Moncler’s billionaire CEO Remo Ruffini on why the luxury brand doesn’t only target millennials – and the special strategy to attract buyers in China
Remo Ruffini talks about the designers – including Richard Quinn, Simone Rocha and Pierpaolo Piccioli – who have been recruited by the Italian fashion empire, and the possible effects of the US-China trade war on business
Italian businessman Remo Ruffini bought Moncler in 2003. He has since transformed the former utility apparel company into a sought-after fashion empire, scoring double-digit growth and US$1.11 billion in sales. Here, the billionaire tells STYLE about how Moncler sells down jackets in hot weather and his concerns over the US-China trade war.
Q. Let’s talk about the Moncler Genius project, because that is a genius idea.
A. It is a very strong idea, part of our strategy. While we keep the roots of the brand, the Genius project changed a little of the perception of the brand in a way.
Through it, we have the possibility of different collections and different contents every month being talked about; we have the chance to interact with customers, see their reactions to the mode, and to attract them, even if sometimes the products are not for them. At the end of the day, what we need is a lot of fine energy.
Q. So far, names like Pierpaolo Piccioli, Richard Quinn and Simone Rocha have created Genius collections. How were the designers selected?
A. It’s teamwork. We work on different generations, and work with different generations with differing attitudes. This was what the project was about and what we have delivered. We’ve got a very good mix of designers who can help to realise our strategy.
Q. Do you think it’s gonna change the traditional way of one creative director for one brand?
I think it is changing, and traditional fashion shows will evolve step by step. Uniqueness is very important. My feeling is that each company is going to make its own presentation with its own ideas. It’s the new way of [attracting customers] and creating content for them.
