NAZARIO'S STORY

The Story of Nazario Parisi

Timeless style, since 1977

1961
Nazario migrated from Puglia, near the south-eastern tip of Italy to Melbourne at the age of 13, along with his family. Within a year of their arrival, Nazario left school to work in an umbrella factory, before moving into sales roles with jeans label Sterling Co and two years later for Sackville that produced well respected suit brands Michael Stern & Kenneth Pirrie Mens. It was in these roles where he first developed his love for fashion, which in turn inspired him to one day create his own label.

1977
Nazario worked away at this dream over the years, and from the garage of his parent’s home in Preston, The Nazario Parisi label was born in 1977. The brand started out by wholesaling knitwear to various retail stores around Melbourne, leveraging the latest trends from abroad to bring a unique range of colours and designs to what was at the time, a pretty safe category. The good word spread fast, and by 1979, Nazario’s iconic knits were being distributed Australia-wide.

1980
As the wholesale knitwear venture continued to grow, Nazario saw potential in expanding the offering and selling direct to the public. As such, the Nazario Parisi brand found a new home on Smith Street in Fitzroy, with the property doubling as both a warehouse and retail store. It was with this move that Nazario added shirts to the mix, importing the highest quality fabrics from Italy and having them manufactured locally in Australia. 

1985
The expansion from wholesale knitwear into shirting proved a great move over time, as the brand’s following grew on the back of its strong reputation for bringing European style and quality to Melbourne’s menswear scene. With this, the offering continued to grow, with a range of jeans and t-shirts being added in conjunction with the opening of Nazario’s second retail store in Kew.

1989
It was in 1989 though that the Nazario Parisi label really took off, with the brand’s range being rounded out with jackets, suits, trousers, ties, belts and shoes. It was this complete offering that gave the brand the impetus to really go after a strong retail network across Melbourne, with the third store opening in Highpoint in that same year triggering a decade of steady expansion.

1990
Nazario Parisi opens in Chadstone.

1991
Nazario Parisi opens in Forest Hill.

1992
Nazario Parisi opens in Northland.

1996
Nazario Parisi opens in Chapel St, South Yarra.

1998
Nazario Parisi opens in Bridge Rd, Richmond.

2000
NPA opens in Chadstone (Nazario Parisi Australia, an offshoot of the Nazario Parisi brand designed to offer a more modern Australian style). 

2005
After almost 30 years of bouncing between Italy and Australia, Nazario decided in 2005 that he needed a new challenge, retiring the brand to pursue one of his other great passions in property development. Nazario loved this new venture, but despite a successful run through Melbourne’s leafy eastern suburbs, his passion for fashion was always sitting just below the surface.

2018
While celebrating his 70th birthday in Puglia, the seed was first planted re the potential of the family bringing the Nazario Parisi brand back.

2020
The Nazario Parisi brand made its return as Nazario Parisi & Sons.