The Ferragni Effect: Or, How I Overcame My Prejudice
At the moment, Chiara Ferragni is by far the most well-known Italian worldwide. In a Midas-like fantasy, everything she touches turns to gold, and if not, diamonds. With over 23 million followers on Instagram and an estimated net worth of 40 million euros, this fashionable blogger is certainly a woman of records.
Born in Cremona in Northern Italy, she created her first blog ‘The Blonde Salad’ in 2009 while studying law at Bocconi University. This initial endeavour provided fashion advice and shared her own favourite looks, and nobody could have imagined it would evolve into a homonymous company with its own clothing, shoes and accessory lines. Today, Chiara is also the muse of Dior’s head of creative Maria Grazia Chiuri and a homie of Donatella Versace, together with her husband, the rapper Fedez.
Custommade gala gown by Maria Grazia Chiuri (Dior) for the premiere of Ferragni’s documentary, Chiara Ferragni Unposted at the Venice Film Festival in 2019.
She is the ultimate ‘it’ girl with her blonde hair, blue eyes, and dubious music debut (‘Non mi basta più’ with Baby K), really solidifying herself as the Paris Hilton of more recent decades. With a house in LA, a penthouse in Milan, and private suites across the globe, she lives a fashionable life all over. Scrolling through her Instagram, you can find shots with the Kardashians and the Clooneys, and elsewhere she has walked some of the world’s most prominent red carpets, from the Oscars to the Venice Film Festival. She could be just another influencer, and yet there is something that makes her stand out, a captivation that makes her irresistible, what I am calling the Ferragni effect.
I myself have always been very skeptical about her persona, especially as I am not usually a fan of so-called ‘influencers’ in online roles which I used to not think of as ‘real’ jobs. I have never been interested in reality TV, and my academic superiority complex has had me focus on other personalities. I don’t follow any of the Kardashians on Instagram, nor newer TikTok stars like Addison Rae or the d’Amelio sisters, but nonetheless, I have recently started following Ferragni. She has breached my social media feed, and between her adorable toddler, Leone, and her Italian museum posts, I have fallen victim to her charm.
Ferragni and her signature pizza that ‘regenerates itself’.
And here stands the difference between Ferragni and other web personalities. Despite operating under the same job, Ferragni is devoted to her own territory and cultural causes much more than her overseas counterparts. During the pandemic, instead of posting pictures of lavish parties in private islands like some, she has helped to raise more than 4.5 million euros in crowdfunding to build a new intensive care wing at the Milan Central Hospital. She has been “locked down” like anybody else and yet has still managed to make out of her own image a successful, and charitable, brand.
Forget perfect pictures, photoshop and immaculate makeup; Ferragni’s most beloved posts are her ‘best of these days’ where she presents snaps of ordinary life with her family, eating ice cream or watching TV in pyjamas. Her photos are taken from her phone and not by a professional photographer, and her style is hand-picked, rather than decided by an arsenal of personal stylists. Her Instagram is a kaleidoscope of fairytales, colourful jewellery and inimitable looks, mixing and matching high fashion pieces from Chanel and Dior with the latest Zara drops. The Ferragni effect could be compared to the similar effect of Kate Middleton in Britain; despite being a ‘celebrity,’ she still appears as a genuinely relatable individual, dressing her children in 20-euro T-shirts and watching Spiderman cartoons.
I admit I have been tricked into liking Ferragni, despite my stoic aversion towards influencers, which has now crumbled in the face of a fellow Italian who watches soaps on Rete 4. Moreover, her style has completely captivated me. Far from the Kardashians’ fitted outfits, Ferragni is a champion of outdoor leisure clothing and printed T-Shirts, from Barbie to My Little Pony. Her signature looks are always complete with tons of subtle necklaces, ranging from basic colourful beads to small golden pendants with the names of her children. She had been wearing four or five of them at a time, interlacing different colours and lengths, well before such mixing and matching became a trend this past year.
Even if we don’t realise it, Chiara Ferragni really does dictate the style of fast fashion. Like her beaded chains, she’s been wearing bucket hats for the past five years and has never abandoned her Superga, now popular thanks to Hailey Bieber’s campaign. In Italy, she has also reaffirmed the trend of logos, making them more accessible than the infamous LV. Her Chiara Ferragni brand collection isn’t cheap—items range from 50 to 400 euros—but nonetheless is definitely more affordable than a lot of other couture brands. And her clothes are fun! Pink, lilac, blue, yellow: pastel colours and fluo palettes have distinguished her style since her first line back in 2010. Now Twin Set, Prada, and even Gucci are hopping on the fluo trend.
Ferragni wearing beaded necklaces with her son’s name
In the capital of fashion, Milan, Ferragni has been able to establish her presence and win the favours of both haute couture and prét-à-porter aficionados. She has just launched her first baby line in honour of her newborn Vittoria and has recently signed to be part of Tod’s administrative council. On the day of her signature, the firm increased its value by 14% in its stocks, surpassing its target of 1 billion in revenues. Chiara Ferragni is not just a fashion blogger or influencer; she is now a fully-rounded businesswoman set to become the most successful Italian personality of the 21st century. She is a true fashion and business inspiration beyond fancy façades of cocktails and penthouses, and for that reason, I have truly been able to overcome my prejudices against her.