On April 15, Italy’s National Made in Italy Day, Versace joined forces with Fondazione Altagamma to reaffirm its dedication to the craftsmanship and creativity that have long defined Italian luxury. The date honors Leonardo da Vinci‘s birthday, chosen to symbolize the spirit of Italian ingenuity and innovation. Versace, a member of Altagamma since the house was established by Gianni Versace in 1978 in Milan, has long been a pillar of the Made in Italy tradition. The maison’s participation this year reflects a concrete, hands on investment in the future of Italian craftsmanship.
At the heart of this initiative is Altagamma‘s “Adotta una Scuola” (Adopt a School) program, now in its fourth edition. Developed in collaboration with Italy’s Ministry of Education and Merit and under the patronage of the European Commission, it has engaged 59 companies, 65 schools across 12 Italian regions, over 250 classes, and more than 3,500 students, creating a direct pipeline between vocational schools and the country’s most prestigious luxury brands. Through this program, Versace has adopted Istituto Secoli Novara, supporting its specialized Prototyping Course, a 1,140-hour, full-time annual program covering every phase of fashion product development, from materials and cutting techniques to garment construction and quality control.
Students completing the course earn a six-month internship at one of the partner brands. The Istituto Secoli Novara campus was opened in 2022 specifically in partnership with these luxury houses and dedicated to training future prototype makers. Stefania Lazzaroni, General Director of Altagamma, said: “The school of Novara and our members including CANALI, Gucci, Herno, Loro Piana, Versace and ZEGNA offer highly specialized training in prototyping for young Italian students. The prototype maker is one of the most sought-after technical profiles by Altagamma member companies in fashion, which will need 75,000 manufacturing talents by 2028. An opportunity not to miss.”
Giorgio Secoli, Operational Director of Istituto Secoli, said: “The partnership with Altagamma is the culmination of a precise vision: to build a solid and continuous bridge between education and the business world. We firmly believe that only through authentic collaboration, on shared projects rooted in the territory, can we truly sustain and relaunch Made in Italy.”
According to an Altagamma-Unioncamere study published in 2024, Italian luxury companies will need an estimated 276,000 technical and professional profiles by 2028, with firms reporting difficulty filling approximately 50% of those roles due to a lack of qualified candidates. For Versace, this initiative is about actively shaping what comes next through education and the sharing of savoir-faire that keeps Italian craftsmanship alive.
