Thumbs up to leather, but not to politics. Associations representing the Italian fashion industry, while at Luxury Summit 2025, sharply criticized politics, which was absent in the market, just as it was on stage at the event organized by Il Sole 24 Ore. Instead, Chiara Mastrotto, CEO of Gruppo Mastrotto, communicated the virtuosity of leather...
“You need to be patient. Even with objects”. The story of Oscarmaschera is one steeped in a passion for leather, craftsmanship, and taking things slowly. This is a women-run company that produces everything from belts for luxury labels to home accessories, all distinguished by the use of vegetable-tanned leather. The brand, based in Cartoceto in...
In the post-pandemic years, the phenomenon of luxury handbags as safe-haven assets appeared to be a sign of strength for the luxury market. It was mentioned every time a rare Hermès bag fetched an increasingly exorbitant price at auction, or when private collections of leather goods became collateral to present at the bank. The perceived […]
Independence runs in the family. At a time when acquisitions and supply-chain mergers are the norm, the strength of family-run businesses continues to surprise. Thanks to the solidity and drive brought by generational transition, Conceria Enterprise (based in Santa Croce sull’Arno) has successfully celebrated its first forty years of business. The company, founded in 1985...
Just what we were missing—Jurassic Bags. The T-Rex may soon be resurrected in the most unlikely form: that of luxury handbags. Thanks to a collaboration between VML, The Organoid Company (a leader in genomic engineering), and Lab-Grown Leather, bioengineered leather from the ancient king of the Cretaceous period could soon enter production. Could it work? […]
“Luxury keeps us up to date with fashion trends. And it did us a favour by raising prices”, says Elena Iachini, who, along with her sister Marcella (head of administration), runs the footwear manufacturer Strategia, based in Civitanova Marche (Macerata). The company competes by focusing on style, product offering, and the value it provides. The...
There are signs of life in manufacturing. France and Spain are making moves. It’s not just Hermès building new leather goods facilities. In Sainte-Savine (around two hours from Paris), Maison Jean Rousseau is constructing a new building to increase production capacity. Meanwhile, Spain is seeing a notable rise in employment in the footwear and leather […]
In the first quarter of 2023 Gucci billed 2.62 billion. In the same period of 2025 it billed 1.57 billion. It means that more than 1 billion has disappeared from Gucci’s quarterly turnover. A value that has an even more serious specific weight for the production chain, considering that, in the meantime, product prices have...
The year 2025 opens with declining number of slaughterings in the EU. The sector started the new year with negative signs overall. As ILM reports, according to the latest data, total cattles processed decreased by 2.8% compared to the previous year, with obvious declines especially in the young cattle (calves) segment. The relative stability of […]
Gucci’s never-ending fall (dragging Kering down with it). In the first quarter of 2025, Gucci plunges again: -25% in revenue (on a comparable basis). Well below analysts’ expectations, which had forecasted a -19% drop. This result follows the -24% recorded by the brand in the fourth quarter of 2024. In the first three months of […]
A possible summary of the latest episode of BoF’s “The Debrief” podcast. A lifesaver, a handhold, a refuge. Because luxury’s financial stand – again and again – on the shoulders of it-bags. And in fact, “The Power of a Luxury Handbag”, as the episode is called, starts with the iconic Birkin by Hermès and arrives...
Pope Francis and leather. An enduring, but often revolutionary relationship, starting with the color of his shoes: no more the red preferred by his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI. The assumed goal was to communicate simplicity and humility, in line with his mission: a more inclusive Catholicism. And then there was that time he received the […]
At the rate of one leather goods’ plant per year, the unstoppable Hermès is announcing a new production site in Colombelles (population less than 6,000), near Caen, in the Calvados area of Normandy. It will be ready in 2028 and employ 260 people. Despite the luxury slowdown, the French fashion house continues to increase production...
Donald Trump’s trade war is sparking symmetrical and opposite reactions around the world. Remarkably, the Ethiopian government says it’s happy about the U.S. tariffs: by hindering trade routes from other countries (China first and foremost), it gives a chance for growth for the Horn of Africa state’s exports. Conversely, the government of Kazakhstan is lowering...
Thanks to seal skins, the history of the Middle Ages is being updated, as this period has always been seen as predominantly characterized by the use of local resources. Conversely, the discovery in some European abbeys of manuscripts bound with sealskins from Viking lands, is evidence of unsuspected trade between northern Europe and religious centers. […]
Södra, the largest forest owners’ association in Sweden, is investing to enter the tanning industry market, with the goal of industrially produce tannins from tree bark at its Värö plant. And the association is looking for partners to develop possible applications for the new product. Industrializing the process The use of tree bark for the […]
The value of time and the excellence of craftsmanship. The ability to be “Forever Young”, creating materials, accessories, solutions not only of the highest quality, but capable – above all – of winning a fundamental challenge. The “supergreen one” of durability. It is with these assumptions in mind that, on May 13 and 14, Lineapelle lands […]
Hermès stands out in its response to duties as well. The French brand has been quick to dismiss the issue. It remains impassive and announces that it will raise prices by the same percentage as the duty. LVMH will not increase prices, but may shift production to the US. Bernard Arnault would blame Brussels (and...
There is writing on an exterior wall of Presot, a tannery in Porcia, Pordenone province. “To walk is not a verb. It’s everything we have learned and passed on to our children. It’s the direction we give to our dreams in this land we want to know and respect. For us, life is a journey […]
“The present, with all its complexity and dynamism, can only be tackled through a deep understanding of the past”. With these words, Laura Dalla Vecchia, President of Confindustria Vicenza, introduced Antichi per Sempre (Forever Ancient), the volume celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Vicenza Tanning Section of the regional business association. Presented last Wednesday (16 […]
