Gianfranco Ferré Passes Away
The world of fashion was in mourning this past week following the death of Italian designer Gianfranco Ferré.
Known in the trade as the ‘architect of fashion’, Ferré rose to fame as the chief designer at the French maison Christian Dior from 1989 to 1996, when he left to dedicate his talents to his own line.
Ferré, who would have turned 63 this August, died from the complications of a massive brain hemorrhage he suffered last Friday.
Ferré was warmly remembered by his colleagues.
Giorgio Armani said he was “a civilized man. I will remember him for his sense of dignity, calm and responsibility.”
Valentino observed that Ferré was “one of the greatest talents in Italian fashion and one of the sweetest and reserved people in the world of fashion.”
Donatella Versace was shocked by Ferre’s death and said, “I am very sad. Ten years ago I lost a brother (Gianni Versace) and today I lose a friend. He was a true gentleman who created forms, a fashion which was both grandiose and impeccable at the same time.”
Born in the town of Legnano, outside Milan, Ferre’ began his career in the 1970s designing belts, costume jewelry and other fashion accessories.
He earned his title of ‘architect of fashion’ because of the degree in architecture he earned at Milan’s Polytechnic Institute and the structured style of his creations.
Ferré began designing clothing at the Sangiorgio rainwear company in Genoa. It was during this period that he developed the two most important relationships of his life: with Rita Airaghi, a cousin who left teaching and became his alter ego; and with Franco Mattioli, a clothing manufacturer from Bologna who became his partner for 25 years, from 1975 to 1999.
Together with Mattioli, Ferré created his own fashion house in 1978 and began by designing ready-to-wear lines for women which earned him international recognition.
In 1989 he was called in to be the chief designer at Dior, taking the place of Marc Bohan, and became the maison’s first non-French designer.
On this day, Milan has become the top fashion destination, where numerous fashion shows will take place over the next five days. The event was organized by some of the biggest names in the fashion industry to honour the recently deceased Italian designer, Gianfranco Ferre.
The event started this morning with a mass at St. Marco’s Church and continued with a fashion show of the following designers: Missoni, Burberry Prorsum, Dries Van Noten, and Gianni Versace.
On Sunday, the event continues with such great names as Bottega Veneta, Emporio Armani, Daks, Prada and Alexander McQueen. And, of course, with the most spectacular and most highly anticipated men’s high fashion show, designed by Ferre himself, who had conceived it in great detail, from the music to the choice of models, before his passing.
Fashion designer Gianfranco Ferre already had the 2008 spring/summer collections for both men and women laid out before his death, the head of the company that owns the Ferre fashion house said Saturday.
Ferre died on June 17 at the age of 62 following a brain hemorrhage. His death left open the question of succession at the fashion house.
Tonino Perna, whose IT Holding bought the fashion house in 2002, said the fact that the next two fashion shows have already been prepared will give the company time to find its creative footing before deciding its future direction.
Out of respect for the team that worked with Ferre, Perna said they would first look inside the fashion house for designers to take up Ferre's mantle.
"We need to identify the designers who have the potential. We need to identify them and give them time to take over such an important collection. We will take our time. We don't want to pressure ourselves," Perna said.
In what turned out to be his final projects, Ferre had prepared Sunday's presentation of the men's 2008 spring/summer collection, as well as the women's collection to be shown in September.
Even after selling his business, Ferre remained on as creative director and held a 3 percent share in the publicly traded holding company.
"He left a very important legacy, and all important legacies are difficult to manage," Perna said, noting that fashion by its nature must continually evolve.
"Our moral duty is to evaluate if we have the resources in-house or if we need to look outside," Perna said.
Known in the trade as the ‘architect of fashion’, Ferré rose to fame as the chief designer at the French maison Christian Dior from 1989 to 1996, when he left to dedicate his talents to his own line.
Ferré, who would have turned 63 this August, died from the complications of a massive brain hemorrhage he suffered last Friday.
Ferré was warmly remembered by his colleagues.
Giorgio Armani said he was “a civilized man. I will remember him for his sense of dignity, calm and responsibility.”
Valentino observed that Ferré was “one of the greatest talents in Italian fashion and one of the sweetest and reserved people in the world of fashion.”
Donatella Versace was shocked by Ferre’s death and said, “I am very sad. Ten years ago I lost a brother (Gianni Versace) and today I lose a friend. He was a true gentleman who created forms, a fashion which was both grandiose and impeccable at the same time.”
Born in the town of Legnano, outside Milan, Ferre’ began his career in the 1970s designing belts, costume jewelry and other fashion accessories.
He earned his title of ‘architect of fashion’ because of the degree in architecture he earned at Milan’s Polytechnic Institute and the structured style of his creations.
Ferré began designing clothing at the Sangiorgio rainwear company in Genoa. It was during this period that he developed the two most important relationships of his life: with Rita Airaghi, a cousin who left teaching and became his alter ego; and with Franco Mattioli, a clothing manufacturer from Bologna who became his partner for 25 years, from 1975 to 1999.
Together with Mattioli, Ferré created his own fashion house in 1978 and began by designing ready-to-wear lines for women which earned him international recognition.
In 1989 he was called in to be the chief designer at Dior, taking the place of Marc Bohan, and became the maison’s first non-French designer.
On this day, Milan has become the top fashion destination, where numerous fashion shows will take place over the next five days. The event was organized by some of the biggest names in the fashion industry to honour the recently deceased Italian designer, Gianfranco Ferre.
The event started this morning with a mass at St. Marco’s Church and continued with a fashion show of the following designers: Missoni, Burberry Prorsum, Dries Van Noten, and Gianni Versace.
On Sunday, the event continues with such great names as Bottega Veneta, Emporio Armani, Daks, Prada and Alexander McQueen. And, of course, with the most spectacular and most highly anticipated men’s high fashion show, designed by Ferre himself, who had conceived it in great detail, from the music to the choice of models, before his passing.
Fashion designer Gianfranco Ferre already had the 2008 spring/summer collections for both men and women laid out before his death, the head of the company that owns the Ferre fashion house said Saturday.
Ferre died on June 17 at the age of 62 following a brain hemorrhage. His death left open the question of succession at the fashion house.
Tonino Perna, whose IT Holding bought the fashion house in 2002, said the fact that the next two fashion shows have already been prepared will give the company time to find its creative footing before deciding its future direction.
Out of respect for the team that worked with Ferre, Perna said they would first look inside the fashion house for designers to take up Ferre's mantle.
"We need to identify the designers who have the potential. We need to identify them and give them time to take over such an important collection. We will take our time. We don't want to pressure ourselves," Perna said.
In what turned out to be his final projects, Ferre had prepared Sunday's presentation of the men's 2008 spring/summer collection, as well as the women's collection to be shown in September.
Even after selling his business, Ferre remained on as creative director and held a 3 percent share in the publicly traded holding company.
"He left a very important legacy, and all important legacies are difficult to manage," Perna said, noting that fashion by its nature must continually evolve.
"Our moral duty is to evaluate if we have the resources in-house or if we need to look outside," Perna said.
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