Burleon Group

The Burleon Group is a Cattalian multinational luxury goods conglomerate, headquartered in Celeste. The company was formed by the 1912 merger of Remmé and Alcan, led by Remmé chairman Sebastian Burleon. It controls four prestigious brands, run in a semi-independent manner, that combined operate in 213 locations across the world. It is currently owned by the Burleon Trust and Al-Sayad Group.

History
Sebastian Burleon (1840-1929) was chief designer at fashion group Remmé between 1889 and 1910, before becoming chairman of the brand after buying a 25% stake from its founder, Charles Remmé. He pushed for the company to expand internationally, and was approached by the owner of Anglo-Cattalian department store Alcan, Lord Alcan, which had an interest in acquiring new designer brands for its European operations. The two companies agreed a merger in 1912 to form the Remmé-Alcan Company, which was co-owned by Burleon and Alcan.

Lord Alcan sold his 50% stake in the group to Burleon in 1915 after acquiring significant debts funding his estates in Surrey and Amosseri through the First World War. Burleon renamed the group as the Burleoni Group and established a third brand for the group, the House of Burleon, in 1920 to produce luxury goods for sale in elite shops in Paris, London and Celeste.

The Burleoni Group was run by its owner until his retirement in 1922, at the age of 82. His son and grandson, Jean Burleon and Luca Burleon, took over the management of the company and expanded all three brands considerably. Jean Burleon was infamously connected to the Nazi movement in Cattala and the company benefited from substantial Nazi sales and security during the occupation of Cattala between 1940 and 1943. Jean shot himself after the country was liberated and he was threatened by the Pattria Protettori, a guerilla movement that opposed the fascist occupation.

Luca Burleon (1901-1960) ran the company alone between 1943 and his death in 1960. Luca opened the House's first stores in Madrid and Milan and appointed Luisa Amman as chief designer in 1955, recognising her talent as a designer. Amman developed a unique style for the brands and successfully pushed Burleon to make the three chains more independent, allowing Alcan to become an upmarket but accessible department store and Remmé to specialise in womens clothing and accessories that was also sold in their competitor's outlets. This business model continues today.

Amman continued to serve as chief designer until 1966, when she became director at rival company Verrosa. Verrosa has since gone on to dominate the Cattalian department store market, pushing out Alcan, which now has just three chains in the country. Her departure as creative director heralded the decline of Burleoni's domestic presence, and it shifted to an international focus after Esra Wilson took over the company from Luca Burleon, who suffered a fatal heart attack in 1960. Wilson became the first non-Burleon to lead the company since 1915 and had a fractious relationship with the board after attempting to float the group on the Jennai Stock Exchange in 1964. Wilson closed both Alcan and Remmé stores in Calora and cancelled expansion plans by House of Burleon into Jennai and Madrid.

Wilson was forced to resign by the board in 1972, when Giovanni Burleon took over directorship of the board and called for his sacking. Profits had been declining and the company needed a new approach. A new shoe line and handbag line were launched in 1973 by Remmé and the House of Burleon extended its clothing ranges for men and women considerably, as well as launching a catwalk brand, Casaleon. Giovanni Burleon (1940-2005) led the company until 1985, and appointed his sister, Lucrezia Burleon, as head designer in 1976. She continues in this role today.

Alexia was launched in 1990.

House of Burleon
The House of Burleon operates six stores globally. These are in Celeste, Paris, Milan, London, Madrid and Okatabawashi City. It is returning to New York next spring after closing its American headquarters in 2008.

Alexia
Alexia is a designer brand for women's handbags, watches, shoes, rings, perfumes and glasses. It has seven outlets globally, in Jennai, Celeste, Sainte-Trinite, London, Paris, Milan, New York and Dubai.

Remmé
Remmé is a luxury fashion brand that specialises in haute couture and ready-to-wear clothes, luxury goods and fashion accessories. It has 120 stores worldwide.

Notable stores include Jennai, Celeste, Centreburg, Dubai, Moscow, Paris, Milan, Evelstadt, Pizen, Nogovicka, Okatabawashi City, Renegawa, Victoria (New Holland), Chilaibourg, Sainte-Trinité and Luesseu. London has three stores, New York has two.

Alcan
Alcan is a department store brand owned by Burleon. It sells major fashion brands, including Burleoni icons, in 80 locations worldwide, with a focus on the European market.

Prominent stores include Celeste, Jennai, Paris, Vienna, Rome, Barcelona, Abu Dhabi, Chilaibourg, Sainte-Trinité, and Luesseu.