Lorenzo Bertelli (Prada): "thanks to AI, we will finally be able to value people who work with their hands"

Scandicci (Florence, Italy). “Technology and artificial intelligence will give us efficiency and free up time for high value-added work,” stated Lorenzo Bertelli, chief marketing officer and head of corporate social responsibility for the Prada Group, and the future CEO. Bertelli was in Scandicci in November, together with current CEO Andrea Guerra, to celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Prada Academy Group. Bertelli also had a lengthy conversation with two artisans from the Scandicci factory, Francesca Rettori and Leonardo Nesi, both leather goods specialists.

Lorenzo Bertelli: 'artificial intelligence will cause short-term disruption, but I am positive about the long term'

Bertelli addressed the question on everyone's mind in the fashion industry and beyond: whether AI will eliminate roles within fashion companies. “The transition period is always problematic. Artificial intelligence will cause short-term disruption, but I am positive about the long term,” Bertelli said. Craftsmanship and manufacturing cannot be confined to the increasingly specific and detailed prompts of AI like Gemini. Employee Francesca Rettori echoed this sentiment, stating, “at the academy, they teach us to learn by observing.” This implies that the attention, curiosity, passion and experience guiding the creation of a handbag provide an added value. According to Bertelli, this value guarantees the longevity and continued appreciation of artisanal professions.

Furthermore, the paradigm between white-collar and blue-collar work is set to change completely in the coming years. Young people are increasingly seeking a better work-life balance and improved employee welfare.

Many white-collar activities have been, or will be, absorbed by processes linked to AI development. Office work will increasingly involve dealing with presentations and spending the day on a smartphone. This shift could make manual work more attractive and, in turn, more valuable.

Andrea Guerra reinforced this vision, emphasising that for a group like Prada, manufacturing is industrial craftsmanship: “Eighty percent of what we do is hands, heart and thought.” FashionUnited visited the Scandicci factory, including the production departments and the Prada Academy Group laboratories. We observed the Prada and Miu Miu artisans at work and experienced first-hand what Guerra means when he says, “no two pieces of leather are the same; it takes meticulous attention” to produce luxury bags and garments.

Andrea Guerra: luxury must embrace technology while maximising the value of human ingenuity

There is no rush in luxury. “We are in a world that must remain slow. It is a world that must embrace technology but succeed in giving maximum value to ingenuity and everything that is human,” emphasised the CEO of the Prada Group.

The history of the Prada Group is one of production facilities, with 23 in Italy alone. “From day one, my father believed in owning our factories. In fact, my parents’ story is of one person dedicated to design, my mother Miuccia Prada, and another dedicated to the factories, my father Patrizio Bertelli,” explained Bertelli. He stressed that in-house production is “a cultural issue that is in our blood. In our Milan offices, you cannot discuss business without discussing the factories.”

The Prada Group has 15,433 employees (as of June 30) and operates 25 industrial sites, 23 of which are in Italy. The global industrial division employs 4,167 people; the leather goods division has 2,087; footwear has 1,081; and the clothing division has 999 employees.

On the subject of production, the Prada Group management explained that the Scandicci factory and the Prada Academy Group are “already preparing to accommodate Versace and its production. The academy serves the entire group because making a bag for one brand or another, the philosophy is always the same,” said Bertelli.

A key aspect of the Prada Group's production model is its direct control over the supply chain, which guarantees an authentic ‘Made in Italy’ product. The company also decided some time ago to disclose the names of its suppliers.

“We have decided to publish the names of the suppliers we are particularly proud of and, as you know, we will eventually disclose all of them as part of our long-term plan.” Bertelli explained, “The company is not legally required to disclose every level of its production chain. If the reporting rules change one day, we will be very happy to disclose 100 percent, but the rule must apply to everyone.” He questioned, “Why should we give an advantage to competitors who could gather information on our supply chain?”