An insider's guide to your favourite fashion brands
Who started it?
Alberta Ferretti was born in 1950 in Cattolica, on the Adriatic coast of Italy. Her mother was a dressmaker who taught Ferretti how to design clothes. At the age of 18 she opened a boutique in Rimini called Jolly Shop, stocking clothes from designers she admired, including Armani, Krizia and Versace.
In 1974, she launched her womenswear label, Alberta Ferretti, and in 1980 she and her brother Massimo founded the manufacturing company Aeffe. Over the years, the company has acquired the rights to produce and distribute designs for brands such as Moschino, Pollini, Basso & Brooke, Narciso Rodriguez and Jean Paul Gaultier.
Ferretti made her debut at Milan Fashion Week in 1981, when her collection of pretty, romantic dresses caught the attention of the international media. In September 2004, she showed patchworks of different-coloured chiffon sewn together to create evening gowns. Shredded chiffon skirts featured mirror embroidery, built-in jewellery and feathery effects.
Her collections over the years have featured her trademark feminine, delicate and simple lines, with antique decoration. Ferretti is known for decisive cuts, luxurious fabrics, beautiful construction and soft silhouettes using beaded and embroidered chiffons and sari silks.