Following in Ferré's Footsteps
(MILAN) An heir to the Ferré throne has been named. Hot on the heels of Monday night's Spring 2008 Ferré show, designed by an in-house team following Ferré's death in June 2007, the company today announces that Swedish designer Lars Nilsson will succeed Gianfranco Ferré at the design house. The appointment confirms a news story first reported by The Daily on Monday. "I'm thrilled and honored to be joining Gianfranco Ferré, a house with a powerful legacy. I feel very inspired by Mr. Ferré's imprint on fashion and strong architectural sensibility. I look forward to working with the Gianfranco Ferré house to take it to the next level and help cement its standing as an esteemed and globally-recognized luxury company," says Nilsson.
Mr. Nilsson will be the first outside creative director at the house started in 1978 since its founder Gianfranco Ferré sadly passed away. He will assume responsibility for all the men's and women's clothing and accessories collections and his runway debut will take place in January 2008, with the presentation of the Gianfranco Ferré Fall 2008 men's collection, followed in February with the women' s ready to wear collection.
Nilsson has worked in fashion since leaving his native Sweden at age 18. A graduate of Paris's École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture, Nilsson interned in the tailoring atelier at Chanel Haute Couture before going to Christian Lacroix where he remained for nine years, becoming senior haute couture designer. From 1997-99 he worked with John Galliano at Dior as coordinator of both the haute couture studio and the fur collections, before moving to New York where he was design director for the Polo Ralph Lauren women's wear collection. From 2000-03 he was creative director of Bill Blass Collection, before returning to Paris to helm Nina Ricci where he was creative director from 2003-06.
Of the appointment, Tonino Perna, chairman of Gianfranco Ferré S.p.A. and its parent company, IT Holding S.p.A, said: "Lars Nilsson is a world-class talent fully able to continue the creative development of the brand made immortal by Gianfranco Ferré. His sartorial approach to fashion design, the style he has developed and defined over the years, will prove instrumental in following the path of creative research which has always distinguished the work of Gianfranco Ferré."
