When I joined Fendi, some colleagues at Ferragamo tried to discourage me. “Fendi is going nowhere”.

I didn’t listen and, fortunately, I had the chance to give my humble contribute to the brand re-birth under Michael Burke LVMH leadership.

Now luxury giants like Tod’s, Ferragamo and Bottega Veneta are struggling to find a renewed success.

Fendi, under LVMH management, paved the way for any Italian brand that is willing to go from exhausted to a new booming iconic brand in just a few years.

Key pillars of a successful relaunch.

• The Brand strategy is the first step stone for the relaunch
• A clear and focused mission and vision to set up the coordinates for any key decision to be taken by every single employee
• A Brand positioning consistent with DNA
• Power and trust to the CEO, who drives the company and is responsible for its performance.
• A top team of professionals working with the same objective: the success of the Brand
• The Product is not the Brand.
• The Brand storytelling and experience power must be developed before any collection.
• Extra investments are key (but not the starting point)
• The Product evolution must follow the Branding strategy not viceversa
• Epic events, images and imagery are developed around the Brand.

Fendi created an epic language, moving away from the simplistic idea of a “leather goods” company. A very strong brand statement.

Too many Brands are obsessed by the Product.

Too many Brands delegate the whole Brand to the creative studio.

They mistake the finger with the moon.

But, where is the Dream?