Remo Ruffini invests in a brand founded by influencers

A new generation of Italian fashion talents has earned a stamp of approval from a titan of the industry.

Archive, an investment vehicle controlled by Moncler chairman and chief executive Remo Ruffini’s Ruffini Partecipazioni Holding, announced on Monday that it has taken a 49 percent stake in Attico, a fashion brand founded by Milan’s Gilda Ambrosio and Giorgia Tordini less than three years ago.

The founders were already internationally known among fashion insiders for their street style and social media presence when they launched the opulent, vintage-inspired dresses in robes in February 2016, and that exposure helped catapult Attico into more than 140 stockists by the following year. Both former freelance designers and consultants, Ambrosio and Tordini together now count more than 630,000 followers on Instagram in addition to another 217,000 followers on Attico’s account.

Attico is sold at Bergdorf Goodman, Net-a-Porter, Moda Operandi and Matches Fashion, among other global retailers, and has expanded into footwear, handbags and jewellery. Celebrities including Margot Robbie, Michelle Williams and Naomi Campbell have all worn their designs and prices range from $250 for a drawstring pouch to over $4,000 for a python printed leather coat.

“The deal — to be considered a mere financial investment — is in line with Archive diversification strategy whose mission is to invest in the ready-to-wear as well as in the food and beverage and hospitality business,” said a representative for Archive in a statement.

Ambrosio and Tordini said in 2017 that they had major ambitions for their growing label. “What we would love is to create a world that we started narrating with clothing and accessories and adding furniture, books and eventually make a platform that’s going to contain all these objects and you can navigate around the world of Attico,” said Tordini.

With a new influx of cash from Archive, the founders have a chance to realise those ambitions.