Category: Leadership, Sustainability, Fashion Wholesale
Introduction
The luxury fashion wholesale industry rarely makes headlines, yet it plays a crucial role in connecting designers with retailers worldwide. At the helm of one of Europe's most established players in this space is Erika Di Leva, CEO of Styliafoe, a Rome-based B2B platform that has been serving the high-end fashion market since 1994.
Founded by Michele Di Leva and Maria Lucilla Dulizia over three decades ago, Styliafoe has evolved from a traditional wholesaler into a forward-thinking operation that combines authentic luxury offerings with sustainable business practices. Di Leva's leadership represents both a continuation of the company's founding vision and a bold step toward addressing the fashion industry's environmental challenges.
A Woman at the Helm in Luxury Fashion Wholesale
While the fashion industry employs millions of women globally—from designers and seamstresses to retail workers and stylists—the journey to executive leadership remains challenging. The wholesale sector, traditionally dominated by family businesses and male executives, has been particularly slow to change.
According to PwC's "Unraveling the Fabric Ceiling" report , just 12.5% of apparel companies in the Fortune 1000 have female CEOs—less than the aerospace, defense, and financial services industries. Research by McKinsey & Company in partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America found that while 80% of garment workers are women, approximately 75% of CEO roles within the textile and apparel sector are held by men.
Di Leva's position as CEO of Styliafoe places her among a growing but still relatively small group of women leading major fashion wholesale operations.
Managing Complexity in Luxury Wholesale
Styliafoe's operation is complex: the company manages relationships with luxury brands including Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, Dolce & Gabbana, and Calvin Klein, distributing their products to retailers across multiple countries. This requires navigating intricate supply chains, maintaining authenticity standards, managing inventory, and building trust with both suppliers and customers.
In a recent interview with television personality Anna Falchi on Business24, Di Leva discussed the company's evolution and her vision for its future. Her approach emphasizes transparency, efficiency, and accessibility—qualities that have helped Styliafoe maintain its reputation in an increasingly competitive market.
For smaller boutiques and e-commerce platforms struggling to access luxury inventory, Styliafoe's model offers accessibility: low minimum order requirements (€200 for first purchase, €300 for subsequent orders), competitive pricing, and guaranteed authenticity.
Sustainability: From Concept to Practice
The environmental impact of fashion has become impossible to ignore. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the fashion industry accounts for approximately 10% of global carbon emissions—more than international flights and maritime shipping combined. Academic research published in Frontiers in Environmental Science confirms that the textile industry generates roughly 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually.
Textile waste fills landfills worldwide, with millions of tons of clothing discarded each year. Luxury fashion, despite its emphasis on quality and longevity, has not been immune to criticism. Overproduction, seasonal collections, and the destruction of unsold inventory to maintain brand exclusivity have all come under scrutiny.
Styliafoe's Practical Approach
Styliafoe's approach to sustainability centers on a practical solution: redistributing unsold inventory rather than allowing it to go to waste. As the company states on their official website: "When it comes to sustainability, we can't really prevent brands from overproducing, which can result in deadstock. However, our business ensures that unsold inventory reaches new customers before it loses too much of its market value."
This model directly addresses one of the industry's most persistent problems while simultaneously serving a business purpose. By purchasing excess stock from luxury brands and making it available to retailers at competitive prices, the company extends the lifecycle of these products and prevents them from ending up in landfills or incinerators.
This strategy also democratizes access to luxury fashion. High-end boutiques in smaller markets, independent retailers, and online platforms can purchase authentic designer pieces without the substantial minimum orders typically required by brands themselves. The company's 48-hour delivery system, supported by advanced IT infrastructure, ensures that retailers can respond quickly to customer demand while minimizing the carbon footprint associated with repeated shipments.
The Sustainability Initiatives at Styliafoe Include:
Inventory Redistribution: Excess stock from luxury brands is channeled back into the market rather than destroyed or warehoused indefinitely.
Flexible Ordering: Low minimum order quantities (starting at €200) allow retailers to purchase only what they need, reducing overstocking and potential waste at the retail level.
Efficient Logistics: Fast, trackable delivery with streamlined systems reduces transportation-related emissions and improves supply chain efficiency, with most European deliveries completed within 48 hours.
Di Leva's commitment to these practices demonstrates that sustainability need not come at the expense of profitability. In fact, the company's model proves that environmental responsibility can be a competitive advantage in a market increasingly conscious of its ecological footprint.
Building a Career in Fashion Wholesale
While Di Leva maintains a relatively low public profile—a common trait among wholesale executives who work behind the scenes rather than in the spotlight—her leadership of Styliafoe reveals deep industry expertise. Managing a platform that offers over 250 brands and more than 500,000 products requires intimate knowledge of fashion trends, supply chain logistics, authentication processes, and the needs of diverse retail markets.
Technology-Driven Approach
The company's technological infrastructure sets it apart from traditional wholesalers. Styliafoe's online B2B platform provides multilingual support, multiple payment options including PayPal and credit cards, and real-time inventory tracking. This digital-first approach reflects an understanding that modern retailers expect the same user experience from B2B suppliers that consumers demand from B2C platforms.
According to their FAQ page, "Styliafoe inserts new items every day, to always guarantee a vast assortment of goods," demonstrating the platform's commitment to keeping inventory fresh and relevant.
Balancing Innovation with Tradition
Di Leva's leadership style appears to balance innovation with respect for Styliafoe's founding principles. The company's emphasis on authenticity—a critical concern in an industry plagued by counterfeits—remains central to its value proposition. As stated on their website, "All our products are purchased directly from the parent company, or companies directly connected to it authorized to sell the product." Every item sold through the platform comes with complete invoices including brand name, description, composition, size, color, and EAN code, protecting both the retailers who purchase from Styliafoe and the luxury brands whose products they distribute.
The Broader Context: Women and Change in Fashion
Di Leva's work at Styliafoe exists within a larger conversation about women's leadership in fashion and the industry's environmental future. Research consistently shows women remain underrepresented in C-suite positions across fashion companies, despite comprising the majority of the industry's workforce.
The Leadership Gap
According to Cascale's 2024 analysis , while 80% of garment workers are women, 75% of CEO roles within the textile and apparel sector are held by men. Women occupy just 20% of boardroom seats globally in the fashion industry.
McKinsey's "Glass Runway" study found that women start their fashion careers with high ambitions—70% of entry-level women aspire to become top executives, versus 60% of men. However, women's ambitions plateau at 73% by VP level, while men's continue to grow to 91%, suggesting systemic barriers rather than lack of ambition.
The gap is even more pronounced in sectors like wholesale and supply chain management, which lack the creative glamour that attracts more attention and, sometimes, more equitable opportunities.
Women Leading Sustainability
The sustainability movement in fashion has increasingly been led by women pushing for transparency and accountability. Designers, activists, and business leaders have challenged the industry to confront its environmental and social impact. Di Leva's practical approach at Styliafoe—focusing on waste reduction through business model innovation rather than just marketing messaging—aligns with this growing demand for substantive change.
According to Earth.Org's 2025 analysis, if no drastic action is taken, the apparel industry's emissions could increase from approximately 879 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent in 2022 to over 1.2 billion metric tons by 2030.
Looking Forward
Erika Di Leva's leadership at Styliafoe illustrates how traditional fashion businesses can adapt to contemporary challenges without abandoning their fundamental strengths. By prioritizing sustainable inventory management, embracing technology, and maintaining strict quality standards, she has guided the company through three decades of industry change while preparing it for future evolution.
The Mission
As stated on Styliafoe's About page, the company's mission is clear: "To provide luxury brands to retailers at competitive prices with the use of a reliable and innovative IT and logistics service."
This practical, business-focused approach to sustainability—ensuring unsold inventory reaches customers "before it loses too much of its market value"—has enabled the company to offer competitive discounts on designer clothing for over 30 years while contributing to environmental responsibility.
Recognition for Behind-the-Scenes Leadership
Di Leva's story also serves as a reminder that leadership in fashion extends far beyond runway shows and magazine covers. The wholesale sector, often overlooked in discussions of fashion's power players, shapes what products reach consumers and how the industry functions at a fundamental level. Women leading in these spaces deserve recognition not just for breaking barriers, but for the tangible impact their decisions have on sustainability, accessibility, and business practices throughout the fashion ecosystem.
As the luxury fashion industry continues to grapple with its environmental footprint and social responsibilities, leaders like Di Leva demonstrate that change is possible through practical innovation and commitment to long-term value rather than short-term trends. Styliafoe's model—redistributing rather than destroying, enabling rather than restricting, and implementing sustainability rather than simply marketing it—offers one vision of how fashion wholesale can evolve for a more responsible future.
Contact Styliafoe
Website:
www.styliafoe.com
Email: info@styliafoe.com
Telephone:
+39 06 782 5464
WhatsApp Italy:
+39 351 704 8010
WhatsApp International:
+39 351 795 2677
Contact Person: Mrs. Erika Di Leva
Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00–18:00 (CET)
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