Chiara Ferragni

Chiara Ferragni (born 7 May 1987) is an Italian blogger and influencer.[4][5][6] She is known for founding the fashion blog The Blonde Salad and her Chiara Ferragni Collection brand.[7][8][9] She was the subject of two Harvard University case studies, including the first ever focused on a fashion influencer,[9] and was named one of the most influential figures in fashion by Forbes in 2017.[10]

Chiara Ferragni has been the face of multiple fashion and beauty brands, including Lancome, Pantene, Pomellato and Nespresso.[11][12][13][14] She has also collaborated with fashion houses including Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Prada and Fendi.[15][16][17][18]

Since 2022, has faced controversy, known as Pandorogate, related to a branded charity partnership with Balocco,[19][20] which resulted in a fine from the Italian Competition Authority and subsequent legal proceedings. The Pandorogate scandal led to the passage of the Ferragni Law in Italy to prevent future fraud and false advertising by influencers.[21] In January 2026, a court dismissed the 2025 aggravated fraud case involving Chiara Ferragni, finding no grounds for the charges after a settlement led Codacons to withdraw its complaint.[22]

Early life and education

Ferragni was born in the northern city of Cremona in 1987.[23] Ferragni is the oldest of three daughters. Her father was a dentist. Her mother Marina Di Guardo is an Italian writer from Sicily who also worked as deputy director of the Blumarine fashion house.[24][25] She grew up in Milan and studied international law at Bocconi University but quit studying four exams short of graduation to focus on her fashion career.[26][27]

Career

At the age of 16, she was hired by the Beatrice model agency in Milan. She modeled for the agency for a couple of years and then quit, due to "other goals to reach in my life".[28] She started her fashion blog "The Blonde Salad" in October 2009 with an ex-boyfriend, Riccardo Pozzoli.[29] In December 2011, she was profiled as the Blogger of the Moment in Teen Vogue, while a law student at Bocconi University.[30] In 2013 she launched her own clothing and accessories line, sold through e-commerce platforms as well as in boutiques in Milan, Paris and Shanghai.[26][8]

Ferragni moved to Los Angeles in 2013.[26] She appeared on Project Runway as a guest judge during season 13 in August that year.[31] Her business ventures grossed about $8 million (mostly from her Chiara Ferragni Collection footwear) in 2014,[32] and in 2015 she was listed in Forbes 30 under 30.[33]

Ferragni was on the cover of the April 2015 Vogue España, becoming the first fashion blogger to appear on any Vogue cover.[34] The same year, Harvard Business School published a study titled The Blonde Salad that examined how Chiara Ferragni transformed her blog into a monetized fashion business, analysing her revenue streams, brand extensions and strategic options.[9][7] Also in 2015, Chiara Ferragni attended for the first time the Met gala and returned once again in 2022.[35][36]

She returned to Italy in 2016.[26] By July 2017, Ferragni had 10 million followers on Instagram. Because of her broad following, she was able to earn about $12,000 for a sponsored post to Instagram.[37] She also used her social media followership to campaign against the far right party in Italy.[38]

In 2017, Ferragni was chosen to design costumes for the 4th edition of Intimissimi on ice.[39][40] On 26 July 2017, she opened her first Chiara Ferragni Collection store in Milan.[41]

In September 2019, Chiara Ferragni — Unposted, the documentary on Chiara’s life and career was premiered at the Venice Film Festival.[42]

In December 2021, the TV series The Ferragnez, a docu-reality focused on Chiara Ferragni’s and her family’s life debuted on Amazon Prime Video and the second season was released in May 2023.[43]

In June 2021, the Italian rapper Baby K released "Non mi basta più" featuring Chiara Ferragni. She and her then-husband Fedez raised €3 million in 24 hours through a fundraiser to support the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy.[44]

In 2021 she launched her first jewelry and watch collection under a worldwide licensing deal with the Morellato Group.[45] In April 2021, Ferragni joined the Board of Directors of Tod's Group.[46][47] In March 2024, she was removed from this position.[48] Ferragni also served as a global ambassador for the Italian jeweler Bulgari.[49]

In May 2021, Ferragni unveiled the Nespresso × Chiara Ferragni collection on her social media. A temporary pop-up cafe was set up in celebration of the capsule.[50] In early 2023 she co-created an Ispirazione Italiana limited collection with Nespresso that included a new Milano-themed coffee blend (“Milano Intenso”) as well as matching espresso cups and a special machine design. The collection was promoted at a pop-up event in Milan and highlighted Italy’s coffee culture.[51][52] By this time, her holding company was valued at €75 million.[53] Also in 2023, she served as a co-host of one of Italy’s most-watched television events, 73rd Sanremo Music Festival.[54][55]

Ferragni has been the face of multiple worldwide campaigns with brands in the luxury and beauty industry, including P&G’s Pantene, Lancome, and has worked on multiple projects with Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton.[12][56][16][17][18]

In September 2023, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana announced Chiara Ferragni new role as a member of the Advisory Committee at Camera Moda Fashion Trust to support emerging fashion designers.[57]

In January 2025, Ferragni announced a major overhaul of her fashion empire. She underwrote a €6.4 million capital increase in her company Fenice (which owns the Chiara Ferragni brand), bringing her ownership to nearly 99%.[58] Ferragni also closed her Rome flagship store and liquidated the Fenice Retail subsidiary to focus on high-value markets and digital channels.[59] Later in 2025 she relaunched her brand with a new capsule collection called “Rivoluzione Romantica”, created in collaboration with the Italian DJ duo named Rivoluzione Romantica.[60]

Chiara Ferragni is currently CEO of TBS Crew Srl, a Media Agency that includes services such as talent management, marketing strategy advisory and an online magazine.[61]

Ferragni is the 99% majority shareholder of Fenice Srl, the company that owns the "Chiara Ferragni" brand. Although she is the owner, she has stepped down from operational management and, as of October 2024, no longer hold the role of CEO, which is held by Claudio Calabi.[62][63]

Pandorogate

In December 2022, Ferragni partnered with Balocco to market a branded Balocco pandoro that was sold at a higher price, and advertised with references to charitable giving to the Regina Margherita children’s hospital in Turin. An investigation by Italy’s competition authority (AGCM) found that customers were likely misled into believing that proceeds from the product were being donated, while only a one-off donation from Balocco of €50,000 had been made month earlier.[64][65]

In December 2023 the AGCM imposed administrative fines totalling €1.075 million on companies linked to Ferragni and a separate fine on Balocco.[19]

Ferragni subsequently issued a public apology and paid funds to children’s charities as part of a settlement.[66][67]

Separately, prosecutors in Milan opened a criminal investigation into the promotional campaigns and in January 2025 Ferragni was sent for trial on charges that include aggravated fraud. Ferragni has denied wrongdoing and her lawyers say regulatory issues were addressed through the settlement with the competition authority.

In December 2025, prosecutors in Milan requested a 20-month prison sentence for Ferragni in a fraud case over alleged misleading charity marketing tied to her “Pandoro” cake campaign. [68]

The controversy had commercial consequences: Ferragni has suffered significant financial losses and damage to her image, several brands and partners ceased or paused collaborations after the AGCM decision.[69][70][71] Ferragni’s companies reported negative results and the minor shareholders were threatening legal action.[72][73] On June 26, 2025, it was announced that the companies attributable to her were losing 5.7 million euros.[74]

On 29 January 2025, Ferragni was bound over to trial for aggravated fraud, which will begin in September 2025.[75][76]

Ferragni Law

The case prompted broader regulatory action in Italy. In January 2024 the government approved a draft bill (referred to in the Italian press as the DDL Beneficenza or "Ferragni Law") to increase transparency and labelling requirements for products promoted as supporting charitable causes, and communications regulators tightened guidance for influencers.[77] The law regulates influencers with over 1 million followers to prevent future cases of fraud and false advertising.[78][79]

Public activities

Throughout her career, Chiara Ferragni has advocated for various social causes, including female entrepreneurship, mental health, violence against women, and LGBTQ+ rights. In March 2020, she and Fedez launched a GoFundMe appeal to support intensive-care capacity at Milan’s San Raffaele hospital; the campaign raised several millions of euros, and she contributed a personal donation to kick-start the appeal.[80][81][82][83]

Recognition

Personal life

Ferragni and Italian rapper Federico Lucia, known as Fedez, started dating in September 2016 and married on 1 September 2018 in Noto, Sicily.[99] They have two children, born 2018 and 2021.[100][101] They separated in early 2024 after Ferragni was sanctioned for the Pandorogate scandal,[102] and divorced in mid-2025.[103]

Filmography

Discography

External links

• Shoe design website
• The Blonde Salad blog