SMALL MANUFACTURERS APLENTYItaly is home to thousands of small manufacturers that cover 50-55% of the global production of luxury clothing and leather goods, consultancy Bain calculates. LVMH announced in May it had taken a majority stake in Nuti Ivo Group, an Italian company that has specialised in making leather products since 1955. Kering managing director Jean-Francois Palus said the luxury group is increasingly looking to bring production in house. "Italy has not created a (major) luxury hub, but we have entrepreneurs who have the ability to activate the right relationships at the right time," said Stefania Lazzaroni, general manager at Italian luxury industry association Altagamma. "Italian groups are now more managerialised, more organised and also stronger, which makes them more open to thinking together," he said.

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Persons: Luigi Fedeli e, Zegna, Gildo Zegna, Ermenegildo, Kering, LVMH, Jean, Francois Palus, It's, Chanel, Brunello, Stefania Lazzaroni, Prada, Roberto Costa, Bertelli, Elisa Anzolin, Silvia Aloisi, Keith Weir, Jane Merriman Organizations: France MILAN, Prada, Filati Biagioli Modesto S.p.A, Biagioli, Prada Group, Reuters, Bain, Group, Nazionale della Moda, Global Luxury Investment Banking, Citigroup, Thomson Locations: Italy, France, Italian, Monza, Milan, Filati Biagioli, Bertelli, Nuti