The day on which Chiara Ferragni arrives smiling At the time of our interview, he was wearing his wedding ring on his finger and in his heart he seems to have hope that his marriage will withstand the shockwave of problems of the last two months. On this day we ask them: Portofino, Champoluc, Courmayeur… Why have you spent the last few weekends without your husband? Why isn't he close to her in these difficult weeks? Chiara looks at the tips of her shoes for a moment. He says: “He wasn’t there on many weekends. In other cases there was.” So again: Head held high: “Anyway, he’s my husband. And in my opinion, in certain situations with external chaos, it is better to keep other things within the couple.” Us: What exactly do you mean by “other things”? She: “What The priority is to protect the family and children. Then of course we talk about whatever I do: whether I do it with him or whether I do it without him and Everyone in the world can have a say and have your opinion, but for me it is more important, instead of giving explanations, to do what I think is right: to leave problems within the family walls.
It was Tuesday, February 20th. The crisis was there, understandable, obvious. However, we still didn't know about an infamous alleged exit from Fedez's house and Chiara you could read the suffering in hershe had managed not to tell him.
Our meeting was not about talking about her marriage and Chiara does not want to add anything further on this topic yesterday or today. On the other hand, there was a moment during the interview when he had confessedin one breath: “I do that sometimes I find it difficult to show my fragility the moment I experience it.” Silence.
Be silent. Break. “I fight because if I told you how fragile I feel, I would perceive myself as even weaker, even more vulnerable». Today, looking back now, must be one of those moments where finding the right words would only make the pain worse. The conversation had begun a turning pointon December 15 last year, when the antitrust office announced that it had sanctioned two companies owned by Chiara and Balocco for “unfair commercial practices” for advertising the Pandoro designed by Ferragni Make it clear to consumers that by purchasing they would be contributing to a donation to the Regina Margherita Hospital in Turin.
Chiara, what do you remember about December 15th?
“It was eight in the morning, I was up, I was going to a photo set and neither I nor my staff were expecting something like this.” I was completely shocked. Also because I heard the news from the agencies at the same time as all the Italians. It was Friday, I also spent Saturday and Sunday locked in the house, wearing the same tracksuit, reading the terrible tweets about me and asking, “What the fuck is going on?”
Is the suit the one she wore in the famous apology video on December 18, which was criticized because it seemed chosen to cleverly underline her remorse despite costing 600 euros?
“I was still dressed like that when I thought I had to make a video and demonstrate my goodwill and that of the people who work with me.” For three days I had been reading completely false things, like that I was a consumer and even cheated on sick children. I was really shaken and after several attempts I posted the video and tried my best to hold back tears because I didn't want to play the victim. I said to myself: People expect something from me. I had to apologize because if there were misunderstandings, that meant something could have been done better. I also said that I would never again perform operations that mixed advertising and charity. Then I thought: I'll make a concrete gesture. Do people think I got rich by trying to scam them? Well, I donate the millions of euros that I received from my companies to the Regina Margherita of Turin and I will appeal to the TAR against a sanction that I consider unfair and disproportionate. Of course I will pay them and, if I get something back, I will donate that too.”
Because according to him, this video didn't stop him'Wave of hate and ridicule?
«Probably because it wasn't the right time, news against me kept coming to light. Maybe I should have thought about it more and waited, but everything was at stake, it went far beyond the judgments about the operation itself, the exploitation was complete. And when you are pilloried by the media, you feel like everyone is blaming you, but you only need to step out of the house for a moment to realize that this is not the case. Since I started going out again, I haven't met anyone who has told me, 'You're a criminal,' just people who have told me, 'This is all unfair, you're going to come out of this with your head held high.'
In the video he admits to “a communication error.” What do you intend to do in terms of charitable activities?
“We found that some internal analysis processes could have been managed better. And we are working on improving some organization profiles. I've always believed that when you have 30 million followers, when you do charity work and talk about it, you create a copycat effect. During the Corona crisis, Federico and I donated 50,000 euros each, but to share, the crowdfunding was the most extensive in Europe, raising four and a half million, thanks to which we managed to set up an intensive care unit in a month and a half. But not only that: following our example, other hospitals have also activated similar operations for other hospitals. For this reason, my rationale was that in the context of commercial transactions between my companies and a partner, it was simply a good idea to try to include even a small charitable component in the contract if possible. I always thought that despite nothing and very little, something good was being done.”
However, in Pandoro's case, the charity was provided by Balocco, not his companies.
“That’s true, just as it was an initiative of me and my team to include the donation in the contract.”
So why – and the Milan public prosecutor's office is also investigating this – did the donation take place before the sales campaign began?
“The donation was made immediately after the contract was signed and immediately because the amount of 50,000 euros was secure and had nothing to do with the sale and also because we hoped that the machine would arrive before the Pandoro was put up for sale.”
We also examine why, using the cartouche on the Pandoro and how it advertised it'initiative, it seemed as if you were making a contribution to charity by purchasing the product.
“However, in the scroll and in my posts we always wrote and said that “Chiara Ferragni and Balocco support the hospital…” never that a percentage of sales would go to charity.”
One thing really impressed him'Public opinion is the disproportion between his fee of more than a million and the charitable contribution of 50,000 euros.
“To speak of a fee is inappropriate, because this amount is the remuneration that my companies receive for my image rights, for advertising and for the entire operation.” There must be no confusion between the natural person Chiara Ferragni, the brand and the companies. Furthermore, the donation would not have been possible without the operation.”
Without the charity, his companies would have made more money?
“Probably a little bit, yes. But the most important thing was making the donation.”
That's what the public prosecutor says'The companies' operations featured a single criminal plan among several operations: Balocco, Dolci Preziosi Easter Eggs and Trudi Doll.
“These operations represented a small percentage of our revenue. I don't understand how you can say that there was a criminal plan, because if that were the case, the majority of sales would have to depend on these activities. And then it seems to me that I was known for charity, but I did a lot of activities. Fortunately, with the new Charity Bill, or Ferragni Bill (laughs, editor's note), everything becomes much clearer. If it had already been there, we would have written on the scroll: “Chiara Ferragni and Balocco support the Regina Margherita Hospital with a donation from Balocco of 50,000 euros.” Nobody could have said anything and we still felt honored. If there is one positive effect of this matter, it is that we now have a charity bill.”
L'The American association Stomp out mobbing claimed that it had not received any donations in connection with the “Chiara Ferragni by Trudi” doll. That's how it is?
“The donation was made and I have the documentation to certify it. In due course I will clarify everything to those responsible.”
Torment is its operational role in the sanctioned companies'Antitrust law on the Pandoro affair, Fenice Srl and Tbs Crew?
«I am CEO of both. In Tbs also president. I have always tried to develop and expand the brands associated with my name through organizing and participating in events. Then I pay particular attention to the social media area.”
L'Last year you had a turnover of 28 million euros, a great success. Maybe you underestimated the greatness you have achieved?
“Certainly. We weren't structured enough. We're all young, mostly under 40. The world I work in was born with us and we had the very naive assumption that we were doing a job that didn't exist before and of medium-sized companies. Maybe we weren't even mentally prepared for it. We liked that a lot of people said to us: “Well done” or “You're so smart”. The one from the Agcm was the first beating, the first time that someone told us harshly and publicly that we did something bad. The first time I said, “Damn, we were in good faith, but obviously we could have done better.” I see my numbers, I have an idea , how popular I can be, but I realize that I underestimated everything. Now I'm proud of my boys, but I know that the structure needs to be strengthened by people who have more experience than me and who have followed me so far always helped in good faith. In certain moments you also have to be more prepared to fight, and I didn't think I would ever have to do that.
You say you are the victim of a media pillory, but isn't it obvious to you that a famous person like you is more targeted by the media than others?
“It was hard. For two months they talked about me as if I was a criminal and embodied all the evil in this country. When the case broke out, the haters didn't attack Balocco because they said there were workers and families, but 50 families also work for my companies. I'm used to being a divisive character, having people who support me but also haters. It's part of the game but every day looking for negative news, even false ones News, being and wishing for my defeat was too much for me to bear too. Then I feel like it generates more clicks to highlight some haters rather than the silent majority who might think differently. “
When did you realize that the situation was more serious than you expected?
“From the authority’s decision to the way it was decided to publish it: with a statement that also included the companies’ compensation.”
The center-right L'He attacked it and identified it as progressive, the flag of a glamorous left.
“I don't openly take a side, I never intended to get involved in politics. I just always fought for the inalienable rights of people, for women, for the LGBTQ+ community, because this is part of my story and my way of telling the reality in which I live.”.
Today, when you search for your name on Google, many of the results are merciless. Have you ever searched his name online?
“Unfortunately. I have always done it and now I do it more often, and when new fake news appears, it is very difficult not to react immediately. I am looking for my name because I like to be in control of everything and have my finger on the pulse of it want what is said about me, even if it means I become more depressed and feel less strong than before.
His work is a little founded on'volatile. Didn't you want more concreteness during this time?
“What I do is very concrete, anything but transitory. I have a company that makes and sells clothing, shoes, makeup, headphones and jewelry. I don't just promote other people's products. In many ways I have become the reference point for many people who have followed me for 14 years, who have grown up with me, who have followed all phases of my life and who have felt similar in many ways, because I also talk about myself a lot myself, about how I feel, about my feelings. I do posts about how beautiful the bag is and posts about women's rights. I don't think I'll do such a short-lived story on Instagram.
Imagine a different future for your business?
“A lot has changed in these two months, but the future is currently a question mark. I don't know if I'll do my job for the rest of my life or if I want to tell my life story forever. I know that I have always loved communicating. When I was 16, I walked around with a tripod, I took a self-timer, I wanted to see myself through a camera, give myself a purpose, I don't know: understand myself. And it was never my idea to keep these photos to myself, but to always share them with the world and see what he thought of them, good or bad.”
What else is there to tell about this sixteen year old?
“I was a little girl growing up in Cremona in a provincial environment, with a father who was a dentist and a mother who had given up her job in the fashion industry to look after my sister, who had health problems. The province was too small for me, I always tried not to set limits and dreamed of doing something more, which is why I immediately seized the opportunity of social media. Then, until a few years ago, I said: Who knows whether this will be my future, whether this work will continue. But even then I was someone who did things and always tried to do my best. I am someone who studies and works hard. When I did Sanremo, I had never been on TV and took lessons from an improvisation coach. I never take anything lightly and whether things turn out perfectly or terribly is subjective.
Torment Is this the moment Chiara Ferragni takes off?
“I started in 2009, but between 2013 and 2016, when I was living in Los Angeles, everything exploded. In Italy, I was initially seen as the blogger who didn't really know what she was doing. Then Harvard did a case study on me, Forbes said I was the number one influencer in the world, and Italy took notice of me. I returned in 2017 and there have been years of great growth since then.”
Torment Is it the exact moment when you realize something big has happened?
“When I walked on the first red carpet in Cannes in May 2011. They gave me a princely pink dress and some jewels, and I had a bodyguard following me to protect them: this thing surprised me, it was the first time I had a body of a guard, even if he wasn't for would be me. When I walked the red carpet I thought no one knew me, but instead a lot of Italian photographers started calling me “Chiara, Chiara” and it was wonderful. I said: Wow, that's what stars feel like, how cool!
During these two complicated months, were you afraid that this could all end forever?
«It's not the first time that I have this fear: the fear is constant. In a job like mine, which is completely new, you are always afraid that the trend might change and you won't like it anymore. To avoid second-guessing myself about negative results, I did a lot of work on myself. They taught me that we only have to live in the present, not in the past or in fear of the future. And I tell myself that I can't please everyone, but that the people who like me like me for being myself, doing the things I like and, even if I'm a “criminal” now. described, I try to inspire people to do positive things, because that's my way of communicating. I couldn't live without communication: I like exchanging opinions, I also like criticism when it's expressed constructively. I changed many things about myself by listening to them.
Tell us what you changed.
“I've often been told that I try to be too perfect, and it's true: I always have the idea of doing my best and not showing my fragility.” Over the years, I've made an effort to manifest it more . However, sometimes I find it difficult to do so when I experience them, otherwise I would feel too vulnerable and appear too weak. From the outside, people see a perfect life: I have a family, I earn well, I do my dream job, I travel, etc. First of all, I myself had the same idea about big stars. As a child I looked at models or actresses and said: Wow, they are beautiful, they are living the life of their dreams, who knows how good they are with themselves. After that, when I did campaigns with tops like Naomi Campbell or Gisele Bündchen, I always felt a little different, even if I did similar things with them. Then you realize that even Naomi, even the stars you think are the coolest people on the planet, have insecurities that success doesn't take away. If it happens to you, you understand that we are all fragile, we all have our insecurities and we all feel bad too. I am eternally grateful for my life, but I am not perfect and I don't even want to appear that way anymore.
However, it is easier to accept yourself in a penthouse than in a studio apartment, in a Lamborghini than in one'small car?
“But sure. I'm a happy person who has created a life that goes beyond the dreams I had as a child. Then that makes me weird and I'm always afraid that something might happen, but at the same time I try hard work to prevent that from happening.”
How do you explain a success that is bigger than your dreams?
“With a chain of events and with the fact that I very much followed my instincts.” Then there is success, it is objective, but whether I deserve it is a subjective thing. There will be many who think I don't deserve it. Patience”.
He laughs. Do you think you deserve it?
“I think I’m a good person and I do my best in everything I do.”