FERRARI’S 1ST IN-HOUSE LABEL

BY: Andy Shoulders

It’s not just about cars anymore for Ferrari.

Ferrari’s first high-fashion collection proved to be a well-financed attempt to turn the brand from a luxury automotive company into an all-around luxury lifestyle name.  But just how original were the debut designs?

For years, Ferrari has leased its name to a vast range of merchandise: shampoos, perfumes, and even a Ferrari computer, just to name a few.  Now, the company has taken its designs in-house, hiring Rocco Iannone as Creative Director, and slashed more than half of its licensing deals (Puma and Ray-Ban will remain).  Ferrari’s parent company, Exor, has shown an increasing interest in fashion as of late, having purchased a majority stake in Shang Xia (a brand founded by Hermes), followed by a purchase of 24 percent of Christian Louboutin.

Ferrari’s clothing line is obviously geared towards the client who loves the brand, but isn’t exactly ready to spring for the latest sports car.  Therefore, Ferrari’s first foray into fashion involves a heavy emphasis on shapes and branding, with very literal symbols (as in…literal car prints) appearing throughout the collection.  Both Ferrari’s racecars and clothing have a penchant for bold highlights, as can be seen on the bright yellow detachable sleeve of one of the asymmetrically-colored trenchcoats.  The aforementioned car prints that appear throughout become a sort of Warholian pop-art pattern.

The collection wasn’t met with 100% accolades, however.  Instagram fashion watchdog Diet Prada dedicated one of its posts to Ferrari’s new collection, and they weren’t exactly gushing.  They posted side-by-side images of pieces from the collection along with similar pieces from the collections of Versace, Prada, and Off-White.  There are definitely some striking similarities, for instance the yellow canvas belt done by Off-White next to a nearly identical one by Ferrari.  This specific example is probably a little more forgivable as Ferrari’s version is an homage to its seatbelts, with even the buckle resembling the one found in its automobiles.  Other callouts by Diet Prada involved Ferrari’s use of horse prints (done by Prada in past collections) and belted trenchcoats & aggressive color blocking (Versace).  The similarities are indeed striking, but it’s not like fashion houses have complete ownership over things like color blocking and animal prints.  Go to Diet Prada’s page and judge for yourself.

Ferrari’s debut collection goes on sale this month at powerhouse e-tailer Luisa Via Roma, as well as Ferrari’s own dealerships.  Whatever your thoughts may be on the new collection, it’s important to remember that in today’s fashion world, a brand is really not about its products alone.  It’s about storytelling and perception.  It’s about marketing and the experience one gets thinking about it.

If Ferrari is able to capture that, then it’s off to the races.