The compass theory, materials and processes within a twenty kilometer radius of the head office, is for made in Italy what artificial intelligence and innovation mean for the competitiveness and growth of the fashion industry and its brands. This is how the strategy of Staff International, the production and logistics platform of the OTB Group in Noventa Vicentina, can be summarized. The company manages production and logistics for various brands from the OTB portfolio, such as Maison Margiela, Marni and Jil Sander. Diesel’s shoe, bag and small leather goods collections are also included. In addition, it has an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Dsquared2. The strategy was presented yesterday at headquarters by Renzo Rosso, chairman and founder of the OTB Group, and Mauro Marcos Fabbri, head of research and development at Staff International.
“I am a big fan of technology,” explains Renzo Rosso. His story will soon be told in a film and a book
Artificial intelligence is the engine of development and the key to competitiveness. Renzo Rosso is an example of this. His company closed 2023 with a turnover of 1.7 billion euros and remains steadfast even in complex times like these.
The company has always paid attention to foreign brands, which it acquires and grows. An example is Viktor & Rolf, of which 51 percent was acquired in 2008 and over which the company now has full control. Jil Sander was also added to the portfolio in 2021.
“I am a big fan of technology and we are doing a lot in this area, partly thanks to AI. From the management of consumption and the placement of patterns to the design. Artificial intelligence should be seen as a stimulus, something with which you enter into dialogue and in which you establish your own identity. The great thing is when you can build a human relationship within the technology. Then something authentic is created, with the DNA of the brand.”
In the field of AI, the OTB Group and Google Cloud recently signed a strategic partnership. With this they introduce a new, personalized shopping experience via the Virtual Try-on Google Cloud API. This initiative is a step in the company’s global innovation strategy. It uses Google Cloud’s AI technology to improve the interaction between client advisors and transform customers. The service will be launched at Diesel and Jil Sander in the United States and Europe. In the coming months this will be expanded to Marni and Maison Margiela, and later to other markets. The group designed this tool as a premium clientele-employ. This allows advisors to see a visually refined and hyper-realistic preview of looks and outfits share with selected customers, including a 360-degree view of the product.
Rosso: at Staff International “you will find a combination of culture, technology and craftsmanship that I don’t think exists anywhere else in the world”
Returning to Staff International, which was acquired by OTB in 2000, Renzo Rosso remembers the introduction as ‘a valuable journey’. “I discovered something unique: the culture and the know-how by ready-to-wear. Here you will find a combination of culture, technology and craftsmanship that I don’t think exists anywhere else in the world,” says Rosso. He adds that experts from major corporations have recently visited the company. Big names from the fashion world have worked at Staff International. Think of Martin Margiela, Karl Lagerfeld, Vivienne Westwood, Ungaro, John Galliano, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, Dean and Dan Caten, Francesco Risso, Lucie and Luke Meier, and today Meryll Rogge, Glenn Martens and Simone Bellotti.
“These people are leaving a culture behind here.” It is therefore no coincidence that the company has decided to celebrate 50 years of Staff International with a retrospective. This exhibition connects creativity, innovation and… savoir faire and highlights half a century of excellence in made in Italy.
The retrospective shows 50 iconic garments from five decades of fashion. This includes dresses from Viktor & Rolf with manual applications that require up to 100 hours of work. There are also creations from Dsquared2, decorated with hundreds of individually applied studs, and garments from Marni that reinterpret materials and surfaces with coatings and treatments with a paper or rubber effect. In the future, the exhibition may be expanded and made accessible to a wider audience at a suitable location. In addition, Renzo Rosso’s story will be told in a book and a film in the coming months, as the chairman of OTB himself announced yesterday.
Rosso: “What we produce here is really very special compared to what the luxury world normally does”
“What we produce here is really very special compared to what the luxury world normally does. Walk through the shops on Monte Napoleone and then step into Margiela or Jil Sander. There you will find a combination of materials and techniques for the production of clothing that is truly unique,” the founder of OTB proudly notes.
“What sets our processes and craftsmanship apart is also the treatment, which comes from the ‘big sister’, Diesel. We apply treatments to even the most expensive and refined materials, giving a worn look that no one else can match.”
This know-how is realized thanks to the work of the creative directors of the various brands in the portfolio and the efforts of Mauro Marcos Fabbri, head of research and development. He bridges the gap between the designers’ wishes and the final realization of the collections. “We interpret and realize what is asked of us, both stylistically and in terms of production techniques,” he says. He adds that it is a challenging work in which dialogue with the interlocutor is essential to achieve a unique result that can then be put into production. Each brand has small working groups for the collections, one for men and one for women. In addition, there are specific teams for knitwear, for example, because this product requires special preparation and expertise.
To ensure that the know-how is not only preserved, but is also increasingly enriched, the group has founded an internal school. This guarantees the ability to develop new techniques and surprising, unique creations.
Last March, OTB opened the fifth edition of the Scuola dei Mestieri.
The school is a training program designed to develop the craft and production knowledge, the foundation of the made in Italy-fashion, to be passed on to new generations. The project takes place within Staff International, OTB’s production and logistics platform. Here, this heritage takes shape every day, bringing to life iconic creations that appear on the most important catwalks and in the most prestigious boutiques in the world.
“We welcome young people from fashion schools, but not exclusively,” says Fabbri. “We want to understand whether the teaching method is effective enough to also work for people without any experience in this field.”
How the Scuola dei Mestieri works
The Scuola dei Mestieri is a place where heritage and innovation come together. Skills are transferred that go beyond the traditional craft dimension. Within Staff International, a distinctive know-how is created that combines technical capacity, creative and design sensitivity, and knowledge of industrialization processes. These are fundamental elements for turning the vision of creative directors and designers into iconic clothing and accessories. In this context, talents are trained to interpret, translate and develop creativity. In line with the group’s vision, the program pays special attention to innovation and sustainability.
For the first time, the project is organized in two annual editions. This will increase the number of young people involved and further strengthen OTB’s commitment to training strategic skills for the sector. This choice confirms the group’s will to invest in the growth of new professionals. In this way, it contributes to the continuity of a knowledge heritage that is a distinctive and essential resource for the fashion chain and for Italy.
Successful start-up
The academy’s new structure includes two classes: one that started in March and one that starts in September. The program lasts six months and combines theoretical training with practical activities. Participants complete a professionalizing internship. This allows them to work closely with master craftsmen, colleagues and industry professionals to gain a complete view of the product development and industrialization cycle.
The program includes practical workshops, sessions on materials and fabrics, and in-depth knowledge of collection development, innovation and sustainability. In addition, there are mentoring-moments with tutors and masters of the company. In the first three months, the trainees focus on tailoring and clothing. In the following months, they are guided towards specialization paths such as product development, pattern making and customization, depending on their skills and competencies. It is an experience that provides not only technical skills, but also the necessary tools to concretely interpret and develop a creative idea within the luxury supply chain.
Since the start of the project, more than 50 young talents have been trained, of which more than 85 percent have been hired by the group’s companies. This result shows the effectiveness of the program and the growing need for such professionals within the sector.
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