MILAN — The Aeffe Group on Tuesday said that it is promoting Lorenzo Serafini to creative director of the Alberta Ferretti brand.
He succeeds the namesake founder, who revealed her departure last month. His first collection for the brand will bow in February. The appointment confirms a WWD report upon Ferretti’s exit.
The group is rewarding Serafini, who joined the group in 2014, when Ferretti handed him the design reins of the Philosophy label.
“I am thrilled to announce that Lorenzo will be my successor at the helm of the brand that bears my name,” said Ferretti, vice president of Aeffe. “With the fashion world undergoing tremendous change, I strongly believe that Lorenzo has the creativity, strong aesthetic sense, professionalism and expertise required to meet this challenge.”
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As part of a new strategy, “interpreting the needs of the market,” the Philosophy by Lorenzo Serafini brand will be integrated into the Alberta Ferretti line from the fall 2025 season, “with the aim of strengthening the brand’s appeal and positioning for the future,” the group said.
The news helped lift Aeffe shares in Milan where the group is publicly listed, as they were up 3.34 percent to 86 cents at the end of trading.
“A decade ago, I entrusted Lorenzo with the Philosophy line, which he successfully developed into a thriving brand. Now it is time for him to write a new chapter for the Alberta Ferretti brand, whose essence aligns beautifully with his vision. Lightness, femininity, sensuality are words already within Lorenzo’s vocabulary, and words he will be able to wonderfully define within the world of Alberta Ferretti,” concluded Ferretti.
To be sure, Serafini last month presented a collection that was very much in the vein of Ferretti’s, showing a feminine and very romantic lineup, employing featherweight jersey, frothy lace and other airy fabrics to create clothes that drifted loosely around the body.
“With enthusiasm and deep gratitude, I embrace this opportunity the Ferretti family has offered me,” Serafini said. “I am honored that Alberta has chosen me as the successor to such a significant and prestigious legacy, and I will carry it forward with care as I begin a new chapter for the Alberta Ferretti brand.”
Massimo Ferretti, executive chairman of the Aeffe Group, said that, in the wake of his sister’s decision to step down, “we immediately discussed the future of the brand and agreed Lorenzo was the right person to take on this challenge. His aesthetic, his vision, his knowledge of the sector and knowledge of our company will be instrumental in guiding the next phase of the brand’s evolution.”
Serafini joined Aeffe, which also controls the Moschino and Pollini brands, from Dolce & Gabbana, where he was womenswear designer, following an experience in the same role at Roberto Cavalli. He succeeded Natalie Ratabesi at Aeffe. When Ratabesi joined the brand in 2012, it marked the first time Alberta Ferretti had delegated the entire direction of Philosophy to another designer, who developed the label independently to differentiate it from the signature collection. The Philosophy line was launched in 1984.
Alberta Ferretti has carved a very specific image, catering to a feminine customer who at the same time is independent and confident, a working woman who needs to feel at ease and comfortable in her skin, she has often remarked. At the same time, the designer has been dubbed the queen of chiffon, for her talent in creating romantic, dreamy evening gowns and slipdresses in that material.
Market sources believe more changes could be in the pipeline for Aeffe as the company last month issued a statement saying that, following Ferretti’s decision, Aeffe “will proceed with a careful and in-depth analysis of the roles and functions of the various departments with the aim of internally reorganizing its human resources in order to guarantee even greater efficiency.”