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| - Chiara Ferragni, an Italian fashion influencer with a huge social media following, on Friday joined the board of luxury goods maker Tod's -- giving the company an immediate share price boost. "Chiara's knowledge of the world of young people will certainly be extremely valuable," the chairman of the Tod's group, Diego Della Valle, said in a statement announcing the appointment. The news triggered a market rally that saw Tod's shares close the day's trading on the Milan bourse up by 14 percent to 32.7 euros ($38.9), while the main FTSE MIB index fell by 0.6 percent. Ferragni, 33, originally made a name for herself with the fashion blog "The Blonde Salad," before launching her own shoe collection and collaborating with top fashion brands like Dior and Chanel. She is an Instagram star with 23.3 million followers, and, together with rapper and music producer husband Fedez, forms one of Italy's most famous celebrity couples. Tod's, founded by the Della Valle family in 1978 and best known for its loafers, saw group sales drop by more than 30 percent in 2020, to 637.1 million euros, largely due to the coronavirus pandemic. Beyond Tod's, the group also owns the Hogan, Roger Vivier and Fay brands. aa-bh/jv
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