Salvatore Ferragamo has appointed Yigit Turhan as chief brand officer, the latest in a series of executive appointments aimed at revitalizing the Florentine luxury house as it navigates a repositioning that seeks to reconcile its heritage of fine shoemaking with the demands of the contemporary luxury market.
Turhan arrives at Ferragamo with a background that bridges the worlds of luxury retail and brand strategy, having held senior roles at companies including Rimowa and LVMH. His appointment reflects the priority that Ferragamo’s leadership has placed on brand-building and creative direction as the house works to redefine its identity in a market segment — accessible luxury with Italian heritage credentials — that has become increasingly crowded.
The chief brand officer role at Ferragamo is a new position, signaling a structural change in how the house approaches the relationship between its product and its public image. Historically, Ferragamo’s brand identity was inseparable from its founder’s legacy as the “shoemaker of the stars” — the craftsman who created footwear for Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Judy Garland. In the twenty-first century, the brand has struggled to extend that identity beyond footwear into a full ready-to-wear proposition that resonates with contemporary luxury consumers.
Turhan’s mandate includes overseeing Ferragamo’s communication strategy, retail experience, and brand partnerships, with a particular focus on digital engagement and the brand’s presence in the Asia-Pacific market, which has become Ferragamo’s largest region. The house has been investing in store renovations, digital infrastructure, and a refreshed visual identity under creative director Maximilian Davis, whose appointment in 2022 was itself a bet on a younger, more fashion-forward direction.
For the Italian luxury sector, Ferragamo’s executive reshuffling is part of a broader pattern of heritage houses bringing in external talent to navigate the transition from family-run operations to professionally managed luxury brands. The challenge for these houses is to preserve the craft credibility and historical narrative that make them distinctive while acquiring the commercial discipline and cultural relevance necessary to compete with the conglomerate-backed brands that dominate the luxury landscape.
