United Colors of Benetton appoints Andrea Incontri Chief Creative Officer

MILAN – United Colors of Benetton has appointed Andrea Incontri as Creative Director, in charge of women's, men's and children's collections.

The designer's first collection will be released for spring 2023 and will be presented in September during Milan Fashion Week.

Massimo Renon, Chairman and CEO of the Benetton group, said he was "particularly proud" of the arrival of Incontri because of his "dynamism, his enthusiasm and his research", which will enable the company to exceed the milestones achieved over the years.< /p>

Benetton's industrial and creative prowess "has contributed to the rise of fashion sensibility and awareness of many social issues over the last 50 years of Italian history," Renon continued.< /p>

The leader, who joined Benetton from Marcolin in April 2020, said the arrival of Incontri "will bring new energy to a story of success going through a generational shift" leading to "urgent redefinition of the social role of fashion and ready to wear."

As an Italian, Incontri also expressed his pride in joining a company and a brand that "has built its history beyond the product. Like Tod's, it is an ethically correct family project. The designer was the male artistic director of Tod's for five years until 2019. Benetton, he continued, "delivers an accessible and democratic project while respecting impeccable quality".

Furthermore, said Incontri, it represents "values ​​and a culture that reflect modern humanism", as it has pioneered inclusion and diversity, as well as sustainability through its timeless designs and durable, as well as a wardrobe of everyday essentials. "Simplifying is harder but more fulfilling," he said.

Taking advantage of his background in architecture and his methodical approach, he said he was interested in approaching the work also from a retail perspective, given the importance of this distribution channel for Benetton. "The brand has always been committed to providing an experience for its customers in its stores."

Incontri will be in charge of a new communication campaign which will be released at the end of August to present the brand's autumn collection.

“I am aware of and respect the excellent work done in communication over the years, but I aim not to repeat the same thing. We are building a new chapter of a natural evolution”, explains the designer. Oliviero Toscani worked for years with Benetton on its groundbreaking and controversial campaigns.

The spring parade will take place in Milan's sprawling Corso Buenos Aires store, again highlighting the importance of the group's retail channel, which will be renovated. A new accessories, sweaters and sneakers capsule will be part of the collection and will be immediately available in stores.

Benetton's core and historic business of knitwear, "beautiful, durable and democratic yarns", will continue to be relevant also for Incontri, which highlighted the brand's "bold and precise aesthetic" at the times for product and stores.

When asked about his goals, Incontri responded with a metaphor related to architecture, also considering the way Benetton's head office was designed by Tobia and Afra Scarpa and Fabrica's building complex, the center communication research center of the Benetton group, was restored by the Japanese architect Tadao Ando.

"Benetton is like a magnificent palace with closed doors that has not yet shown everything inside. I would now like to open its windows and doors, to show how much beauty and culture inside,” said Incontri, who will also work on Fabrica.

He said his meeting with Luciano Benetton, with whom he also discussed architecture and art, was a highlight. “He represents the company and the company reflects his vision. Meeting him gave me strength and motivation.”

A graduate in architecture from the Politecnico di Milano, Incontri, who launched his eponymous brand in 2009, won the men's edition of the "Who Is on Next?" competition. talent search in 2010 in the accessories category. The designer...