Ferrari’s venture into fashion with 52 uber stylish looks has been stunning. Designed by Rocco Iannone, the first Ferrari fashion collection was just launched at the auto factory in Ferrari’s home town of Maranello, Italy. Super chic and sophisticated, the designs reminded one of cars in other ways: they were streamlined, fluid and full bodied.

But why fashion, asks Vogue. “After all, last year Ferrari made a profit of 534 million euros on revenues of 3.46 billion euros — pretty sweet numbers — and was also named the world’s strongest brand by Brand Finance for the second time. So why venture out of its lane to deliver this fashion diversion?”

The answer, the magazine felt, perhaps could be spotted in a comment by Iannone, who has done his stints at Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani and Pal Zileri. Iannone spoke about wishing “to enlarge our fan base, including young

generations and women especially—although women have always been part of our fan base but it has never been well told.”

Good observation. It’s passe to treat women as decoration for cars. Time to acknowledge them as drivers — of many things, of Ferraris, of fashion.