The name “Ferrari” is synonymous with “fast car,” but the Maranello-based brand is looking to expand its reach. By introducing a fashion brand via a catwalk on one of Ferrari’s assembly lines.
Creative director and former Armani designer Rocco Iannone is the man behind the designs, which he argues will “attract young people and women.” I suppose I can understand wanting to expand your reach, but I don’t know how many young people are going to gain interest in an expensive car company by buying expensive clothing.
Iannone calls his designs “fluid,” making sure there are options for every body type from XXXS to XXXL and for every gender. He also notes that most of the fabrics are high-performance and technical. What that means, I could not tell you.
Let’s walk through some of our options. I want to start with this peacoat look because I kind of like the jacket… but it clocks in at $2,300. I don’t know what it is about a water-repellent jacket with reflective stripes makes it cost that much, but hey. It’s fashion. And it’s still not as bad as the recycled stretch scuba joggers that look like high-waters and cost a whopping $210. The $560 sneakers really… complete the look. I guess?
That’s still better than this absolutely wild parka that looks like it belongs on a Star Wars villain than a real-life human being. It’s about the same cost as the other jacket, but I don’t really understand the rest of the fit. I mean, how are you supposed to see the patches on your $270 PVC patch jeans if your parka is so long?
Alternately, if “Sith lord” isn’t your ideal look, you could opt for something more vampire-esque:
Now, ladies, don’t feel left out—there are plenty of options for you, too! In fact, Ferrari is offering you a blood-red version of those bandmaster jackets My Chemical Romance wore during the Welcome to the Black Parade era:
There’s another Star Wars uniform, though this one looks more befitting of the planet Hoth. Minus the shoes.
You’re also welcome to trying out this leather coat with wool cape which, for some reason, is supposed to cover your hands. At $3,850, I suppose you’d want as much extra fabric as you can get.
I will give Ferrari credit on one thing, tough: the heels that are part of this collection are truly stunning. They’re Ferrari-red with a laminate-like finish and great design cues like the prancing horse on the back, the boot-like soles, and the thin strips that provide a little bit of extra shape.
I saw some folks on Twitter express their surprise at Ferrari, a car brand, releasing a series of high-fashion outfits, but I can’t say it comes as too much of a shock. The Ferrari consumer is going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a luxury sports car, in part as a status symbol. It’s a similar logic behind buying, say, a Yves Saint Laurent handbag—yes, you’re there for the quality of the product, but the specific name conveys a specific kind of image about you, the owner. Why shouldn’t Ferrari get in on that concept from all fronts, both in terms of cars and high-fashion clothing?
That does not mean I endorse the weird high-fashion Ferrari collection in the slightest. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I don’t understand high-fashion trends. It all mostly looks ugly to me, but maybe I’m not rich enough to have lost my taste yet. And it also comes at the loss of Formula One fans looking for merch; to accommodate its new fashion brand, Ferrari is cutting back its racing merch by 50 percent.
My taste buds, however, are a different story, and according to CNN, Ferrari is aiming to open a restaurant with Michelin-starred chef Massimo Bottura. That I am willing to try.
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