“Kering is in luxury, not fashion”. That is the distinction Sabina Belli, president of Kering Italy, wants everyone, including policymakers, to recognize. On Wednesday, September 30, Belli will inaugurate the Academy for Excellence alongside CEO Luca de Meo. The project brings together more than 35 training schools that help preserve and pass on Made in Italy know-how. In an interview with Corriere della Sera (L’Economia’s insert), Belli emphasized Kering’s role as the leading player in Italy’s fashion-luxury sector, with an 8% share and a contribution equal to 0.3% of national GDP.
Academy for Excellence
Kering’s Academy for Excellence brings together 1,600 students. It’s an investment in Italian know-how that builds on the French luxury group’s broader commitment of €30 million in Italy over the 2022–2024 period. Sabina Belli also shared additional figures on the group’s Italian operations: more than 60,000 jobs activated and indirectly supported, with 141 laboratories, ateliers, production and logistics sites, and 71 offices and headquarters.
The Italian added value
Kering generates €5.9 billion in added value in Italy, including €2.4 billion in Tuscany (1.9% of regional GDP), €1.9 billion in Lombardy (0.4% of regional GDP), and €900 million in Veneto (0.5% of regional GDP). “The point is that, just as Italy has the highest number of global luxury brands, the country’s supplier base serves the world. And no one’s ever managed to outperform Italian products”, the manager emphasized.
“We’re not in fashion, but in luxury”
The remarks came shortly after Gucci, Kering’s main brand, presented its made-in-China sneaker. When Belli clarified during the interview that Kering is a luxury player, not a fashion one, she was direct with policymakers. “We’d like our positioning in the excellence segment to be clear at the government level”, she said. “We need counterparts who understand the specific characteristics of our industry”. The message was clear, both nationally and at the EU level.
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