Italian Artisan, without manufacturers, fashion would not even exist
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Italian Artisan: «Italian manufacturers and contractors from the fashion world»

Italian Artisan’s philosophy ‘Made in Italy, Made Easy’ expresses the platform goal to simplify and coordinate the Italian supply chain’s processes: David Clementoni and Olga Iarussi

Italian Artisan turns the concept of marketplace into a Made in Italy productive ecosystem with a B2B Fashion Platform

Italian Artisan is a Made in Italy B2B Fashion Platform, which was launched by David Clementoni and Olga Iarussi in 2020. According to David, it began as a marketplace, but then developed in a «productive ecosystem that enhances Italian producers and contractors from the fashion world» on an international scale.

On the one hand, Italian Artisan aims at helping Italian micro and small companies to diversify their customer portfolio, promoting a simplified internationalization process through an inbound of new contacts. On the other hand, the platform works along with national companies to help them digitize and develop an entrepreneurship geared towards internationality: «International brands have a strong interest in Made in Italy».

From a family business to a ‘business family’ to preserve Italian sustainable production – David Clementoni’s marketplace

David Clementoni comes from Marche, the Italian region known for leather goods and footwear production: «Travelling and working abroad I realized that big international brands gave great value to Italian manufacturing, despite the small size of our territory. Indeed, Italy is first in Europe and seventh worldwide for the value of the fashion and design production». Still, at a time when marketplaces were being developed for the mass production field, the luxury world was lacking an international platform. David saw an opportunity in this and decided to create a digital space to connect Italian manufacturers with international brands interested in Made in Italy high-end fashion. 

Using the experience gained in his family business, together with Olga, David created a community, which he likes to define «business family». This is based on a sustainable production model, which – he states – has always been in the Italian DNA: «Now we have a series of certifications to prove whether a company follows an ethical production method. Italian manufacturing has always been sustainable and circular, as it is traditionally composed by family businesses that work with local materials».

‘Made in Italy, Made Easy’: Italian Artisan’s philosophy

The Italian fashion panorama counts thirty-two productive districts with about sixty-five thousand businesses, the ninety percent of which consists in micro and small companies: «These companies are capillary distributed and well connected on a local level, but the districts are basically disjointed between each other. Thus, despite the generational know-how they hold, it can be difficult for them to handle structured requests as those that often come from abroad».

Therefore, Italian Artisan’s philosophy ‘Made in Italy, Made Easy’ expresses the platform goal to simplify and coordinate the Italian supply chain’s processes in order to make them more suitable for international customers.

Italian Artisan offers an alternative to the traditional centralist method: «We created our platform also in response to the widespread centralization process that menaced the Italian manufacturing supply chain. Few big brands were absorbing small local businesses for their profit, putting at risk the survival of supply chains ».

Supporting sustainable businesses: Italian Artisan for manufacturing

The Italian Artisan staff is composed of about eighty percent of women and the average age is around twenty-seven.
David and Olga believe in women empowerment and in emerging talents: «We are interested in talent over skills. During the years Italian Artisan has been conceived as a talent development pathway for our employees. We help them developing leadership and skills through mentorship programs, as we think that future is made by young people for young people».

Nonetheless, to be part of the team they have to embrace Italian Artisan’s mission: «We look for people who are not just passionate for Made in Italy, but also for beauty. People who believe in quality over quantity, and are interested in building sustainable businesses and networks. I am not referring to certifications here, but to ethical and circular collaborations that can create value for the future».

Cohesion and decentralization to help the business family against the market giants – Italian Artisan supporting local production

Up to now Italian Artisan counts more than eight hundred companies. Decentralization also makes it possible to distribute the demands among the companies according to their characteristics, such as workmanship or minimum order quantity. This makes it easier for international customers to find the partners that best meet their needs. «Once there was a lot of rivalry on a local level, but now the small companies have come to understand that cohesion is their only defense against the predominance of industrial giants on the market. Thus, they are overcoming the traditional idea of family business and embracing the new business family model proposed by Italian Artisan».

To become part of Italian Artisan business family companies do not only have to share its vision, but also to possess specific technical characteristics: «We seek for companies that can answer international customers’ demands or attract new demands with their know-how. This is a mandatory requirement for us to be able to create value. And we want to do it as fast as possible».

Before entering the network, companies that fulfill such requirements undergo a «learning by doing» phase to understand weather the digitization and internationalization processes proposed by Italian Artisan are suitable for them. Indeed, the platform has developed a simplified program to help companies go digital and international through a «soft step-by-step approach».

Let’s rock Made in Italy: without manufacturers, fashion would not even exist

Italian Artisan’s mission is to help new generations of artisans developing their potential and use their new energy to write the future of Italian manufacturing, while preserving their roots. To do so artisans are called to realize that they are the «real rockstars of the supply chain».

There is a tendency to associate luxury fashion items with their designers only, but according to David the majority of the creation process depends on manufacturers: «Between the design sketch and the final item there is a whole supply chain. It is usually up to the artisans to solve practical problems related with the design and bring the creations into life. Plenty of renowned brands have been founded by manufacturers. Without them, fashion would not even exist».

According to David artisans could also rock a process of renaissance for Italian economy: «Throughout history Made in Italy has become a synonym of luxury worldwide thanks to small local manufacturers. Today, this productive force united could bring Italy back among the first world economic powers».

Italian Artisan, open window on Italian manufacturing for international brands

Up to now Italian Artisan have served thirty-two countries, especially from North and Central America and Europe, as well as the United Kingdom, Australia, the Emirates, and China: «For the future we aim at expanding the Italian presence on the international market even more. To do so we will go on welcoming Made in Italy producers in our business family to help them grow and empower them». Also from a digital point of view, because Italian Artisan believes in the opportunity of using technology to improve artisanal craft processes.

David and his team hope that Italian companies will thus be able and willing to invest in their local territories: «Unlike multinational corporations, micro and small companies have an interest in doing good to society, since they live in those territories themselves. We believe that a global approach can create value at a local level and we want to inspire a new enthusiasm in our country at a local level».

Italian Artisan marketplace welcomes 100% Made in Italy fabric by Prototipo Studio

A new addition to the Italian Artisan community is Prototipo Studio, the research laboratory supported by Lampoon Magazine that developed their first 100% Made in Italy fabric. This is made out of hemp, a plant fiber which is grown, harvested, and worked through a complete Italian supply chain. The result is a fabric that resembles silk and cashmere. Washes and contacts with the moisture of people’s skin do not spoil it, but rather make it softer. Plus, it is sustainable, as it does not release microplastics in water.

«When I first saw it, I felt a sensation of Italian pride. Italy has long been one of the first hemp producers in the world, since our territory is particularly suitable for this cultivation. The Italian hemp supply chain has been circular and sustainable since times when it was not yet popular to talk about such themes. Prototipo Studio embodies the type of business we look for: ethical and capable of strengthening local communities both on an economical and human level through Made in Italy», declares David.

Italian Artisan

Italian Artisan is the first Made in Italy B2B Fashion Platform. Created in 2014 by David Clementoni and Olga Iarussi, it now counts eight hundred Italian manufacturers and over eighteen thousand international companies from thirty-two countries.

The platform helps international fashion companies interested in a Made in Italy production finding the Italian partners that best suit their needs. In the meantime, it supports Italian micro and small companies’ growth with processes of digitization and internationalization. Italian Artisan only works with companies that can provide a sustainable and ethical production and pays attention to women empowerment and young talent development.

Debora Vitulano

Italian Artisan, a marketplace: David Clementoni

The writer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article.

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