International Women's Day: Our Founder, Giovanna Lipari's Story

Every year, International Women’s Day is an opportunity to recognize the women who shape our communities through resilience, determination, and vision. Some stories are widely known, while others stay hidden, and Giovanna Lipari is exactly one of those hidden stories. From her life in the mountains of southern Italy to building a family business that would become a big Montreal enterprise, her journey reflects the strength, courage, and entrepreneurial spirit that International Women’s Day celebrates.

Growing Up in Campobasso

Giovanna (born Giovanna Di Pardo) was born on February 14th 1946, in Campobasso, Italy, the eldest of three siblings. As the oldest child, Giovanna quickly learned the value of contributing to the household and caring for her family. Nearly every evening, she prepared fresh pasta by hand. Her daily life also revolved around natural and traditional practices such as washing bedsheets using natural ingredients and hanging them outdoors to dry. These rituals instilled in her a deep respect for quality and natural living, values she would carry with her for the rest of her life.

A New Life in Montreal

In her early teens, at 12 years old, she immigrated to Montreal with her family in the Saint-Michel area. By the age of 14, she had already entered the workforce, taking a job at a pantyhose factory. Work was not simply a way to earn money, it was a way to contribute, learn, and build a future. Despite the move to a city, Giovanna maintained the values she had learned in Campobasso. Natural living, practicality, and resourcefulness remained constant in her everyday life.

Meeting Paolo

It was at the factory where Giovanna met Paolo Lipari, the man who would become both her husband and her partner in building a future. While Giovanna moved up within the company, earning greater responsibilities through her dedication and strong work ethic, Paolo was deeply involved in the workers’ union, helping organize and support employees. They quickly fell in love and within less than a year of dating they got married in 1967. Their partnership would become one of both love and ambition, rooted in the belief that they could build something meaningful together.

The First Steps Toward Entrepreneurship

Not long after their marriage, Giovanna’s entrepreneurial drive started to kick in. While still working in the factory, she noticed opportunities everywhere. She began visiting neighbouring factories, selling pantyhose to the women who worked there. In return, she would take the underwear those factories produced and sell them to colleagues in her own workplace. What started as small exchanges quickly grew into something much larger and with Paolo’s support, the couple expanded their efforts, involving more people and eventually leaving their jobs to pursue their own business ventures.

They began traveling frequently to Italy, sourcing products that reflected the craftsmanship and quality they knew so well from home. These imported goods were then brought back to Montreal and sold locally. The concept was simple yet powerful: bring authentic European products to a community that appreciated them.

The Birth of Maison Lipari

By the early 1970s, Giovanna and Paolo realized something important: the demand for quality goods was growing quickly. In 1972, they decided to take a major leap and open their own store, Maison Lipari. Starting a business was not easy. They had to learn everything themselves: importing products, building relationships with suppliers, managing inventory, and serving customers with passion and relentless dedication. Maison Lipari quickly became more than just a store. It was a reflection of the Lipari's philosophy: products should be beautiful, functional, and made with care. Each item represented craftsmanship and authenticity.

A Legacy That Continues

More than 50 years later, Maison Lipari remains a part of Montreal’s retail landscape. Today, her daughter Patrizia and son Francesco are carrying the legacy forward, actively involved in the company, ensuring that the values that built Maison Lipari continue to guide its future. From Maison Lipari's second store opening in 2019 to opening an expanded location in 2025, these accomplishments mark a new chapter while remaining deeply connected to the company’s roots.

Celebrating the Women Today

Today, Giovanna Lipari’s story is not only about building a business, but also about building a life through courage and persistence. With all her hard work, on her 80th birthday, she had the privilege of being awarded a medal for a lifetime of entrepreneurship, resilience and contribution to our country and community by Senator Tony Loffreda.

From making pasta in a small Italian kitchen to helping create a Montreal retail destination, her journey represents the spirit of so many women who quietly transform their communities through determination and vision. This International Women’s Day, we celebrate Giovanna Lipari and the countless women like her who turn hard work into legacy and whose stories continue to inspire future generations.