Few other brands are as iconic in their respective fields as Ferrari and Armani, and the good news is that they’re joining forces in order to make beautiful fashion together.
Ferrari has had strong sales recently, thanks to the Portofino and the 812 Superfast, which translated into higher market shares. The carmaker plans to capitalize on the momentum and aim for a boost in brand equity, while maintaining the same standards of quality customers expect from Ferrari. It will do so partly through a partnership with Armani, CEO Louis Camilleri informed shareholders at the beginning of the week, as reported by Barron’s.
Since Armani is a fashion house, the new partnership will translate into Ferrari-branded apparel and accessories, though Camilleri wouldn’t go into specifics. He did say, however, that it “underscore[d] our ambitions to elevate the standards and quality of all our offerings” and that the new array will show “the style, creativity, and quality that we stand for as a brand.”
That last part is fancy-speak for “worry not, we will still be the Ferrari you know, even if we put our logo on clothes.” As part of the extension, Ferrari has tapped Rocco Iannone as brand diversification creative director. Iannone’s assignment may raise some brows, as he’s known particularly for gender-bending romanticism, which very much goes against the macho image pushed by Ferrari so far.
“Made in Italy will be a key focus and we will exert full control over the design, quality, and pricing of these products as well as their distribution, which will include a complete overhaul of our own stores and a revamp of our e-commerce platforms,” Camilleri also said.
Fashion is just one area of expansion for Ferrari: it is also looking into expanding its entertainment offerings and luxury services in the near future. The former already includes theme parks and museums, and driving simulations centers; the latter will see the opening of a new Ferrari restaurant with Michelin-star chef Massimo Bottura at the helm in Maranello.
According to Camilleri, the expansion is more than just about profit, focusing on boosting brand equity and breathing new life into it, while keeping that which made it so famous alive.
Since Armani is a fashion house, the new partnership will translate into Ferrari-branded apparel and accessories, though Camilleri wouldn’t go into specifics. He did say, however, that it “underscore[d] our ambitions to elevate the standards and quality of all our offerings” and that the new array will show “the style, creativity, and quality that we stand for as a brand.”
That last part is fancy-speak for “worry not, we will still be the Ferrari you know, even if we put our logo on clothes.” As part of the extension, Ferrari has tapped Rocco Iannone as brand diversification creative director. Iannone’s assignment may raise some brows, as he’s known particularly for gender-bending romanticism, which very much goes against the macho image pushed by Ferrari so far.
“Made in Italy will be a key focus and we will exert full control over the design, quality, and pricing of these products as well as their distribution, which will include a complete overhaul of our own stores and a revamp of our e-commerce platforms,” Camilleri also said.
Fashion is just one area of expansion for Ferrari: it is also looking into expanding its entertainment offerings and luxury services in the near future. The former already includes theme parks and museums, and driving simulations centers; the latter will see the opening of a new Ferrari restaurant with Michelin-star chef Massimo Bottura at the helm in Maranello.
According to Camilleri, the expansion is more than just about profit, focusing on boosting brand equity and breathing new life into it, while keeping that which made it so famous alive.