Saint Laurent is still investing in Italy

Leather goods are Saint Laurent’s core business, accounting for approximately 70% of the Kering’s maison’s revenues. The Florence plain is the center of all operations involving leather bags and accessories, relying on Anthony Vaccarello’s creativity and Francesca Bellettini’s supervision. Yesterday, the Atelier maroquinerie Saint Laurent was inaugurated in the unfinished headquarters of Scandicci’s Palazzo delle Finanze. The 28,700-square-meter investment was built on previously unused land and is owned by Cdp-Cassa Depositi e Prestiti real asset. The building was renovated through an agreement reached shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic. The company completed the transition of operations from its former headquarters on Via delle Fonti to the new location this summer. Meanwhile, Saint Laurent has been training and hiring employees to meet rising manufacturing demands. Since its establishment in the Florence leather goods cluster in 2012, the company has grown from 60 employees to 500 today, with plans to hire more.

The inauguration was attended by the maison’s ceo Francesca Bellettini, the Region of Tuscany’s Governor Eugenio Giani, the Mayors of Florence and Scandicci Dario Nardella and Sandro Fallani, respectively, as well as Cdp real asset’s ceo Giancarlo Scotti. «There is a lot of excitement when a project like this is completed», Bellettini commented. Every step of the production, from material selection to pattern making to prototype development and masters, is carried out within the Atelier. There is also a production department that handles more complex operations, accounting for about 5% of the brand’s total leather goods production, with the remaining 95% allocated to partner companies, primarily in Tuscany. Moreover, the Atelier houses Italy’s most important leather cutting department, which serves 70% of Saint Laurent’s needs as well as the first track lines for the rapid and customized production of bags and other leather products for celebrities and Vips. According to Belletini, who is also Kering’s deputy ceo, «by bringing together the production of accessories and leather goods under one roof, the Atelier will be the ideal environment for sharing expertise, generating new ideas, and encouraging experimentation». Finally, the Scandicci atelier is home to a specialized school for training new hires and offering advanced courses to experienced employees.

«The Atelier Maroquinerie will bring together traditional knowledge and skills with new levels of innovation», the ceo remarked. Saint Laurent’s connection with Made in Italy is thus growing stronger. Whereas Tuscany was chosen for investment in leather goods, the Maison has been producing shoes in the region of Veneto for many years. In the Riviera del Brenta district, the company has a facility similar to the one in Scandicci for its shoe collections, which are then outsourced to subcontractors located in other regions of Italy. In her opening speech, Bellettini pointed out that 84% of Kering’s suppliers are Italian. The collaboration between Italy and France is thus once again confirmed as the cornerstone of the luxury industry. As governor Giani stated, «Saint Laurent is a point of reference in Europe and around the world. The fact that Scandicci was chosen as a base is extremely significant». Cdp real asset’s ceo Scotti also expressed his satisfaction, stating that «this unfinished building represented a void for the city, and thanks to our successful collaboration with Saint Laurent, the municipality, and the region, we were able to fill it in accordance with the needs of the area. We want this to be a success that can be repeated», the ceo commented. (All rights reserved)