“The gender fluid attitude is quickly making headway”
According to the head of fashion at the Rinascente department store, today, men’s fashion is heavily influenced by Gen Z…And she is convinced that the future of buying is “phygital”: digital, without losing however the sense of touch.
MFF for Pitti
For Federica Montelli, fashion is a passion she has been cultivating since her early teen years, which today has made her one of the most promising and renowned buyers on the international panorama. It’s no coincidence that her specific mix of intuition, love, and determination, have led her to her prestigious present-day role as the head of fashion at Rinascente.
How did your career begin?
It might seem insignificant, but I have always known that I wanted to work in the world of fashion. It was obviously a great passion of mine, which I studied by tirelessly reading up on it, while also focusing on it during my economic studies at Bocconi, where I specialized in strategy and management of fashion companies. I then began, for a series of reasons, to work in Investment Banking at M&A. I quickly realized that I wanted to return to my original ambitions. Moving on to the fashion industry was extremely complex, but with great perseverance, I first succeeded in taking on a role that I did not feel was really my own, in the press office of Prada, to then move on to a role closer to what I was looking for in Merchandising at Sergio Rossi, which at that time was part of the Gucci group.
What have been some of the most important moments and turning points in your professional pathway?
The first turning point was the move from a monobrand reality to a multibrand store, Rinascente, as a Buyer. I immediately understood that the dynamic and constantly changing reality of a leading retailer like Rinascente, which deals in different product groups, was closer to my lively personality always in search of something new. The second turning point was four years ago, when after numerous years of buying, I took on my current role of Head of Fashion, a great opportunity offered to me by Rinascente, in recognition of my curiosity and innovative strategic mindset. Now, I follow all product categories, from men’s to women’s fashion, and from accessories, to cosmetics, home products, and food, coordinating the brand mix of the physical and online stores, and establishing the trends and themes for the buying team, while also developing special projects and partnerships with brands.
How has men’s fashion changed over the years, from its debut to modern times?
We have passed from an elegant and decidedly formal expression of men’s fashion matched with the image of the alpha male, to then pass through the phenomenon of streetwear, which in a certain sense still exists, all the way to a pre and post-pandemic relaxed/comfort tailoring. However, it is mainly the gender fluid attitude, driven by the advancement of Gen Z, to have most influenced the parameters of men’s fashion in recent seasons.
What kind of scenario is the fashion industry currently facing?
The fashion industry finds itself going through a moment of significant change, which has been dramatically accelerated by the pandemic. Digitalization is an opportunity in constant evolution, but it is undoubtedly a challenge for companies and generations anchored in strategic patterns connected to a physical “place”. Even the way of visiting fairs and participating in fashion shows has changed from one day to the next, and we quickly adapted to observe everything through a screen. The future is “phygital”: we must be able to make the most of technological innovation without losing our sense of “touch” and our physical contact with one another and with customers. I am really curious to see the great impact the recovery of tourism will have on business in the entire sector, as well as how it will be influenced by the new generations of high spenders, who have an increasingly polarized attitude between unrestrained digital interaction and a holistic approach of “quiet luxury” oriented towards quality, well-being, and tranquility.
Do you have any interesting stories to tell us?
Over time, I have put together a complete collection of Vogue and other fashion magazines. I especially like to look at the issues from the late 90’s and beginning of 2000. I know the debuts of the collections by heart. If I think about the job I’m doing now, it all makes sense.
MFF for Pitti
For Federica Montelli, fashion is a passion she has been cultivating since her early teen years, which today has made her one of the most promising and renowned buyers on the international panorama. It’s no coincidence that her specific mix of intuition, love, and determination, have led her to her prestigious present-day role as the head of fashion at Rinascente.
How did your career begin?
It might seem insignificant, but I have always known that I wanted to work in the world of fashion. It was obviously a great passion of mine, which I studied by tirelessly reading up on it, while also focusing on it during my economic studies at Bocconi, where I specialized in strategy and management of fashion companies. I then began, for a series of reasons, to work in Investment Banking at M&A. I quickly realized that I wanted to return to my original ambitions. Moving on to the fashion industry was extremely complex, but with great perseverance, I first succeeded in taking on a role that I did not feel was really my own, in the press office of Prada, to then move on to a role closer to what I was looking for in Merchandising at Sergio Rossi, which at that time was part of the Gucci group.
What have been some of the most important moments and turning points in your professional pathway?
The first turning point was the move from a monobrand reality to a multibrand store, Rinascente, as a Buyer. I immediately understood that the dynamic and constantly changing reality of a leading retailer like Rinascente, which deals in different product groups, was closer to my lively personality always in search of something new. The second turning point was four years ago, when after numerous years of buying, I took on my current role of Head of Fashion, a great opportunity offered to me by Rinascente, in recognition of my curiosity and innovative strategic mindset. Now, I follow all product categories, from men’s to women’s fashion, and from accessories, to cosmetics, home products, and food, coordinating the brand mix of the physical and online stores, and establishing the trends and themes for the buying team, while also developing special projects and partnerships with brands.
How has men’s fashion changed over the years, from its debut to modern times?
We have passed from an elegant and decidedly formal expression of men’s fashion matched with the image of the alpha male, to then pass through the phenomenon of streetwear, which in a certain sense still exists, all the way to a pre and post-pandemic relaxed/comfort tailoring. However, it is mainly the gender fluid attitude, driven by the advancement of Gen Z, to have most influenced the parameters of men’s fashion in recent seasons.
What kind of scenario is the fashion industry currently facing?
The fashion industry finds itself going through a moment of significant change, which has been dramatically accelerated by the pandemic. Digitalization is an opportunity in constant evolution, but it is undoubtedly a challenge for companies and generations anchored in strategic patterns connected to a physical “place”. Even the way of visiting fairs and participating in fashion shows has changed from one day to the next, and we quickly adapted to observe everything through a screen. The future is “phygital”: we must be able to make the most of technological innovation without losing our sense of “touch” and our physical contact with one another and with customers. I am really curious to see the great impact the recovery of tourism will have on business in the entire sector, as well as how it will be influenced by the new generations of high spenders, who have an increasingly polarized attitude between unrestrained digital interaction and a holistic approach of “quiet luxury” oriented towards quality, well-being, and tranquility.
Do you have any interesting stories to tell us?
Over time, I have put together a complete collection of Vogue and other fashion magazines. I especially like to look at the issues from the late 90’s and beginning of 2000. I know the debuts of the collections by heart. If I think about the job I’m doing now, it all makes sense.
