Italian luxury menswear brand Stefano Ricci has dressed Nelson Mandela, Andrea Bocelli and various self-made billionaires, but it’s not your typical fashion label
- With garments like exotic-skin jackets selling for tens of thousands of dollars, the Florence couturier caters to wealthy older businessmen rather than Gen Z
- The 50-year-old company has seen its sales in China shrink since Covid-19, but prioritising long-term client relationships has enabled it to thrive in new markets
Italian menswear label Stefano Ricci, founded and led by the entrepreneur of the same name, couldn’t be further removed from the modern fashion world as we know it.
Eschewing conventional practices such as seasonal shows, celebrity endorsements and collaborations with influencers, the brand operates in a completely different realm to other fashion labels.
At Stefano Ricci, the client is king. Instead of trying to be all things to all people, the company zeroes in on a niche of rich businessmen who like to show off their wealth and couldn’t care less about being cool.
“Our clients are self-made millionaires and billionaires who don’t look at people [like celebrities or influencers] and are very proud of what they have achieved. They know what they want,” says Niccoló Ricci, the eldest son of Stefano and the CEO of the company.
“They know what’s going on in the world but they’re very proud of themselves and come to us because … they have seen a certain level of consistency and quality so they entrust us with creating their look.”
