INCA TOPS: NEW INTERNATIONAL SPONSOR FOR THE MASTER

The Biella Master delle Fibre Nobili, thanks to the good offices of Vice-Chairman Luca Alvigini, has been enriched by an important new international sponsor: Inca Tops.

The Peruvian company,located in Arequipa, has been a leader in the selection and manufacture of noble fibres such as alpaca and vicuna since it was founded in 1965. Also this year the Biella Master students, invited by the General Manager of Inca Tops, Mr. Roberto Floretto, will have the opportunity to widen their knowledge of precious fibres in Peru.

The addition of Inca Tops rewards the commitment of the Biella Master, which is about to launch its XVIII edition, to the training of young graduates for key jobs in every area of the textile apparel sector.

NATIONAL FEDERMANAGER BELIEVES IN THE BIELLA MASTER DELLE FIBRE NOBILI

The Foundation’s Support Committee created by its Chairman Luciano Barbera is launching several initiatives in order to achieve the goals that the Biella Master Foundation has set for the training of new managers in the textile apparel sector.

Following the addition of prestigious organisations and associations like the National Chamber of Fashion, Sistema Moda Italia, ICE, the legal offices of Trevisan & Cuonzo and the Biellese Industrial Union, it is thanks to the good offices of Renzo Penna, Chairman of Federmanager Biella, that the Biella Master can now count on the support of the national Federation, which is making a substantial contribution towards the scholarships for the new participants of the 2018 edition.

“We strongly believe in specialised training together with professional experience. hence our decision to give financial support to the Master delle Fibre Nobili, a unique enterprise in the textile sector”, says the Chairman of Federmanager, Stefano Cuzzilla. “This year too managers will be trained here who will be invaluable in our Made-in-Italy textile companies, helping to make them competitive and adding value to Italian production.

They are indispensable resources for a sector in which we have always stood out and which today needs a new generation of professional figures with a wide range of skills. As managers,” concludes Cuzzilla, “we are pleased to suppport those who are building bridges between the classroom and the factory, so that tradition and innovation will always be reciprocally nourished. The future lies in the ability to transform accumulated knowledge into applied science.”

FOR THE FOUR MASTER STUDENTS “IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE; A VERY FORMATIVE YEAR”

The students’ internships abroad took them to: the USA, at Barneys (Margherita Caccavella); Brooks Brothers (Elisa Bonizzoni and Margherita Guaschino) and at Luciano Barbera and Zanella (Giulia Ferrari); to Peru for an internship organised by Luca Alvigini (Alpha Tops) and with the collaboration of Inca Tops; to New Zealand as guests at the Otamatapaio Farm of the Botto Poala family(Reda).

In Australia they were guests of the Australian Wool Innovation for an internship organised in collaboration with Francesco Magri of Woolmark, Italy; in China with Loro Piana, Filati Buratti and Chargeurs Wool and finally, in England, they were guests of John Smedley, a company in Derbyshire specialised in knitwear production, and of Bower Roebuck (Scabal Group) a company in Huddersfield.

The final months of the course were full-on, yet the four Master students regularly reported in detail their impressions and experiences and posted pictures on the Biella Master blog. Impossible to attempt to sum up adequately in a few lines such a wealth of experiences: it can all be found on the internet. The four students also describe their internships in tailoring at Isaia, Brioni, Cesare Attolini...All fulfilling experiences leading to such enthusiastic comments from the students as :

"You see so many aspects from so many different angles. We feel we have solid foundations now and are ready to face the world of work”. “It was an incredible experience”, they all agree, “a vitally important year of training. It is what we will need in future to defend ourselves from other markets and productions of inferior quality ”. Now all four are ready to start work and look forward to finding their own way as ambassadors in the world of high quality textile-apparel.

THE TESTIMONY OF RENZO PENNA, CHAIRMAN OF FEDERMANAGER BIELLA FOR 33 YEARS

“ We provide financial and professional support to an enterprise of which I am proud”.

Renzo Penna has been chairman of Federmanager Biella ( with over 500 members) for 33 years, a long - term supporter of the Biella Master, and is a member of the Support Committee of the Foundation. He recently confirmed the support of the national Federation (see article on the first page).

- What persuaded you to support the Master?

“I’m a great believer in the Biella Master, one of the most important initiatives launched in the Biellese long before the crisis in textiles. It trains the managers of the future and the home of managers is Federmanager which is ready to support them from the beginning of and throughout their professional careers”.

- How do you support the initiative?

“In two ways, financially and professionally: on the one hand financial support is fundamental, hence the Support Committee, and on the other hand, the contribution of professionals in the field at their meetings with the Master students in the classroom, giving them information which will be useful for them in the future. In fact it is essential not to repeat the past but to know how to learn from it in order to create something new in the future”.

- What is your opinion of the Biella Master?

“I am proud that such an important initiative, which is also recognised internationally, began in Biella, thanks to the far-sightedness and the original idea of Chairman Barbera and the first entrepreneurs who joined the initiative. Today inevitably the manufacturing industry has been greatly reduced and that is why it needs enterprises like the Biella Master which represent a suppport and a stimulus for a textile-apparel sector in step with the times”.

- What do you predict for the future?

“I am cautiously optimistic. In the early years of my chairmanship of Federmanager Biella two - thirds of the members were working and one - third were retired. Today the ratio is the other way round but at last we are seeing some small signs of recovery. We need to be ready and the Biella Master trains professional figures equipped to work in modern and competitive companies”.

CHARLOTTE MANCINI, WHO GRADUATED FROM THE MASTER IN 2016, WAS IMMEDIATELY EMPLOYED BY BROOKS BROTHERS

“I owe everything to the Biella Master, not only my job but
also my personal and professional growth”.

Charlotte Mancini graduated from the Master in 2016 and the day after receiving her diploma she was already working for Brooks Brothers. Today she is responsible for fabric quality as well as advising in the chemical department of the company.

- How was the Biella Master important for your career?

“It was fundamental. In fact Brooks Brothers are looking for people with the same background as me, young graduates who have finished the Master with its Biellese stamp and its global vision”.

- Would you change anything about the Master course?

“I was very satisfied with the training programme and I wouldn’t change anything. A knowledge of the entire textile process is fundamental for work in this sector. The companies in the textile - apparel sector are looking for people with knowledge such as only the Master can provide”.

- Would you recommend the Master to young graduates?

“Certainly. I recommend it to anyone who asks for my advice and so do any of the Master students, whenever they did the course. I owe everything to the Biella Master: finding a job immediately, my personal and professional growth, the job offers I have received”.

- What do you remember in particular about your experience?

“The internships in Italy and abroad, the people we met and the support we were given, Mr. Schiapparelli, Paola - our teachers were advisers as well. I’m not just being flattering but the Biella Master for me was like a family”.

THANK YOU TO THE FIRMS WHICH HOSTED THE MASTER STUDENTS OF THE XXVII EDITION

It is thanks to the companies which host the Master students that the Biella Master can provide all - round preparation in the field too. Without them none of this would be possible.

Therefore the Master students and everyone involved in making this a unique and original enterprise would like to thank the following companies: Alpha Tops, Asahi Kasei Fibers Italia, Alvigini, Artex Biella, Australian Wool Innovation, Barneys New York, Biella Manifatture Tessili, Botto Poala, Bower Roebuck, Brioni, Brooks Brothers, Chargeurs Wool, Cesare Atttolini, Cnr Biella, Consorzio Biella The Wool Company, Corneliani, Cotonificio Albini, Filati Buratti, Filatura Italo Bertoglio, Filatura Luisa, Forall Confezioni, F2 Lavorazioni Tessili/Bonotto, Gianni Versace, Gruppo Tessile Industriale, Herno, In. Co., Inca Tops Group, Isaia&Isaia, Italfil, John Smedley, Lanificio Angelico, Lanificio Botto Giuseppe &Figli, Lanificio Ermenegildo Zegna, Lanificio F.lli. Cerruti, Lanificio F.lli Piacenza, Lanificio Successori Reda, Lardini, Linificio Canapificio Nazionale-Marzotto Lab, Loro Piana, Lucafil, Luciano Barbera, Maglificio Innocenti, Marzotto Group, Merino New Zealand, Pal Zilieri, Peplo, Pettinatura di Romagnano Sesia, Polytechnic of Otago New Zealand, Sinterama, Tessile e Salute, Tintoria Finissaggio 2000, Tintoria Finissaggio Ferraris, Tod’s, Vitale Barberis Canonico, Woolmark Company, Zanella, W.T. Johnson & Sons, Zegna Baruffa Lane Borgosesia.

FIVE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE XXVIII EDITION OF THE BIELLA MASTER

Five new students will begin the Master course on January 8th. The Foundation has confirmed their investment in training in the textile - apparel sector by exceptionally awarding five scholarships to students chosen from the numerous candidates who took part in the selection tests.

The students are: Matteo Aguggia, 27, from Biella, who graduated in Economics and Company Management at the Cattolica of Milan; Linda Crosa, 23, from Biella, a graduate in Languages and Modern Cultures at Cà Foscari in Venice; Sebastiano Magnaghi,25, from Casorate Primo (PV), with a degree in International Business and Economics from the University of Pavia; Flavia Romei, 25, from Rome, who graduated in Architecture at La Sapienza of Rome; Luca Stupenengo, 22, from Biella, whose degree is in Company Finance from the Università degli Studi of Turin.

On Friday December 1st the Board of the Foundation, chaired by Luciano Barbera and together with tutor Giovanni Schiapparelli, selected the graduates who had attended the preparatory course: four weeks with 120 hours of lessons in the classroom as well as visits to textile factories and meetings with entrepreneurs and directors of companies who support the initiative.

In attendance were Chairman Luciano Barbera, the councillors of the Foundation and tutor Giovanni Schiapparelli. For this edition too, thanks to the good offices of the Minister for Economic Development, Carlo Calenda, and the director of ICE, Piergiorgio Borgogelli, ICE-Italian Trade Agency participated in the course, giving lessons in International Marketing and Foreign Trade Techniques.

Numerous young graduates displayed interest in the Biella Master programme and answered the advertisement for the XXVIII edition; fifteen candidates were selected from all over Italy mainly from the faculties of Economics, Engineeering and Fashion Design. Many of the graduates had already acquired international experience and speak several languages well. Some candidates had already attended courses in the textile - apparel sector and said that they were attracted by the Biella Master delle Fibre Nobili because it provides important training not only in Italy but also abroad. At the end of the preparatory course, on the basis of the results of psycho-aptitude tests and the final interview, scholarships were awarded to five students.