Ferragni’s woes continue as another ‘charitable’ case is uncovered, and one of her licensing agreements is suspended. Italian eyewear maker Safilo said on Thursday it was ending a licensing agreement with top fashion influencer Chiara Ferragni.
The Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni has come under fire for misleading advertising on charity initiatives. This has not only cost her in fines and bad press, but is also losing her contracts with other suppliers, such as Safilo.
Safilo announced the suspension of the multi-year agreement for the design, production, and distribution of Chiara Ferragni-branded glasses, citing a “violation of contractual commitments undertaken by the brand owner,” according to a statement by the company.
The decision by Safilo is reportedly linked to “good conduct” clauses, which were invoked following a recent ruling by Italy’s antitrust agency AGCM. The agency imposed a fine of €1.075million on Ferragni last week. A source close to the matter revealed that the violation of contractual commitments is tied to this regulatory action.
Consumers mislead by donation claims
The AGCM’s decision stemmed from allegations that consumers were misled into believing that purchasing a Ferragni-branded Pandoro in 2022 would contribute to charity for a children’s hospital.
Despite receiving €1million for the branding initiative, Ferragni allegedly failed to provide any financial support to the hospital. Instead, the hospital received a fixed-sum donation of €50,000 from the cake-maker, unrelated to sales.
Chiara Ferragni, renowned as one of the world’s most influential fashion figures with nearly 30 million Instagram followers, faced significant backlash over the incident, including criticism from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
In response to the controversy, the 36-year-old influencer issued a public apology on Monday and pledged a €1million donation to the associated children’s hospital.
But the problems don’t end with a Christmas cake, Easter eggs are now a choke hazard for Ferragni.
The consumer association Codacons, which denounced the “pandoros”, has also highlighted the Easter eggs sold by the company “Dolci Preziosi”. These were to contribute to another charity project, that of “I bambini delle fate” which promotes inclusion of children with autism.
According to Il Fatto Quotidiano, Chiara Ferragni made half a million euros in 2021 and another €700,000 in profits from the sale of these chocolates in 2022. The company only donated €12,000 and €24,000 each year. If confirmed, this would be another Ferragni business operation disguised as charity.
All quiet on the Ferragni Instagram front
Since Chiara posted an apologetic video on Instagram three days ago, and subsequently reposted three old images, her channel has been quiet.
She has faced a backlash on her account, from people calling her ‘false’ and commenting that ‘her house was bought on the proceeds meant for the kids’.
The question is, will Ferragni lose further lucrative contracts, or will this all quietly disappear as we ring in the New Year?
