The Geek of Chic - by Federico Marchetti (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

An inspiring story full of successes, mistakes, honesty, and what it takes to start from zero, with the purpose to give courage to anyone who wants to change the world.

Federico Marchetti took a few million dollar investment from Benchmark, a venture capital firm, in early 2000 and turned it into YOOX Net-a-Porter Group. This was later sold to Cartier's parent company, Richemont, in a $6 billion transaction value. Marchetti found his own recipe for success by combining Silicon Valley hard skills with Italian creativity and humanism. His approach to business harkens back to this Italian DNA, and yet Marchetti helped bring fashion into the 21st century by building Italy's first unicorn--in a country lacking digital infrastructure and tech culture.

Marchetti's story unfolds against a backdrop of European vistas--Milan, Lake Como, Venice, and England's Royal Palaces. His journey starts with a challenging Italian childhood, and hits on many of the most significant moments in international business over the past decades--from working in the Twin Towers to studying at Columbia Business School and launching a start-up right before the dotcom bubble. Along the way he meets the who's who of technology from Jeff Bezos to Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg.

Marchetti sits on the Armani board of directors as the only non-family member, attends the catwalk shows, and co-invests in the movies of Luca Guadagnino. From the glamorous party thrown with Anna Wintour to the dazzling coronation of King Charles III--where he sits on another type of front row as the only Italian invited alongside the President of the Republic of Italy--The Geek of Chic is as inspiring as it is entertaining, filled with doses of style, surreal situations, unexpected happenings, and 'sliding door' moments.

Review Quotes

"Federico built a huge ecommerce business from the ground up, and did it with style and integrity, not to mention 5 million satisfied customers. His vision and appetite for innovation make him a role model."--Bruce Dunlevie, Founder of Benchmark Capital, Silicon Valley venture capital firm

"Federico has been on an extraordinary professional and personal journey and is always genuinely generous in sharing his life lessons. He has been at the fascinating intersection of the digital and fashion industries, each of which is utterly compelling."--Robert Thomson, Chief Executive, News Corp

"Federico is a pioneer in internet fashion commerce. His visionary leadership helped change the fashion industry and how we use technology to shop online. He greatly advocates for environmental causes and understands that all business needs to move towards innovation for a better world."--Amber Valletta, Top model, British Vogue's contributing sustainability editor

"Federico is someone who forges the future and is brave and generous in sharing his life lessons in ways that are very rare."--Luca Guadagnino - Movie director (Call Me By Your Name; Challengers; Queer)

"Federico Marchetti created something no one thought possible at the beginning of the new millennium: the first major online global fashion retailer. The innovative story of his rise to become 'the man who put fashion on the net' is entertaining and compelling."--Costis Maglaras, Dean of Columbia Business School

"Federico Marchetti is a great Italian entrepreneur in the tradition of Giovanni Agnelli and Diego Della Valle, but unlike them, he is also a self-made success in the American mold, an outsider who dared to challenge the fashion industry's belief that customers would never buy luxury goods online. His inspiring story of how YOOX changed luxury retail is a how-to guide for anyone who has ever been told their great idea is impossible."--John Seabrook, New Yorker staff writer and author of 'The Spinach King'

"Federico Marchetti is an innovator with a future vision that has shaped our global culture. As a costume designer, I've made a career turning dreams and fantasy into reality - as has Federico, who has turned his wild ideas into visionary business success. It was no surprise to learn that Marchetti hails from the same region of Italy as one of the most iconic creators of all time - another Federico, Fellini. It's clear to me they share the same dynamic spirit: If you can dream it, you can be it."--Arianne Philips, Four-time Academy Award-nominated costume designer

"Federico Marchetti's book is not just a business memoir; it is a manifesto for the future of fashion, technology, and sustainability. It offers valuable lessons for entrepreneurs, fashion enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the transformative power of technology in the modern world."--Edward Enninful - Former British Vogue Editor-in-Chief and founder of EE72

"Federico's story is a surprising combination of entrepreneurial spirit, business sense, creative ideals, and a uniquely Italian sensibility, one that anyone who wants to break out of the norm and think big will find inspiring."--John D. Idol - Chairman and CEO, Capri Holding

"In this new century, when seemingly everyone dreams of being an entrepreneur, Federico Marchetti has achieved that dream using a new model that respects and celebrates the driving force of creativity. As inspiring as it is entertaining, this memoir is an international success story, built on American ambition and Italian ingenuity."--Holly Brubach - American author and journalist

About the Author

Federico Marchetti, tech entrepreneur and a pioneer in digital fashion, founded the world's first lifestyle e-commerce destination, YOOX, in 2000. In 2015, he led a merger with Net-a-Porter to create the world leader in online luxury fashion, shifting the shopping habits of millions of people. In 2018 his company was bought by Richemont, one of the world's leading luxury groups, for a $6 billion transaction value.

In 2020, he became the first non-family member to join the Giorgio Armani Board of Directors. In 2021, the Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, asked Marchetti to lead The Sustainable Markets Initiative's Fashion Task Force, which includes brands such as Chloé, Armani, Brunello Cucinelli, Stella McCartney, and Prada. He is also a trustee of The King's Foundation.

Marchetti graduated from Bocconi University in 1993 and obtained his Master's degree from Columbia Business School in 1999.

In 2017, his work was recognized by the President of the Italian Republic, who knighted him as a Cavaliere.