Articles by Isabella Naef
Isabella Naef has been the Senior Editor of FashionUnited Italy since 2008. She is in Milan and covers fashion and luxury goods, with a particular focus on financial and economic news and sustainability. A dual Italian and Swiss citizen, Isabella graduated in Political Science from the University of Milan. She is member of the Professional Journalists' Association since 2000, contributing to newspapers and magazines. She is passionate about covering the fashion industry during this dynamic period, where sustainability, Gen Z, and artificial intelligence are paving the way for new and exciting chapters in economic, creative, and trend history.
Fashion mourns Valentino Garavani; funeral to be held in Rome on Friday
Valentino Garavani passed away peacefully today at his home in Rome, surrounded by his loved ones. The announcement was made in a statement by the Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation. He will lie in state at Pm23, located at Piazza Mignanelli 23 in Rome. This will take place on January 21 and January 22, from 11am to 6pm....
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Blumarine parent company Blufin to cease production
Blufin spa, the parent company of Italian designer label Blumarine, is set to cease its production activities this year. The news comes less than a year after Georgian designer David Koma debuted as the fashion house's creative director at Milan Fashion Week. London-based Koma's pre-fall 2026 collection was presented in recent days....
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Future of Woolrich and Sundek collections following BasicNet acquisition
Marco Tamponi is officially the global brand manager for Woolrich and Sundek. The two brands were recently acquired by BasicNet. They join Sebago and Superga, two brands that have long been underits creative direction. The Italian fashion company founded by Marco Boglione also includes Kappa, Robe di Kappa, K-Way, Briko, Jesus Jeans and Sabelt...
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Chiara Ferragni acquitted in Pandoro and Easter Eggs charity case
Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni has been acquitted at the end of the summary trial concerning the well-known cases of the Pandoro Pink Christmas and the Easter eggs charity promotions. The decision was made by Ilio Mannucci Pacini, the judge of the third criminal section of Milan, according to a report from the Italian news agency Ansa. The...
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Brunello Cucinelli backs new Saks Global leadership amid Chapter 11 filing
While attending the second day of Pitti Uomo in Florence, following what he described as a "very, very interesting" opening, Brunello Cucinelli shared his enthusiasm for the leadership transition at the newly formed Saks Global. "We were delighted to learn this morning that our highly esteemed Geoffroy van Raemdonck has been appointed CEO of...
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Reports: Giambattista Valli at risk of closure
The Giambattista Valli, an Italian-French fashion brand is reportedly facing a complex period that could lead to its closure. According to reports from Italian daily newspaper Il Foglio, this is due to debts far exceeding the label's turnover. “We do not know if we will make it to spring,” a company executive told the newspaper founded by...
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Kenny Wilson takes over as interim CEO at K-Way following Luca Lo Curzio's departure
Luca Lo Curzio is leaving K-Way after less than a year; the new interim ceo is Kenny Wilson. The manager leaves the position today, January 13. Lo Curzio joined K-Way, a French-born brand famous for its waterproof nylon jackets, in February 2025 and “has made a significant contribution to our organisation; the board of directors sincerely thanks...
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Camper and creative director Achilles Ion Gabriel part ways
Achilles Ion Gabriel, creative director since 2019, and Spanish footwear label Camper are parting ways. The designer will leave his role as creative director of Camper and Camperlab after more than six years with the company. The spring/summer 2027 collections will be the last under his creative direction and will be presented at the beginning...
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Cucinelli: record 2025 revenue of 1.41 billion euros, up 11.5 percent
Brunello Cucinelli has concluded 2025 with revenues of 1.41 billion euros (1.64 billion dollars). This represents a growth of 11.5 percent at constant exchange rates, exceeding the forecasts made at the start of the year, and an increase of 10.1 percent at current exchange rates. The Italian company's growth trend in the fourth quarter was...
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Menswear: all eyes on exports and Pitti Uomo, starting tomorrow in Florence
All eyes are on Florence this week for the start of the Pitti Uomo menswear trade fair, a pivotal event for the global fashion industry that opens tomorrow. The trade show begins against a backdrop of complex international trade data; as of November 2025, ISTAT (the Italian National Institute of Statistics) estimates a significant 7.4 percent...
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