June 6, 2012
Italian label Salvatore Ferragamo is distinguishing itself from competitors by being the first brand to tap the Louvre museum in Paris to show its 2013 resort collection next week, also giving consumers a look inside with a live-stream on its Web site.
Ferragamo’s 2013 resort show will present June 12 on a runway under the museum archways. This could possibly be in collaboration with Ferragamo's sponsorship of the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition running March 29-June 25 at the Louvre called, “The Saint Anne, Leonardo da Vinci’s Ultimate Masterpiece.”
“There are two major values to the Ferragamo brand,” said Al Ries, chairman of marketing consultancy Ries & Ries, Roswell, GA. “One is the publicity potential of holding a brand show in one of the world's major museums.
“The other is the impact on consumers who will be impressed with the Ferragamo brand,” he said. “Ferragamo must be an important brand, thinks a typical consumer, otherwise the Louvre would not have agreed to let them use the museum for a brand show.”
Mr. Ries is not affiliated with Ferragamo, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.
Ferragamo did not respond before press deadline.
Louvre move
The Ferragamo 2013 resort collection was designed by creative director Massimiliano Giornetti. This will be his second resort collection.
The collection will present under the archways of the Deon peristyle that frames the Louvre, per Ferragamo. The runway will be a unique, 120-meter path.
The Louvre
This is the first time that the museum has allowed a show to be inside of its walls. However, other brands have presented outside of the Louvre near the glass pyramid.
To wrap up the evening, guests will receive a private tour of the museum and dinner.
The Louvre
Ferragamo plans on live-streaming the fashion show at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time on its Web site.
However, as of press deadline, there is not any content that indicates this on http://www.ferragamo.com.
Ferragamo will update consumers via Facebook and Twitter as the date gets closer, but there are no posts on those channels at this time.
Resorting to change
Since the fashion world is quite competitive, luxury marketers are looking for new and exciting places to show their collections.
Using the Louvre, one of the largest and most recognizes museums in the world, is likely to boost awareness for the Ferragamo brand.
Indeed, other luxury brands are using unique locations to show their collections.
For example, Chanel’s 2013 resort collection presented in the gardens at the Palace of Versailles. In addition, the brand debuted its spring/summer 2012 haute couture line on a private jet.
Chanel's spring/summer haute couture collection
Using an unusual place is likely to draw attention to the brand and create buzz within the industry.
Ferragamo’s placement at the Louvre may not exactly mesh with the brand DNA, since Ferragamo is Italian and the Louvre is in France, but that may not matter to consumers, per Mr. Ries.
“It is only important if the place is unusual or different – that is what generates publicity for the brand,” Mr. Ries said. “Today, publicity is the major driver of luxury brands, not advertising.
“Ferragamo probably also considered the Uffizi museum in Florence,” he said. “Uffizi is a terrific museum but it is not nearly as well known to global consumers as the Lourve in Paris.
“So, on balance, I believe the Louvre was the better choice, although it is true that it does not have the connection to Italy that the Uffizi does.”
Final Take
Rachel Lamb, associate reporter on Luxury Daily, New York
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