Lapo Elkann's biography
Brand or non-brand
October 7, 1977Lapo Edovard Elkann was born in New York the day October 7, 1977. The son of journalist and Alain Elkann, Margherita Agnelli's brother John and Geneva, granddaughters of the industrialist Gianni Agnelli and thus heirs to the Agnelli family which is headed by Fiat. He studied at the French Lycée Victor Duruy and international relations in London, then as is tradition in the upbringing of offspring of the Agnelli family, in 1994 held the first experience working as a metalworker in the Piaggio factory under an assumed name: Lapo Rossi. During this period he also took part in a strike, demanding better working conditions, due to the excessive heat that is suffered to the Assembly line.
Passionate about new technologies and languages, in the learn to speak fluent Italian, French, English, Portuguese and Spanish. Lapo works then in Ferrari and Maserati marketing department where he spent four and a half years doing important experiences in the field of strategic communication. In 2001, after the events of September 11, he was able to work for a year as Assistant to Henry Kissinger, old friend of his grandfather. In 2002 the Attorney's medical condition worsens and Lapo, him strongly linked, decides to return to Italy to be around him. Between the two there is a clear very special relationship: affection, complicity and esteem, show that Gianni Agnelli saw in creativity, originality and the curiosity of his nephew much of its elegant yet whimsical personality. Gianni Agnelli dies at the beginning of 2003, leaving the leadership of the young John Elkann-Fiat said Jaki-di Lapo brother and him less bizarre and whimsical.
Lapo consolidates its role in Fiat asking specifically to deal with brand promotion and communication. Lapo is the first to realize that the Fiat brand suffers from a huge communication problem, especially in relation to young people. Lapo has a winning intuition. Raise the image of the entire Fiat in Italy and abroad through different types of gadgets, such as the sweatshirt with logo of the automaker, which he promoted and worn publicly firsthand. His commitment and mission, almost an obsession, give excellent results. From 2004 he became head of Brand promotion for all three brands of Ingot: Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia.
In addition to managerial intuition, great popularity comes from the Chronicle rose for his romantic relationship with actress Martina Stella, then finished. The modern and irreverent character of Lapo has got to be often and in different statements: the tv, the media, as the parodies and criticisms help to create a character. Then Lapo plunges into what appears to be an abyss, becoming the star of a fact that elicits quite a stir: the day October 11, 2005 is hospitalized in the intensive care unit of the Hospital of Turin's Mauriziano, following a drug overdose mix of opium, heroin and cocaine. Lapo is found in a coma after a wild night passed with four trannies. One of them, Donato Broco (known in the world of prostitution as "Patrizia"), he told the Corriere della Sera that Lapo had strayed to her house that night, as seems to have been used to it.
To leave behind all heavy aftermaths of this affair, released from the hospital, Lapo moved to Arizona, in the United States, where he starts a therapy, followed by a period of convalescence in the family residence in Miami (in Florida). Back in Italy with morale rebuilt, wants to demonstrate its new energy and talent: "Italy Independent" gives birth to a new company specialized in producing and selling accessories and apparel. In the presentation of the new brand "-I" (which in English sounds like "eye-eye"), stresses the fundamental focus for him on the launch of the concept of "no-brand", referring to the possibility for the consumer to completely customize the product to buy. Its first product created and presented at Pitti Uomo 2007 are a type of sunglasses in carbon fiber.
In the first three years after the glasses there will be a watch, jewellery, then a bike, skateboard and items for travellers; all objects that point primarily to the use of innovative materials. In late October 2007 Lapo Elkann became President of the Italian society of volleyball A1 series Sparkling Milano; the adventure ended in June 2008 when he was given the title at the company Volleyball Pineto (Teramo).
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.