Company Profile
Designer Profile
An eclectic and willful creative, defined by a strong ambition to realize her dreams with determination since her childhood, designer and entrepreneur Elisabetta Franchi is the mastermind and soul of the namesake brand, which has captivated the female universe combining contemporary elegance and seduction, practicality and femininity.
Born in Bologna, Italy in 1968 to a humble family, Elisabetta Franchi realizes at an early age that fashion is her vocation. She finds it out thanks to her sole doll, Betty, which would inspire the name of the Betty Blue SpA company, established in 1998. She takes her first steps in the fashion industry as a sales associate, uncovering her ability to understand female clients’ needs.
Moved by ambition, intuition, and a strategic vision, in 1995 Elisabetta Franchi opens a small atelier that evolves into a full-fledged company, Betty Blue SpA, three years later. In 2012 the designer decides to rename her fashion brand as Elisabetta Franchi, which debuted at Milan Fashion Week with the Spring/Summer 2015 collection.
In 2021 her business acumen is recognized as she is bestowed with the Knighthood honor of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by its president Sergio Mattarella. That same year she is awarded with the Ernst&Young Italy’s prize as entrepreneur of the year for creating value with an innovative spirit and strategic vision, contributing to the growth of the national economy.
An advocate of animal welfare and rights, between 2012 and 2013 Elisabetta Franchi collections go fur-free, a move followed by the elimination of down and angora wool. In 2015 she becomes a member of LAV (Lega Anti Vivisezione, or Anti-Vivisection Alliance) and in 2018 she establishes the Fondazione Elisabetta Franchi non-profit association geared at supporting initiatives aimed at animal welfare.
Headquarter
In 2006, the designer bought an old, disused pharmaceutical factory, which after two years of planning and renovation, became the maison's headquarter in 2008: over 6,000 square metres of modern and functional beauty, immersed in the Bolognese countryside. Designed on the model of a simple parallelepiped, the structure architecturally represents the brand's distinctive characteristics: consistency, precision, tenacity and stubbornness.
The design is based on a few elements that accompany the space: glass, metal and wood in relation to each other through inflections of light that give an active role to the linear geometries that define the spaces.
The restyling, in full respect of eco-sustainable architecture, has given new splendour to the building, fully expressing the passion Elisabetta Franchi has always cultivated, alongside fashion, for architecture and design. Made of simple and essential materials, the structure is balanced through the use of light reflecting them from the external black polished aluminium façade, which gives it a scenographic and functional effect.
Showroom Milano
In 2013, Elisabetta Franchi chooses Milan for the opening of its first executive showroom, located in Via Tortona 9, in the heart of the city's fashion district: an entire building in the shape of a black monolith, measuring 950 square metres - developed on 6 floors.
A refined location, whose spaces can accommodate up to 3 collections at the same time. The interior design is a prelude to the elegance of the maison's garments. A sober and refined concept characterises the environment: walnut wood with a glossy finish for the boiserie and the designer furnishings on the ground floor - which houses the reception and waiting rooms, embellished with sofas, armchairs, and soft lighting - contribute to making the atmosphere welcoming.
Retail
Entrare in uno store Elisabetta Franchi significa ritrovarsi nel salotto della fashion designer e vivere a pieno lo stile del brand. È un luogo accogliente, raffinato, elegante e riflette lo stile delle collezioni e della filosofia del brand.
Un concept raccontato attraverso un accurato design, fatto di linee pulite ed essenziali che si armonizzano con lo spazio. Abiti e accessori si combinano in una sinergia che evoca un senso di lusso sofisticato, tra artigianalità, glamour e raffinatezza.
Store
Entering an Elisabetta Franchi store means finding yourself in the fashion designer’s living room and fully experiencing the style of the brand. It is a welcoming, refined and elegant place, reflecting the style of the collections and the underlying philosophy.
A concept conveyed through a thoughtful design, made up of clean and essential lines that harmonise with the space. Clothes and accessories combine in a synergy that evokes a sense of sophisticated luxury, a combination of craftsmanship, glamor and refinement.
Craftmanship
Quality, craftsmanship and sartorial expertise: these values are behind every Elisabetta Franchi collection, for a luxurious style that has become the new standard in the world of fashion.
From research to the study of materials and fabrics and the creation of prototypes with painstaking care for details, every single phase of the production of each item is carried out at the headquarters. The fashion house’s innovative ideas are turned into reality by expert hands, in an on-going dialogue inspired by a passion for excellence.
At the heart of all collections is a constant improvement of fitting and superior care for details, which result in garments and accessories of the highest quality, characterized by a sophisticated elegance which is a true symbol of “made in Italy”.
Celebrities
Grazie al suo stile, che spazia tra eleganza e sensualità, Elisabetta Franchi ha conquistato in poco tempo anche il mondo delle celebrity. Star di Hollywood del calibro di Angelina Jolie, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Emily Blunt, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Kendall Jenner, Dita Von Teese e Kourtney Kardashia hanno sfoggiato i suoi abiti in occasione di red carpet ed eventi internazionali.
Elisabetta Franchi ha realizzato il suo sogno di “vestire tutte le donne più belle e influenti del mondo”, puntando su una strategia di prodotto ben precisa: proporre dei capi versatili, adatti ad ogni donna e occasione, che emanano femminilità e sensualità, senza mai perdere la grinta, tipica della donna Elisabetta Franchi.
EF Loves Animals
In addition to fashion, Elisabetta Franchi has always had a great passion, which she cultivates not only in her private life, but also by combining it with her work: a passion for animals, and the strenuous defence of their rights, in the name of cruelty-free fashion.
Her collections are a reflection of this unconditional love: in fact, all the garments are made without the use of raw materials such as angora and real down, which are harvested using cruel techniques that violate the dignity of animals. Fur is also banned from the collections, in compliance with the Lav 'Fur Free Retailer Program'. Over the years, Elisabetta Franchi has promoted numerous campaigns to raise awareness in defence of animal rights: from the "Love Dogs" and "Naked Truth" projects, created against the abandonment and mistreatment of animals, to the first Dog Hospitality project in Italy, which allows the company's employees to bring their four-legged friends into the office with them.
In 2015, the 'EF loves dogs' collection was inaugurated: a series of products dedicated to four-legged friends, the proceeds of which go to support associations that defend and protect abandoned animals. In 2019, all support and safeguard activities have merged into one ambitious project: the 'Fondazione Elisabetta Franchi Onlus'.