The 2026–27 academic year of the Kering Academy for Excellence—a project launched in April by the French group to support the training of the next generation of luxury artisans—was inaugurated this morning in Milan. The opening event took place at the Mind-Milano Innovation District, located on the outskirts of the city where Expo 2015 was held. In its debut year, the Academy is engaging over 1,500 students across six Italian regions through 40 training programs developed by the group’s fashion houses and its seven partner schools: Acof, Afol, Galdus, Accademia HModa, ITS Cosmo, Istituto Modartech, and Mita. A total of approximately 62,000 hours of training are planned, including 22,400 hours of internships, with the participation of over 400 instructors and professionals.
During the inauguration, Luca de Meo, CEO of Kering, emphasized Italy’s strategic role for the group. “About 85% of our products are made in Italy, and more than 90% are exported worldwide,” he stated, as reported by MFF, describing luxury as “the last sector in which Europe is ahead of everyone else.” De Meo reiterated that Kering has no intention of moving its production out of Italy: the decision to manufacture certain Balenciaga sneakers in China, he explained, was due to specific technical requirements for the soles that could not be met in Italy. The CEO also spoke about the role of young people and the need to combine Italian artisanal tradition with technology and innovation. “The role of young people is to be the first to embrace the future,” he said, emphasizing in particular the potential of artificial intelligence, which, in his view, can help boost creativity. The Academy was founded precisely with the goal of connecting the “intelligence of the hands” inherent in craftsmanship with creativity, materials research, and technological innovation.
On the sidelines of the event, de Meo also addressed the outlook for the luxury sector and Kering’s future strategy. The executive expressed optimism about the long-term growth of the luxury sector, highlighting the potential linked to the rise in the number of high-net-worth individuals and the growth of markets such as India, Latin America, and the United States. According to de Meo, the shifting geography of wealth could lead Kering to revise both its geographic strategy and its category mix, given differing demand in emerging markets. The group is also working to reorganize its supply chain, which, according to the CEO, still has too many layers and is overly fragmented. At the same time, Kering is exploring a potential expansion into the longevity sector, which de Meo considers a highly attractive and still highly fragmented market, where the group aims to identify a significant and globally scalable business opportunity.
As for the fashion houses, de Meo declined to comment on the rumors circulating during Fashion Week about possible changes in the creative leadership at Saint Laurent and Balenciaga, describing them, for now, as mere rumors. De Meo also ruled out Kering’s interest in acquiring a minority stake in Armani, explaining that the group currently has other challenges to focus on. The inauguration of the Academy is therefore part of Kering’s strategy to strengthen its ties to “Made in Italy” by investing in the training of artisanal skills and generational renewal, while the group simultaneously works on transforming its organization and identifying new areas of growth.
[📷 Snapix]
