The Maverick With A Bold Plan

Fabio Panzeri is transforming Braun Büffel, one product at a time

- Farhan Shah

FABIO PANZERI might be the last person you would imagine to be Braun Büffel’s new creative director. The man listens to all kinds of metal such as Iron Maiden and Dream Theater, has barely any space left on his body for new tattoos, and adores the Brutalist designer Rick Owens.

Yet, perhaps he is exactly the type of counter-culture visionary the normally conservative Braun Büffel needs to transform itself into a brand for today’s maximalist, streetwear-luxe age.

The Initial Reluctance

Fabio Panzeri has been around the block, and then some. He’s worked in Prada, Dolce& Gabbana, Etro, Calvin Klein and various other fashion and accessory brands. He admitted that in the beginning, he too was unsure about leading the creative direction of Braun Büffel.

“When I was contacted about the position, I went to take a look at the brand’s product selection at that time. I saw good quality items but they weren’t very exciting. There is nothing wrong with that, of course. But, I preferred something a bit more avantgarde,” Panzeri shared.

But, as he dug deeper into the brand and its history, he realised the immense potential that it had. So, he told Braun Büffel that he would come to Singapore for a chat and if he liked the vibes of the city, he would strongly consider the offer.