Even in these difficult times, the Biella Master delle Fibre Nobili Foundation, which for over twenty-five years has given young graduates an all-round knowledge of the textile/clothing/distribution process, is helping to establish Biella as the best training centre in the world in this sector. Such wealth of knowledge will never be affected by any economic and financial crisis.

As we look ahead with optimism, the Board of the Foundation would like to wish everyone the best of luck in their work and extends a special thank you to all those who have faith in our enterprise and continue to support us.

Sincerely,

Luciano Barbera

Chairman

Biella Master of Noble Fibres Foundation
Industries as workshops

Fabric, “this marvellous unknown”

The Biella Master delle Fibre Nobili Foundation, in collaboration with the Industrial Union of Biella, has invited clothing industry managers and distribution executives from the most prestigious Italian companies to attend a meeting in Biella in May.

These experts from all areas of textile manufacturing will demonstrate what steps are being taken in Biella in order to maintain leadership in the production of quality fabric and how the various stages of the textile process can affect this result.

This event will be promoted and publicized at Pitti Uomo in January and Ideabiella in February.

Field projects complete the training course

The training of the Master students concludes with field projects. Giulia Ciocca Vasino is working in the USA as assistant to the Marketing and Communication Manager of an American company; Cristina Farruggio is working on “Definition of quality standards of knitwear products destined for the Asiatic market”; Andrea Nodari is studying “Production yields in weaving and mending times” while Valentina Sozzi is busy with “Design of collection accessories”.

The testimony of Antonio Paone / President of KITON U.S.A.

“Potentially valuable collaborators for the future”

Antonio Paone, president of KITON USA and nephew of Ciro Paone who founded KITON S.p.A. sixty years ago, has offered a number of Master students internships in distribution at his specialty store in New York.

“Expert knowledge of distribution is increasingly necessary for all products of high quality clothing produced by KITON”.

How many shops do you own worldwide?

“There are forty spread over all the continents, nine of which are in China, but our most important sales outlet for the promotion and divulgation of the real Made in Italy is in New York.”

So you produce everything in Italy?

"Exclusively in Italy. We are proud to defend the professionalism of our eight hundred collaborators."

What impressed you most about the young people you have met?

"Above all their professionalism, their diligence and the humility with which they approach the situations they are faced with. Obviously this is also thanks to their training at the Biella Master Foundation and the experience they have gained with the help of their tutors in the different sectors of textile production. It certainly makes them potentially valuable employees in future."

The testimony of Sara Maruzzo / General Product Manager Assistant Tom Ford Menswear & Womenswear

“A worthwhile experience alongside people who love their work”

After finishing the Biella Master Sara Maruzzo joined the Gruppo Zegna where she is now General Product Manager Assistant for the Tom Ford Menswear & Womenswear lines.

Do you think that having attended the Biella Master made it easier to find a job and is it still relevant in the work that you do now?

"It was vitally important for two reasons: firstly for its “content”, introducing me to the whole textile process which means that I understand what processes come before and after the job I am doing; secondly, it was the Foundation which forwarded my CV to Zegna and then I was
contacted as a former Master student. I would say that having attended the Master was one
of the main reasons why I was employed here."

Looking back, what is your opinion of the training course you attended?

"The strong point of the training provided by the Biella Master is the opportunity to experience in a small way what is in fact the huge reality of the textile world. The lessons in the classroom with professionals in the sector, experience in the field in the best known companies in Italy and abroad and the wonderful trips that we were lucky enough to go on made for an unforgettable experience which has been very useful in my career.”

Would you advise a young graduate today to apply for the Master course?

Absolutely. If anybody intends to work in textiles (at any level) then I would highly recommend this ex perience.”

What aspect of the training did you especially enjoy?

"It is difficult to single out a specific aspect. Obviously a highlight was the unique opportunity it gave me to travel, which was valuable both from a professional and a personal point of view. In my case it was New Zealand which made the strongest impression: visiting and living on the farms, meeting the people who work on them and really love what they do, getting used to their lifestyles and experiencing the colours and landscapes of sucha distant country was all totally new for me. Something else which gave me great pleasure was meeting so many people in so many different places over the course of 16 months. Not only the tutors who were so enthusiastic in their teaching of theory as well as passing on to us their valuable experience, but also the people who welcomed us into the various companies and gave us such a wonderful opportunity to learn as much as we could. It was more than merely attending a school: we learnt so much from meeting people who really love their work and who tried to inspire each of us with the desire to take our knowledge with us into the textile sector. I don’t believe the situation is so catastrophic, we just need the enthusiasm of new generations.

XXII edition: scholarships awarded

Four young graduates (two girls and two boys) are about to embark upon the XXII edition of the Biella Master delle Fibre Nobili. They were selected on Friday 25th November 2011 by the Board of the Foundation, chaired by Luciano Barbera and in the presence of tutor Mr. Giovanni Schiapparelli and the other teachers who taught the candidates for the scholarship during the preparatory course.

The graduates who will attend the course are: Serena Campelli, 25, from Pontey, Aosta, a graduate in Economics and Company Management from the University of Turin; Giorgia Gallinelli, 23, from Rome, with a degree in Architecture from the University of Sapienza in Rome; Ettore Pellegrini, 26, from Zubiena, Biella, who graduated in International Economics at the University of Pavia; Luca Zevola, 26, from Casalnuovo (Naples) who has a degree in General Management from the Luiss University in Rome.

Their training course begins on 9th January2012, combining lessons in the classroom with internships in the most important Italian textile/ clothing companies, followed by internships abroad at foreign companies of quality which support in our enterprise.