On the occasion of the Made in Italy Day celebrations, Confindustria Moda organised an event dedicated to training. On 18 April, the fashion supply chain, from UNIC – Italian Tanneries to Assopellettieri, up to Assomac and Assocalzaturifici, met at IED headquarters in Rome. It was a meeting aimed at highlighting the strengths of the Italian production system, but also the constant openness towards the training of young people, a key factor for the coming years, and towards an increasingly innovative approach.
The Speeches
After the welcome address by the Minister for Made in Italy Adolfo Urso and the President of Confindustria Moda Annarita Pilotti, experts from the supply chain took turns. Starting with Alessandra Siena, Leather Expert from UNIC – Italian Tanneries, who emphasised the importance of training with respect to leather, its unique characteristics and its narrative. Not only materials were discussed, but also machines with Davide Catena, Project Manager of Assomac. He focused on the union between heritage and creativity as the founding values of Made in Italy and Industry 5.0. A bond that starts from manufacturing tradition and arrives at a new technological approach, strongly influenced now by artificial intelligence and robotics “of which we must not be afraid, because they can be both friend and enemy”.
The complete supply chain
Among the speeches was also that of Massimiliano Guerini, Assopellettieri’s Training Consultant, who focused on the Italian production model. A model in which “the artisan component, the handmade, is still the main component of bags, but which is changing since technology has overturned our methodologies”. A panel of experts focused above all on sustainability and the characteristics of a unique product. Alice Marcato, technical director of the Politecnico Calzaturiero for Assocalzaturifici, analysed the progress in the footwear sector thanks to Artificial Intelligence and customisation.
While Elena Rizzo, external relations and training manager for AIP (Italian Fur Association), delved into the historical path of fur and its role within the cinematographic imagination. In closing, Gianluigi Calvanese, Operations Director ITC Division – Tanning Innovation and Technology, dwelt on the reference standards for a product designed to last. A training event for the young designers of the future.
