woman to children. From this year on, grendene´s kids line has never stpped growing.
Launch of Grendene´s style-and-comfort men´s sandal line Rider combining distinctive design with informal masculine ease.
Under the umbrella of the Grendene Kids brand, the kid´s line launch products with the licensing of names and brands of children´s characters who are known domestically and internationally.
Grendene opens it first manufacturing plant in the Brazil's Ceará State – in the city of Fortaleza.
Opening of the factory at Sobral, also in the State of Ceará.
Grendene launches its Grendha brand, targeting a specific women’s segment – with launches led by celebrities, such as singer Ivete Sangalo (from Ceará).
Grendene begins to reposition Melissa. After two years without launches, Melissa again innovates – bringing leading model Claudia Schiffer to Brazil to show the brand’s latest creations.
Operations start at Grendene's third plant in Ceará State – in the city of Crato.
Grendene creates a separate division to handle Melissa – entering the third millennium as a fashion icon.
Enshrining its position for beach footwear, Grendene launches the Ipanema brand: women’s and men’s beach sandals at competitive prices.
Start of the partnership between Grendene´s Ipanema brand and top model Gisele Bündchen – the launch of Ipanema GB. In this year Melissa took the stage at São Paulo Fashion Week for the first time.
Melissa is now attracting great new designers – Alexandre Herchcovitch, Sommer and Cavalera are stars at São Paulo Fashion Week, and in the world’s leading shop-window concept stores – such as Colette in Paris and Dover Street Market in London.
Grendene begins a stockholding restructuring as part of the preparation for floating its stock on the stock exchange.
With the IPO (october 29) Grendene´s common shares start trading on the B3 S.A. - São Paulo Stock Exchange´s Novo Mercado.
Opening of Galeria Melissa on São Paulo's top fashion street, Rua Oscar Freire. The 25th anniversary of the Melissa brand is celebrated with the exhibition Plasticorama, at the Rio Modern Art Museum, with a re-launch of the Melissa Aranha.
Creation of Grendene Academy – the Company's first corporate Human Development initiative.
International contract with Gisele Bündchen for worldwide promotion of Ipanema GB.
Grendene is named Wal-Mart Supplier of the Year in footwear, for the second year. The criteria include "product quality, deliveries, and pre-sales and after-sales service".
New plant built for MHL Calçados Ltda at Teixeira de Freitas, in Bahia State, Brazil.
Another milestone in Melissa’s global image: two unprecedented partnerships: with the grand dame of British fashion, Vivienne Westwood; and the Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid.
Strengthening its international expansion plan – with Gisele Bündchen in attendance – Grendene launched Ipanema G2B, in Berlin.
Launch of the Zaxy brand.
Grendene publishes its Code of Ethical Conduct.
Another milestone: Grendene produces more than 150 million pairs of shoes, entirely in Brazil.
Grendene repositions Rider; and launches another men’s brand – Cartago.
Celebrating its 30th birthday, Melissa launches a perfume, and the magazine Plastic Dreams.
Grendene opts to adopt IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standars) in its consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2009 – with transition date January 1, 2008.
Further commemorating its 30th birthday, Melissa presents a retrospective exhibition, of 30 historic pairs from its collection, at São Paulo Fashion Week – and launches a new sandal model by Jean-Paul-Gaultier.
A publication by the Design Museum of London mentions three Brazilian models – two are Melissa sandals: one created by English style iconoclast Vivian Westwood – and the other by renowned Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid (winner of the Pritzker prize, regarded as “architecture´s Nobel”).
Grendene celebrates its 40th birthday.
Announces new dividend distribution policy.
Establishes its Audit Board.
Creates its Sustainable Development Department.
Implements its first Trainee Program.
Galeria Melissa opens in New York.
Grendene celebrates 10th year as Brazil’s leading footwear exporter, by number of pairs.
Mattel recognizes Grendene as its Best Licensee Worldwide;
Cartoon Network gives Grendene its Best Overall Licensee award for 2012.
Grendene wins Amanhã Magazine’s Champions of Innovation award, in the leather and footwear sector – for the fifth consecutive year.
Grendene signs a memorandum of understanding with Jelly. Melissa (previously Jelly) franchises went through changes in facade, becoming: Clube Melissa (Melissa Club).
The new footwear factory established in Sobral expands production capacity to 250 million pairs per year.
The Melissa + Karl Lagerfeld collection was launched at Galeria Melissa NY, in an event attended by Karl Lagerfeld and the model Cara Delevigne
Ipanema has launched in Búzios the Refúgio Ipanema (Ipanema Escape), a brand's pop up store located at the famous Rua das Pedras.
Grendene announced signature of a ten-year leasing contract for Galeria Melissa, London, to open in 2014 in an area recognized for its fashion influence – at 43 King Street, in the heart of Covent Garden. After London – as previously announced – the next step will be a retail presence in Asia.
Grendene´s Ipanema brand opened the doors of the brand´s living together space with its customers in Rio de Janeiro.
Melissa opening a Showroom next to Via Tortona, in Milan, Italy.
Galeria Melissa opened in London, in the Heart of Covent Garden.
Grendene has become the first footwear company to be granted with the Supply Certificate by Brazilian Association of Textile Retail (ABVTEX).
Melissa brand celebrated the tenth birthday of the Sao Paulo Galeria Melissa, the first of Melissa’s concept stores.
Grendene took part in the official ceremony for the iF Design Award 2015, receiving awards for four projects: Melissa One by One in the category Product; and Galeria Melissa New York, Casa Ipanema and the Eat My Melissa Convention Collection in the category Architecture and Interiors.
Grendene was awarded the 22nd Expression of Ecology Prize, in the Environmental Management Category – the Green Wave Trophy, for its Project Water Management – Treatment and Re-use in Operations.
For the second year running, Grendene received the most important seal in world design – the IF Design Award – in the Architecture and interiors category, with its design for Melissa´s London Galeria.
For the fourth year running The Melissa Club achieved the Seal of Excellence Franchising (SEF) by the Brazilian Franchising Association. In 2015 it exceeded 200 stores.
The Rider brand celebrated its 30th birthday by bringing back its most important iconic product.
Ipanema sandals presented its multimedia show “Ipanema – 15 Anos de Bossa” for the 15th birthday.
The New York Galeria Melissa reopened at a new address: 500 Broadway, Soho.
Clube Melissa was awarded the Seal of Excellence in Franchising, issued by the Brazilian Franchising Association (ABF).
Grendene was recognized with the Valor 1000 Award for the fifth year running, with first place in the Textile, leather and Apparel category.
Grendene won the 2018 Estadão Empresas Mais award in the Textile and Clothing category.
Melissa and the Campana Brothers launched an exclusive collab. to celebrate 15 years of partnership, which enjoyed the unprecedented participation of the NGO Arrastão.
Grendene received the Outsystems Innovation Awards – Next Step 2018 prize in the category Corporate Transformation. The distinguishing factor in assessment for this award is recognition of focus on the principle of innovation in the world’s largest companies.
Creatin of the Related parties committee.
The Melissa brand celebrated its 40th birthday.
Grendene footwear carries the Vegan seal; and the Ipanema footwear line has certification from the Biobased seal.
Taking the opportunity of Brazil’s Conscious Consumer Day – October 15, Melissa intensified its construction of dialog with the consumer, setting this day as the start of its permanent sustainability campaign.
To celebrate the 17-year partnership between Grendha and Ivete Sangalo, the brand launched the campaign “Descubra a força de suas raízes” (“Discover the force of your roots”).
Galeria Melissa in São Paulo received the Retail Design Innovation Award, in the category Visual Merchandizing, organized by the GS&MD (Gouvêa de Souza) retail consulting group, and coordinated by RDI (Brazilian Retail Design Institute) and ABIESV (Retail Equipment and Services Industry Association).
In the first half of 2019 Melissa began its Omnichannel project.
Grendene published its first Sustainability Report (‘the Report’), using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) methodology.
Creatin of the Investment committee.
Grendene Kids signed a continuous partnership with Unicef, to underline a commitment that is in the brand’s DNA: to encourage the best of childhood, contributing to children’s development. Through this partnership Grendene now invests in Unicef projects in Brazil, focusing on actions in the area of education.
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