Combining the world of fruit with that of design and fashion? For the VOG and VIP Consortia, it is not just an idea, but a concrete reality. Hannes Tauber, Marketing Manager of the VOG Consortium, tells us about it. With the project dedicated to the envy™ apple, he brought this fruit to the catwalks of Milan Fashion Week, transforming it into an icon of style and refinement. A result born from a creative synergy between VOG, VIP, the Istituto Marangoni Milano Design and the designer Marco Rambaldi.
The apple as a sensory experience and a symbol of everyday luxury
“We start with the apple, a product that is often seen as simple, but which is actually a true work of art of nature. Every year we produce around 60 million envy™ apples and in Alto Adige it takes twelve months to grow them. Each fruit is unique and special,” says Tauber.
The idea behind the project is to enhance this product, not only for its organoleptic characteristics, but also for the experience it offers consumers. “We started working on the concept of the five senses three years ago, emphasizing how the envy™ apple can be experienced visually, olfactoryly, gustatorily and tactilely. This naturally led us to the world of fashion, where materials, colors and textures create unique experiences.”
Fashion and Fruit: the project with Istituto Marangoni Milano Design
The next step was to involve Istituto Marangoni Milano Design, one of the most prestigious fashion schools in the world, to develop an innovative project. “We asked the students to take inspiration from the envy™ apple and create design accessories, including an apple holder. The idea was to elevate the perception of the apple, transforming it into a catwalk object. The results were surprising and today we present the three winning projects.”
The Apple envy™ protagonist at Milan Fashion Week
The culmination of this journey was reached with the presence of the envy™ apple at Milan Fashion Week, in collaboration with designer Marco Rambaldi. “Being part of an event of this magnitude is a great source of pride for us. Fashion is a universal language and we want the apple to be seen not only as a fruit, but as a symbol of a lifestyle, of a multisensory experience,” says Tauber.
New communication strategies for the fruit and vegetable world
But how can this innovative approach be translated into the world of large-scale retail and distribution? According to Tauber, the secret lies in telling authentic and engaging stories. “The world of fruit and vegetables is rich in colors, flavors and traditions. Consumers seek taste, origin and values linked to production. We must communicate all this effectively at the point of sale, making each product an experience.”
The goal of the VOG and VIP Consortia is clear: to transform the perception of the envy™ apple, making it not only a quality fruit, but also a symbol of accessible luxury, to be experienced every day with pleasure and awareness.
