First year of new Kering academy under way
Luxury group Kering launched the inaugural academic year of a new academy of excellence at the end of September.
Kering announced the initiative earlier this year. It said its aim was to train new generations of craftspeople in the production of leathergoods and other products and to preserve and renew Italy's artisan heritage.
It said it would do this by building on training initiatives that Kering-owned brands, including Bottega Veneta and Gucci, already have in place. It will also work with fashion schools and technical institutes in different parts of Italy to deliver the programme.
The group said more than 1,500 students have enrolled for this first year of the academy. They will work will master artisans and other professionals in seven different Italian regions.
Chief executive, Luca de Meo, said new as well as traditional ideas would form part of the programme. He said: "Excellence cannot simply be preserved. It must be nurtured, challenged and open to new ideas.
"Our ambition is to provide young people with an education that enables them to understand the strength of Italian savoir-faire, while supporting its evolution in an industry that is constantly changing."
