Ferrante

Aldo (1928). Fashion entrepreneur and talent scout. He started his career in the 1950s, selling corsets and bras, later working as a tie salesman and then for Magnaghi knitwear. His big chance came in 1960 after a meeting with Mariuccia Mandelli, who put him in charge of the agency for Krizia in south Italy. In 1967, together with Gigi Monti and Franco Tositti, he established FTM, a new sales method which concentrated in one prestigious showroom on via della Spiga in Milan all the most beautiful and current griffes, including Missoni, Montedoro, De Parisini, Caumont, Cerruti, and Callaghan, as well as some French houses. In 1970, the decision was made to coordinate, under the name of the young Walter Albini, the collections of some of the griffes in his portfolio. The collective presentation (Basile, Misterfox, Callaghan, Escargot, Diamand’s), which was innovative and sensational, and held at the Circolo del Giardino in Milan, confirmed Albini’s genius and Ferrante’s intuition. Three years later, Albini started his own business. Ferrante then called on other young designers, including Muriel Grateau for Basile (which he owned) and a very young Gianni Versace for Callaghan. These were exciting years in which Italian prêt-à-porter was taking its first steps with Ferrante holding it by the hand. A path which he continued to walk with great care, collecting prestigious brands and always paying attention to changes in costume and the market.