#merchandise

Ferrari’s merchandising outfit has been wildly successful for the famed sports car company. Walk down any street in a major city, and you’re guaranteed to see at least a few people wearing some kind of Ferrari branded gear, whether it’s a baseball cap, Puma driving shoes, a watch or an umbrella. Most cities have some kind of Ferrari standalone boutique, where there are no cars on display, but you can buy any kind of merchandise you want, from books to teddy bears to scale models.

Now, Lamborghini is hoping to get in on the act, and the Bolognese outfit has been launching its own boutique chain, with two stores launched in Los Angeles and Beijing in 2009. A third store in Vancouver opened its doors last weekend, and Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann was in attendance to commemorate its opening.

“The philosophy behind the Collezione Automobili Lamborghini fashion line is synonymous with the traits of each Lamborghini vehicle: Extreme, Uncompromising and unmistakably Italian,” stated Winkelmann in a press release. “Vancouver’s strong luxury market makes it a proper fit for expanding our line of fashion boutiques while remaining authentic to our brand DNA.”

The move into branded gear is an astute one. Let’s face it, more people can afford a $100 polo shirt than a $250,000 car. The Lamborghini store website has a few really nice items, like the driving shoes, the silk ties (nicer than the ties offered in some real boutiques) and the very cool Diablo driving gloves. For now, Ferrari’s tie ups with major clothing companies like Puma, as well as their Formula 1 fanbase, gives them the upper hand, but if Lamborghini stays the course with their subtle designs and cool color palettes (black and yellow is more pleasing than Ferrari red for some people), they just might be able to unseat their long-time rival in the apparel department.

Lamborghini also offers Merchandise for sale online at http://store.lamborghini.com

Press Release After The Jump