Age Group:
Adults- Registration is required for this event.
- Registration will close on April 28, 2026 @ 6:00pm.
Program Description
Event Details
A conversation with Federica Marchionni, CEO of Global Fashion Agenda, and former CEO of Lands’ End and Dolce & Gabbana North America, who will discuss her book Envisioning the Unobvious: A Playbook to Build Your Future.
In this book, Marchionni describes how to launch your own "Mission Unobvious" with an exponential mindset. Whether you are starting out in life, seeking a fresh start, or trying to get new ideas off the ground, the book lays out an approach to envisioning and creating futures that go beyond expectations.
The conversation will be moderated by Steven Semaya, Ferguson Library's Entrepreneur in Residence and Associate State Director for Connecticut Small Business Development Center.
A small reception will follow presentation at 7 p.m.
Registration appreciated.
Federica Marchionni, a leader, a mom and a champion for good, wasn’t expected to amount to much as a child. She grew up in a small town in Italy, and has defied the odds in a whirlwind career and expanded her personal horizons while breaking boundaries across industries and continents. Learning to fully use basic human qualities, she unlocked the ability to “dream-plan,” transforming imagination into reality.
Marchionni has worked for global players in tech such as Samsung, Philips and Ericsson, where she rose to senior management positions. Recruited to the fashion industry by Dolce & Gabbana, she was a key figure in the company’s global expansion, first as Global Vice President at the company's Milan headquarters and then in New York City as President of North America. Before moving to the United States, she served as Senior Vice President of the Brand business unit at high-end automaker Ferrari. When she later joined Land’s End, she became the first Italian-born CEO of a publicly traded American company, and later in China as International CEO of Secco, a Beijing-based e-commerce company. The pandemic reaffirmed her vision to lead a purpose-driven organization, and she became CEO of the Global Fashion Agenda, where she applied her dedication to transforming fashion into a net positive industry. Under the patronage of Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark, the esteemed non-profit organization fosters industry collaboration on sustainability to accelerate impact.