President / Controlling Shareholder, Furla S.p.A.
Incontro con Giovanna Furlanetto
Presentazione del libro "A String of Pearls" di Giovanna Furlanetto,
Saluto dell’Assessore alla Cultura del Comune di Bologna Matteo Lepore
Intervengono Federico Enriques, editore; Antonio Burrello, chief marketing officer di Furla; Bruna Roccasalva, direttrice di Fondazione Furla
info: http://bit.ly/36w8Tsu
Transcript (16 segments)
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Thor Lepore0:01
Good evening everyone. As the cultural councillor, I introduce this meeting and the protagonists of the book presentation: Giovanna Furlanetto, the author; Federico Enriques, publisher; Antonio Borrello and Bruna Roccalvas. I bring greetings from Bologna and thank the deputy mayor. Receiving the book with a kind letter from Ms. Furlanetto, I was struck by the story of creativity, imagination, and beauty as a feeling. This is a family business and territorial story that gives solid roots. I thank her for dedicating this book to us. Now I give the floor to the school girls.
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Giovanna Furlanetto5:28
The history of Furla is my father's dream. My brothers Carlo, Paolo and I accompanied it to the future. Our motto: forward. He had extraordinary sensitivity, imagining a company with values of beauty, rigor, education, simplicity. Excellence is making the difficult seem natural. I wrote this book with pride and modesty. I belong to the second generation but I am a survivor in a literal sense. The book, born from an internal request, tells our family history and founding values. It was distributed to employees for Christmas 2018. I thank the mayor, councillor Thor Lepore, publisher Federico Enriques, and all who contributed. In complex times, the social responsibility of the company is crucial. Italy produces great excellences, and I am sure the best is yet to come.
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Federico Enriques10:42
I thank Giovanna for inviting me. I am of Friulian origin, and Furla means Friulian. This book has a complex architecture of parallel threads: family, people, company, ethics, aesthetics, art. The images of the villa show how Furla grows real and metaphorical trees. Light and warmth come from within. Visiting Giovanna, I realized that beyond the four pillars of the digital economy – technology, marketing, design, logistics – there is a fifth: the product. Family business can prosper if the family is united, invests, prepares succession, and serves the company. The book reveals Giovanna's full portrait with doubts and enthusiasm. I disagree with her: her father would be most proud that she managed the company well.
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Giovanna Furlanetto22:54
Writing a management book would be hard; sensitivity cannot be reduced to a formula. The Furla method is applying sensitivity to strategic decisions. It began in a small shop in Bologna, with pastel colors that gave dignity to accessories. Products must be well-made and authentic. Fashion is more than a product; it requires a precise aesthetic and values. A brand's credibility rests on its values, and losing that is hard to recover.
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Antonio Borrello25:28
Furla is a company based on a creative idea, with a turnover of €513 million in 2018, doubling in four years. It operates in 98 countries, with 496 stores worldwide, strong in Asia. The founder made beauty accessible. We are inclusive: 84% women, 103 nationalities. We have 3.2 million customers and 3.5 million followers. The founder donated a gym to Bologna. We offer welfare, bonuses, and sustainability initiatives like LED lighting and green energy. We produce 5 million pieces a year, guided by values of beauty and creativity.
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Giovanna Furlanetto34:49
Creativity is not about price. Elegance is different. The market changes fast; we must understand what the public wants but doesn't yet know. A manager can't rely on old recipes. Surrounding myself with youth helps. When something original appears, focus on why it works, not weaknesses. As Steve Jobs said, give people what they don't know they want.
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Bruna Roccalvas38:40
Fondazione Furla supports contemporary culture through young talents. It started with the Furla Prize in 2000, then the Furla Series – exhibitions in collaboration with Italian museums. We believe in institutional synergies. Projects include a performance program at Museo del Novecento and a solo show at Triennale. We aim to make contemporary art accessible, with educational activities.
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Federico Enriques46:33
I ask if there are any questions. I might ask some myself, but first I give the floor.
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Audience Member46:58
What are the technical frontiers of green policy in the product, especially regarding fur, wool, and tanning?
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Giovanna Furlanetto47:52
Tanning is delicate. Italian tanneries are unmatched. We use vegetable tanning, which is pollution-free and still used in some lines. Regarding wool, we use very little and avoid types that harm animals. We are part of the Fur Free Alliance.
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Audience Member49:54
Sorry, I didn't answer about wool, but there is a great experience with wool.
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Giovanna Furlanetto50:00
Cashmere from Mongolia looks beautiful, but we use very little wool. Our choices are based on sustainability and animal welfare. We avoid fur entirely.
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Audience Member51:50
How do you know what the person doesn't yet know they want?
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Giovanna Furlanetto52:27
Secret. In fashion, classic elements return every few years. Sometimes genius intuition predicts the unexpected. That rare ability identifies what the customer will want.
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Audience Member53:39
I think this comes from sensitivity and artistic vision. Your style is the winning weapon. The creative baton must pass to younger generations, and you are cultivating that sensitivity.
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Federico Enriques55:51
Thank you all. There is a copy of the book for you, and we will toast together.