Ferrari, Prada and Gucci: Italian luxury shines in the 100 Best Global Brands list

"An immense producer not only of goods, but also of communicative warmth": this was, according to Jean Baudrillard, the 'consumer society', where the value of an object was also defined by its ability to love and make its consumer feel loved. This sort of energy that emanates from brands is what has been measured for 25 years by Interbrand with an accurate methodology composed of financial and strategic evaluations, and which gives rise to the ranking of the 100 Best Global Brands, the most important on the planet in terms of value.

In the list, which includes all consumer-related industries (see article below), although luxury brands are not the most numerous (there are eight of them), they mark one of the highest sectoral increases in value, at 7%, further up from +6.5% in 2023. Louis Vuitton remains the top brand in the rankings, in 11th place and up three places, while Hermès (No. 22) and Prada (No. 83) have recorded two of the biggest rises this year, with brand values up 15% and 14% respectively, the highest growths in the luxury segment: "Prada confirms a very positive trend: it has recorded double-digit growth since 2021," emphasises Lidi Grimaldi, CEO of Interbrand's Italian office. "Its being a cultural brand distinguishes it from other luxury players. Its consistency, affinity with the target audience, and superior performance in financial results have made it one of the best performing brands this year. Some strategic moves such as partnerships with Adobe, Oracle, Adidas and Unesco were also important.

Second year down (by 10%) for Gucci, in 41st place despite being the number one Italian fashion brand in the ranking. The flagship of the Kering group is continuing to invest in its new course, as confirmed by the recent appointment of Stefano Cantino as the new CEO as of 2025: "Last year we recorded the first signs of the moment of great transformation that Gucci is experiencing," Grimaldi continues. "Actions of discontinuity with respect to the recent past take time to be metabolised by the market, especially if the market itself shows signs of crisis. Even the financial results reflect this difficulty. Despite this slowdown, Gucci remains a company of great value, which has introduced numerous innovations and demonstrated a strong capacity for adaptation and transformation'.

Among the best strategies adopted by brands in the sector, Interbrand includes extension in a lifestyle sense. This is, for example, what Missoni is focusing on, investing decisively in real estate and hospitality, but it is above all the strategy of Ferrari, the brand with the highest growth in value ever (equal to 21%) and which ranks 62nd: in Maranello, the company also offers visitors the experience of the Il Cavallino restaurant, with dishes signed by Massimo Bottura, and recently presented in Milan its collection of clothes and accessories for the 2025 season designed by Rocco Iannone. An evolution also followed by Louis Vuitton - which has just presented its first art de la table collection and in 2026 will open its first hotel in Paris - but which is natural, perhaps simple, only in appearance: "Bringing a brand into the lifestyle world requires a deep understanding of its audience and the ability to evolve continuously in order to remain relevant in a rapidly changing market," notes Grimaldi, who adds that "the brands that have demonstrated clarity of direction and the ability to engage their target audience in different areas, are those that have shown the most resilience in the market. Will the consumption crisis that is affecting almost all players in the sector, largely caused by the Chinese slowdown, affect this successful trend of luxury brands? "China is a crucial market and a contraction in demand could temporarily slow down growth in terms of brand value, but the most resilient will be able to adapt by entering new competitive spaces and above all by leveraging their close ties with their consumers".