Remo Ruffini’s vision for Moncler

«You have to be flexible. The industry is constantly changing and going very fast», Moncler owner Remo Ruffini said during the Changemakers in luxury fashion conference held last night in Milan. At the event organized by Zalando and the National chamber for italian fashion – Cnmi, key aspects of development and new opportunities in the world of fashion & luxury were addressed by analyzing the new luxury consumer, the relationship between innovation and craftsmanship, diversity and inclusion. The president and ceo of the Moncler group traced the path of the outdoor brand by tracing its rise from the world of sports to the high-end.

«We have always focused on disruptive communication. We have been innovators from the beginning, when we had little budget and we had to deal with bigger competitors than us», the entrepreneur explained during his speech. «2004 was our turning point when we entered the world of collaborations starting with Junya Watanabe. A first, small revolution. We did it again with Thom Browne, with Giambattista Valli, until today with the Genius project». Ruffini then concluded by emphasizing how the fashion industry and consumers are constantly changing, especially today. «Nowadays you need to make plans for three or five years, but you have to review them day by day, because culture changes at an impressive speed», he concluded.

He was echoed by Leo Rongone, ceo of Bottega veneta, who told how, although customer behaviors have changed, the same is not true for the features they look for in products. «We owe our success and visibility to durable, high-quality products. In fact, we think true luxury is about time. Not only the time it takes for our fine workmanship to bring a finished object to life, but also the time that determines the value of the products as the years go by», Rongone pointed out. «Our creative director Matthieu Blazy has a powerful aesthetic and a genuine passion for Made in Italy craftmanship, and within the company we have people who are constantly dedicated to perfecting traditional techniques by combining them with research and creativity», he concluded.

The speakers also included Zegna’s artistic director Alessandro Sartori, who told about the historic Piedmont-based fashion house’s environmentally friendly projects, from the oasi cashmere initiative for garment traceability through a scan code to the latest Zegna X customization project, which will launched in the brand’s boutiques from next April. Cnmi president Carlo Capasa and Zalando co-ceo David Schneider also spoke during the conference. (all rights reserved)