Alberta Ferretti Confirms Resort 2024 Show in Emilia-Romagna Region
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
MILAN — Alberta Ferretti has confirmed it will go ahead with its resort 2024 runway show on Friday at Castel Sismondo in Rimini, in the Emilia-Romagna region that has been hit by widespread flooding that caused at least 14 deaths and left thousands of people homeless.
A statement released by the brand’s parent company Aeffe Group on Tuesday said the decision came after careful consideration and in agreement with the mayor of Rimini, as well as national institutions.
More from WWD
“Aware of the dramatic impact of the tragedy that has hit thousands of families and companies in its territory, the Aeffe Group and the institutions firmly believe in the importance of demonstrating the resilience of the Romagna region, that, with its population, has shown on many occasions to treasure the strength to overcome the most dramatic moments,” continued the statement.
“Right now we are working on the show in an atmosphere of great sadness for what is happening around us, a few kilometers from our homes and our company,” said Alberta Ferretti. “I asked myself many questions in these days. I have to admit that I seriously thought of taking a step back by canceling the event. But then, after long discussions with the institutions, to which all my esteem goes for how they are managing the emergency, I understood how our event could spread an important message of positivity.”
As reported, the show will have ties also with the world of cinema as it will pay tribute to legendary director Federico Fellini and will be fittingly staged at the Fellini museum at Castel Sismondo in the city’s historic center.
“The organization behind a fashion show and an international event like the one we are about to stage is big and complex, and involves many people who have been working on the project for months. Many local professionals are collaborating with us at this time and today more than ever it is important to respect the commitment we have made to them, fueling a virtuous cycle of recovery and restart of the various economic activities in the area,” added the designer.
In particular, the Alberta Ferretti brand said it intends to send a message and mark a moment of restart for the Riviera Romagnola in the leadup to the summer season, which is a key period for an area where tourism is among the pillars of its economy.
“I believe that creativity and beauty today are really instrumental to stimulate that positivity and optimism that the people of Romagna have always cultivated in a welcoming and warm atmosphere. I hope that with this event we can also demonstrate to the international public that Emilia-Romagna is fighting on the front line to rebuild what the power of nature has destroyed and is preparing to welcome the many tourists who visit our cities and beaches every season with pride and determination,” Ferretti said.
“Rimini and the Romagna region want to start again after the immense tragedy that struck their body and soul. We are all rolling up our sleeves, day and night, to be ready to be what we are known for: Italy’s most welcoming and friendly hosts,” said Jamil Sadegholvaad, mayor of Rimini. “For us, starting again means returning to trust because it is work and security for hundreds of thousands of families and people. We thank the Aeffe Group for offering us the opportunity to look ahead in the next days, the next weeks, the next months. We desperately need to return to [normality].”
In addition to confirming the show, Aeffe Group said it will make a donation benefiting associations active in the area as well as organize a charity auction for top clients of Alberta Ferretti’s special archival pieces. The proceeds of the auction will add to those from the sale of a special T-shirt and will entirely go to charity.
On the corporate front, Aeffe Group — which also counts the Moschino, Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini and Pollini brands in its portfolio — has reached an agreement with its employees to donate the equivalent of one hour’s work, with the company making a further donation of equal value.
As reported, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Kering and automotive giant Ferrari also made donations in the past few days. While the two French luxury groups didn’t disclose the sum, Ferrari said it has donated 1 million euros to the regional civil protection agency.
Taking place 11 years after the Emilia-Romagna region was struck by back-to-back earthquakes in 2012, last week’s exceptional rainfall is believed to have equaled half the annual average.
As a result of the floods, hundreds of roads and bridges became unusable, with some towns cut off completely, and at least 36,000 people have been left homeless.
Emergency workers, including local volunteers, are clearing streets of mud and although rainfall over the weekend did not top levels of the past few days, the region remains in emergency mode.
Emilia Romagna plays a central role in Italy’s fashion and beauty supply chain and includes company such as the Max Mara Fashion Group, Sergio Rossi, Giuseppe Zanotti and Casadei to name a few.
Best of WWD
