Kering Accademia per le Eccellenze launches inaugural academic year across Italy

Kering officially inaugurated the first academic year of its Accademia per le Eccellenze on September 30, 2026, at the MIND Milano Innovation District. Led by Kering CEO Luca de Meo and Sabina Belli, President of Kering Italia and Head of the Academy, the distributed learning ecosystem welcomes more than 1,500 students enrolled across six Italian regions. Initially unveiled at the Gucci Archive in Florence, the initiative aims to bridge traditional Italian craft heritage with contemporary luxury sector demands through specialized vocational training.

The network consolidates existing training initiatives from Kering’s major Houses—including Bottega Veneta, Brioni, Gucci, Pomellato, and Kering Eyewear—in partnership with seven educational institutions, including ACOF, AFOL, Galdus, HModa Academy, ITS Cosmo, Istituto Modartech, and MITA.

Comprising over 40 distinct programs, the curriculum delivers approximately 62,000 hours of coursework and more than 22,400 hours of internships. Training spans traditional disciplines such as apparel, menswear tailoring, leather goods, and jewelry, while incorporating specialized modules on emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, sustainable materials, and textile restoration in collaboration with the Botticino Restoration School.

By integrating over 400 master artisans into a formal academic ecosystem, Kering addresses critical workforce sustainability challenges facing the European luxury sector. The initiative highlights a strategic shift toward corporate-backed vocational models designed to secure specialized talent pipelines, preserve regional manufacturing savoir-faire, and modernize traditional craftsmanship to align with evolving industry standards.