Interview: Furla CEO Eraldo Poletto on reimagining accessible luxury in a changing world

Introduction: When Eraldo Poletto returned to Furla as CEO earlier this year, it was, in his words, a homecoming. At a moment when the luxury sector faces both polarisation and profound change, Poletto is steering the Italian house with a renewed sense of purpose: to restore profitability, reinforce Furla’s joyful DNA and reaffirm its place in the premium luxury segment.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Poletto outlines his back-to-basics approach while setting clear priorities for growth in global travel retail; a channel he sees as a strategic stage for brand visibility and engagement. He speaks about balancing heritage with modernity, engaging with Gen Z and Millennial consumers and embracing the digital and experiential opportunities that will define travel retail’s future.

Above all, he frames Furla’s competitive advantage as its ability to deliver authentic Italian design and craftsmanship at an attainable price point – a proposition that feels increasingly relevant as luxury consumers seek meaning, value and emotional connection.

What motivated your decision to rejoin the company at this pivotal moment in its history?

Rejoining Furla feels a bit like a homecoming. I’ve had the privilege of leading this company twice before, and both times I was deeply inspired by the brand, its people and its potential. Even after stepping away, I never stopped watching Furla from afar, always with great affection and respect for what it represents in the market.

What excites me most about this moment is the evolution of the premium luxury segment. Consumers today are seeking brands that combine quality, creativity and accessibility in a way that feels authentic and aspirational. Furla is uniquely positioned to deliver exactly that. I see tremendous opportunity to build on its strong heritage and take it to the next level – not just in terms of growth, but in deepening its emotional connection with customers globally.

Coming back now is about passion and purpose – passion for the brand and the team, and purpose in helping guide Furla through a very exciting chapter of its journey.

What key priorities will define your second tenure as CEO? What is your immediate strategy for stabilising the business and restoring profitability?

The key priority for this new chapter is going back to fundamentals – rediscovering and reinforcing what makes Furla unique. That means keeping things simple, staying true to who we are as a brand and creating real excitement around our products and values, while delivering clear value to our customers. It’s also about reconnecting with new and existing customers by bringing them back to the playful, joyful essence of Furla.

Furla has a distinct value proposition that resonates deeply with its audience. When that alignment between brand, product and customer connection is perfect, the potential is limitless. Right now, my immediate focus is to bring those elements back into balance – ensuring the right product offer, presented with the right storytelling, in the right channels – so we can stabilise the business and restore profitability while building for long-term growth.

Furla has maintained a strong presence in travel retail over the years. How do you assess the role of this channel as the company writes its next chapter of growth and brand consolidation?

Furla has always had an international mindset and travel retail has been one of the most dynamic ways to connect with our global customer. Airports are unique touchpoints – places where people are open to discovery and looking for something special that fits seamlessly into their lifestyle.

This channel has evolved dramatically since 2020, with new expectations around convenience, exclusivity and product curation. Our goal is to meet our customer there with the right offering: collections designed specifically for travel retail, presented in a way that reflects Furla’s Italian heritage while addressing the needs of a traveller on the move.

As we write this next chapter, travel retail will remain a strategic pillar, not only for driving sales but also for strengthening brand visibility and emotional connection on a global stage.

What are your biggest priorities in the sector in terms of geography, retailer or channel-type? In your view, where do the opportunities lie in travel retail?

The key to success in travel retail is having a strong presence in the world’s major hubs – the airports where our customers are most engaged and open to discovery. But location alone isn’t enough. What has been missing in the channel is that extra layer of excitement – a product offering that gives travellers a compelling reason to purchase something beyond what they may have already seen in our boutiques or online.

This means focusing on product differentiation – exclusive pieces, limited editions or playful designs created specifically for this channel. Items that feel fun, collectible and give the traveller a sense of finding something special in the ‘last mile’ of their journey. That’s where I see the greatest opportunity: to transform travel retail from a convenience channel into a place of surprise, delight and brand connection.

We’ve seen a polarisation in the luxury market, with ultra-luxury brands accelerating while the accessible luxury segment faces more pressure. Where does Furla see its competitive advantage within this landscape?

The luxury market is experiencing a unique moment. With the exception of a few players many traditional luxury brands are struggling to connect with consumers amid luxury fatigue, a cost-of-living crisis and a sense of sameness across the category. At the same time, younger generations are increasingly valuing experiences over possessions and questioning whether the steep price increases from high-end luxury over the past three years are truly justified.

This creates an enormous opportunity for Furla. Our products carry an elevated level of design sophistication that can rival even the highest tiers of luxury, yet thanks to decades of craftsmanship and production know-how, we can deliver this at a price that is respectful and attainable to our customers.

Furla has never been about putting profits before customer value – it’s about making beauty, design and quality accessible to a wider audience. That is our competitive advantage: offering authentic luxury that feels inspiring, joyful and within reach, at a time when consumers are craving both meaning and value in their choices.

How is Furla adapting its design language, pricing architecture and storytelling to appeal to younger, experience-led luxury shoppers without losing the essence of its Italian heritage, particularly in travel retail?

One of Furla’s greatest strengths is that it has never been designed with one archetype of woman in mind. Our products are created for every side of every woman at every age, whether she needs a structured bag for work or a playful piece for a party. That versatility allows us to speak to a broad audience of cross-generational experience-led luxury shoppers, without losing who we are.

Furla has always stood for joy, colour and a welcoming spirit – values that resonate deeply with the next generation and with anyone who is young at heart. And because authenticity is part of our DNA, we don’t need to change who we are to stay relevant; we simply need to express those values with clarity and creativity.

Our pricing architecture supports this approach, making beautiful, Italian-crafted design accessible while staying true to our heritage. In many ways, appealing to younger shoppers isn’t about adaptation – it’s about alignment, showcasing what Furla has always been: authentic, welcoming and emotionally resonant.

With sustainability becoming a non-negotiable in luxury, what steps is Furla taking to ensure responsible growth – from sourcing and manufacturing to circularity and transparency?

Responsible commerce has always been at the heart of Furla. From day one, our focus has been on creating products designed to last for years, not seasons. It’s something our customers notice – if you look at online forums, one of the most common comments is that a Furla bag can still look brand new after 15 years. That longevity is one of the most sustainable choices a brand can make.

At the same time, we’re actively investigating in-house solutions for circularity and continuously examining our sourcing and manufacturing practices. We’re also diligently preparing to align with the important upcoming EU sustainability legislation.

As the digitalisation of travel retail gathers pace, how is Furla exploring omnichannel engagement with travelling consumers – for instance through pre-travel engagement, click-and-collect or loyalty platforms?

Digitalisation in travel retail is accelerating, and we see tremendous potential to engage with our travelling customers in meaningful ways. Naturally, this is easier to manage in our own stores, where we control the flow of data. In travel retail, it’s more complex, but also an exciting challenge.

For Furla, the key is collaboration – working closely with airport operators and partners to develop solutions that truly serve the customer, rather than just capturing data for its own sake. The question we ask is always: how can we use this information to enhance the customer experience, make it more seamless, enjoyable and personalised? When digital tools are deployed with that mindset, we can create a travel retail experience that is not only convenient but also emotionally resonant, reflecting the joy and accessibility that Furla stands for.

Retailtainment, personalisation and experience becoming more central to travel retail success. How is Furla incorporating these in its travel retail approach?

The opportunities to make airport shopping more fun and engaging are practically limitless. In travel retail, it’s about creating experiences that go beyond what customers find in our city stores – making products easy to buy, offering fun objects and incorporating personalisation or specialisation that give travellers a unique reason to purchase.

Charms, for example, are a tremendous opportunity: if a city store carries 20 charms, a travel retail location might offer 50, creating a sense of discovery and exclusivity. Right now, many airport stores mirror their city counterparts, making price the main point of differentiation.

We see a much bigger opportunity: to make travel retail a ‘don’t miss’ destination where shopping is joyful, interactive and memorable – reinforcing Furla’s spirit of fun, creativity and accessibility.

What does a good Trinity partnership look like to you in 2025?

A strong Trinity partnership in 2025 is built on a shared focus: putting the customer at the centre, rather than just the financial bottom line. That means aligning on CRM, product assortment and creating an airport environment that is beautiful, welcoming and engaging. Every step of the traveller’s journey should be an opportunity to connect with the brand.

Of course, everything is shaped by how much free time a traveller has. The more efficient the airport is before security, the more opportunities we have to create meaningful engagement before boarding. Spaces should feel open, inviting and thoughtfully designed to enhance the shopping experience.

Pricing and product selection are also critical, particularly for new customer acquisition. In duty free, people who aren’t our core audience are suddenly exposed to Furla. Offering smaller items at the right price can turn first-time visitors into loyal customers. By thinking carefully about efficiency, design, product assortment and pricing, we can collaborate with partners to transform duty free from a tunnel into a destination – a space that is both commercially successful and emotionally engaging for the traveller. ✈