An exclusive chat with the Olympic champion on discipline, detail, defining greatness and his new venture with Ferragamo

Excellence has always been part of Ferragamo&rsquo;s DNA. From sharply cut ready-to-wear to its near-mythical mastery of leather craftsmanship, the Florentine house has long operated with a singular obsession: do it properly, or don&rsquo;t do it at all. So when Ferragamo unveiled the first chapter of its &ldquo;Legends, Reimagined&rdquo; project, the brief was clear. Find someone legendary. Timeless. Unapologetically Italian. The answer? Less a casting choice, more a foregone conclusion: Alberto Tomba.If the name doesn&rsquo;t immediately ring a bell, the nickname will: Tomba la Bomba. Born in Bologna in 1966, Tomba was alpine skiing&rsquo;s ultimate showman, explosive on the slopes, magnetic off them. He dominated the technical disciplines of slalom and giant slalom in the late &rsquo;80s and early &rsquo;90s, clinching three Olympic gold medals, two World Championship titles and an astonishing 50 World Cup victories. In Italy, he isn&rsquo;t just an athlete. He&rsquo;s folklore.

Much like the Tramezza represents Ferragamo&rsquo;s shoemaking mastery, precision-engineered, impossibly refined, Tomba&rsquo;s skiing was a study in controlled power. Explosive yet elegant. Technical yet instinctive. A performance of Italian excellence played out on ice instead of leather. To mark this milestone moment for both Tomba and the storied Florentine house, we sat down with the sporting legend to talk about Italian excellence, the psychology of winning, the pursuit of greatness, and what it really takes to become an icon. Italian excellence is often defined by precision, passion, and heritage. As one of Italy&rsquo;s greatest sporting icons, how do you personally define &ldquo;excellence,&rdquo; and how has that definition evolved since your racing days? There are similarities between excellence in sport and in Italian craftsmanship that creates valuable objects designed to last over time, such as the Tramezza shoe, which requires hours and hours of artisanal work and around 160 manual steps. Achieving these results demands precision and passion, but also loyalty to tradition, since some craftsmanship processes have remained unchanged for decades. The same is true in sport: materials have evolved, as have equipment and training methods, but what does not change is the athlete&rsquo;s drive to improve every day and their willpower. Many things have changed since I used to compete, yet the human and personal side of competition remains &mdash; and will always remain &mdash; a constant.

Ferragamo&rsquo;s legacy is rooted in craftsmanship and innovation, values that also shaped your career on the slopes. Where do you see the strongest parallels between elite sport and Italian luxury? As I was saying earlier, both in sport and in the creation of a luxury object, the same qualities are required: excellence, precision, consistency, and passion. Wearing a shoe like the Tramezza is like seeing a piece of my personal history take shape through a shoe. That shape represents the work of the craftsman who molds the shoe to the foot; it is a symbol of excellence expressed through unique creations, just like every run down the slope. You competed in an era when style and personality mattered just as much as performance. How important was self-expression to you as an athlete, and how does that connect with Ferragamo&rsquo;s approach to design today? There is a style in the way one is and presents oneself, and there is a style in skiing. In skiing, I had a unique style &mdash; a mix of precision, power, and speed &mdash; and through these qualities I created a new model of skier. In everyday life, I have always taken care of my appearance. In daily life, I need to feel comfortable; I don&rsquo;t like things that feel restrictive, so I prefer a casual and informal style. However, when the occasion calls for it, I also wear tuxedos and double-breasted suits, with a pair of Ferragamo Tramezza shoes on my feet, of course! For me, elegance means always being appropriate to the occasion and to the people I meet, never over the top.

Italy has given the world unforgettable athletes, designers, and artists. What do you think is uniquely Italian about the way we pursue greatness, whether in sport, fashion, or craftsmanship? Italy is a beautiful country; there is beauty everywhere &mdash; in nature, in architecture, in design, and in fashion. Italy is the homeland of great historical figures who have represented excellence in many different fields, both today and in past centuries and millennia. I believe that&nbsp;greatness is part of our cultural heritage, something that has deeply influenced us and that we seek in our actions, even in everyday life, and naturally in competitive sport. Ferragamo celebrates timeless elegance, while alpine skiing demands fearless speed and instinct. How do you balance discipline and spontaneity in your own life now, long after competition? All too often, in the public imagination, the idea took hold that I trained little or lived a reckless lifestyle. The reality is exactly the opposite: behind every medal there was serious, methodical commitment. The false myth about my lack of training often stemmed from a simple difference in schedule: while many of my teammates and rivals began their sessions at dawn, I preferred to start later. This did not mean working less, but simply shifting the workload. When others were heading back, I was still on the slopes or in the gym, finishing my sessions long after everyone else. I built my triumphs through thousands of hours spent in freezing temperatures, often well below zero, challenging the cold and the fatigue when my body would have wanted to give in. That resistance to the cold and to extreme exertion was the foundation on which I built my explosive power.

Your victories were built not just on talent, but on relentless preparation. In your experience, what role does discipline play in transforming raw passion into lasting excellence? Both: great victories in sport &mdash; especially if you keep winning for such a long time &mdash; are never the result of a single factor. Method, discipline, and temperament are all necessary, together and in equal measure. This partnership celebrates Italian excellence on a global stage. What responsibility do you feel, if any, in representing Italy&rsquo;s cultural legacy to a new generation? Thirty years after my retirement, I still follow skiing with passion and remain in touch with several athletes to this day. We speak to comment on their races or simply to offer a word of encouragement. People recognize me, stop me in the street, and show me their affection. I believe that my legacy is precisely this: still being present today, knowing that I am still a symbol and a role model to be followed. If you could give one piece of advice to young Italians, whether they dream of Olympic gold or creative mastery, what mindset should they cultivate to achieve true excellence? To always believe in yourself, maintain a winning mindset, and not be afraid of hard work or defeat.

Exclusive: A conversation on legacy, craft and greatness with Alberto Tomba

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