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Nicola Mira
Published
Nov 14, 2016
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Remo Ruffini: Moncler has evolved from down-jacket label to global brand

Translated by
Nicola Mira
Published
Nov 14, 2016

President and Managing Director of Moncler Remo Ruffini spoke at the 21st Fashion & Luxury Summit on 'Innovation and Speed', organised in Milan on 10th November by consultants Pambianco and by Deutsche Bank. In his talk, he explained how the brand evolved from a down-jacket label to a global brand.


Remo Ruffini


"In the last few years we have worked very hard on research and technology, especially looking for the lightest possible materials, to make down jackets suitable to all seasons, anywhere in the world," explained Ruffini. "The crucial decision was to concentrate on manufacturing a limited range of products, but manufacturing them well. Our ears were deaf to the siren song of exploiting the brand by broadening the product range. Brand segmentation was behind our boom in the 1980s, and now customers are looking for uniqueness and quality."

"We also made a few mistakes," admitted Ruffini. "To begin with, we were not close enough to consumers, since restructuring the company was our priority. Opening Moncler stores allowed us to grasp the importance of fully understanding customers in order to satisfy their needs. To be successful, you need to create different experiences in each city, and avoid offering a run-of-the-mill, standardised product. Moncler is attempting to create products that do not follow the dictates of fashion, but consumer requirements: for example, versatile products suitable for travellers."

In order to reach its goal of being closer to customers, Moncler now has a direct presence in each market, with no intermediaries in order to get immediate feedback from people who buy its products.

"Another crucial tool for staying close to customers is the internet," said Ruffini. "I don't believe in 'see now, buy now', clients must be engaged in other ways. In the next few years, we will need to focus increasingly on customers at the local level."

As for future scenarios, according to Ruffini, provided there will not be any major upset, political or otherwise, Europe will perform positively; the UK, now booming because of the Brexit [currency] effect, will normalise, while the USA and Japan will become the most complex markets. Asian consumers will be increasingly essential.

Looking at Italy, Ruffini stated that "though Milan still remains a major centre, art cities such as Venice and Florence are growing by leaps and bounds."

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