THE FASHION DISPATCH

Dear Benetton…is it too late?

150 150 SUSANNA NICOLETTI
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Luciano Benetton, one of the founders of the eponymous knitwear brand, criticized the last management years of the company and the said he was going to take back the reins of it.
Benetton is an iconic brand of the ’80s, renown for its colorful collections and polarizing advertising campaign shot by Oliviero Toscani and part of the “United Colors of Benetton” message.

The brand had a huge success for a couple of decades, then the founders left the business to the managers and the second generation and the it started getting less competitive and interesting.
Unflattering fit, less than qualitative design and materials, sad stores contributed to its decline in an era that saw Zara, H&M, Uniqlo thrive and grow.

Now Luciano Benetton and his sister Giuliana, Oliviero Toscani and some old managers will try to relaunch this iconic yet disgraced brand.
Unfortunately it’s not looking back with nostalgia and sense of pride that Benetton will be relaunched.

Benetton needs to:

  • refresh its key brand codes and values
  • raise the quality of the fabrics
  • upgrade the design and fit
  • find exciting visual merchandising projects
  • start a brand new message to share with the youngest generations

A restoration won’t work.
A new brand project should be developed.