I had not a moment’s hesitation when Federico asked me to write the introduction to his memoir for young dreamers and innovators. I accepted immediately because of my feelings of esteem for him and the affinity and vision that binds us. In Federico I can see something of myself: my ideals and my way of acting and thinking. In him I recognize loyalty, enterprise, leadership quality. He is someone whose opinions are important to me, so much so that I wanted him on my group’s board of directors.

Federico has made it alone, imagining much and working more, arriving from Ravenna, where he was born, to London, and from there to become part of King Charles III’s task force. Along the way he created YOOX, being one of the first to sense the potential of fashion on the Web, inventing a reality that hadn’t existed until then. Commitment and determination have been his instruments, courage his driving force, intelligence and the readiness to seize opportunities his merit. Those who want to break the mold have to take risks, swim against the tide, walk untrodden paths. Risk requires courage, and a touch of recklessness: you throw yourself in, without too much thought, otherwise you’d come to a halt. I too have done the same.

I think the only way of transmitting to future generations the sense of commitment and also the enjoyment of risk, as well as the importance of imagination, is through personal example. I don’t believe in textbooks, and even less in commonplace formulae. Federico thinks as I do. The following pages are exactly this: a series of events described by the person who has experienced them. I’m quite sure that standing up for what you’ve done, showing your face, gives a truth and authenticity to everything. Showing your face and using your pen: there’s no other way to create a captivating story.