FLYING PROBE: Italy’s antitrust watchdog has begun a probe to determine whether Alitalia and luxury goods group Aeffe have possibly engaged in surreptitious advertising through social media.
The antitrust authority has launched a preliminary investigation of Italy’s largest airline company and of Aeffe, in a link to its co-owner Alberta Ferretti. It is also investigating a number of influencers, including Chiara Ferragni, who posted on Instagram images of themselves wearing Alberta Ferretti designs embellished with the Alitalia logo.
On Tuesday, Aeffe executive chairman Massimo Ferretti, brother of the designer, had no comment on the issue.
In June, Ferretti unveiled the new uniforms she designed for employees of Alitalia, as well as a see-now-buy-now capsule collection. The latter was presented at the brand’s resort 2019 and “Limited Edition” midi couture fall collection runway show that month.
The new uniforms replaced this summer those designed by Italian haute couturier Ettore Bilotta, which Alitalia introduced in 2016.
The capsule was immediately available at the brand’s stores and e-commerce, as well as at selected retailers including LuisaViaRoma, Rinascente, Farfetch and Forward by Elyse Walker, and consisted of a sweatshirt, a T-shirt and a sweater embellished with the Alitalia logo.