Nov 30, 2025
3 min read
Industry news: Ready to begin his new role as executive chairman of Versace, Lorenzo Bertelli speaks with Prada Group CEO Andrea Guerra about manufacturing investments, supply chain compliance and Made in Italy.
Lorereno Berterlli: "From the day my father believed in the industry"
28 November 2025
Lorenzo Bertelli, 37, the eldest son of designer Miuccia Prada and businessman Patrizio Bertelli, is ready to take on his new role as Executive President of Versace once his contract with Prada closes on December 2. In April last year, Prada agreed to buy Versace from American Capri Holdings Ltd. For about 1.25 billion euros ($1.45 billion), the largest acquisition in its 112-year history. The brand adds a distinct aesthetic to Prada's portfolio and paves the wayof the creation of a large Italian company that can compete more effectively with luxury brands worldwide.
On the other hand, from 2019 to the end of 2024, Prada Group has invested more than 200 million euros in total to improve the company's industrial structure.In 2024 alone, the Milanese company will invest around €40 million in vertical integration, gradually integrating certain stages of the production process and acquiring strategic capabilities.
FashionNetwork.com ha parlato di tutto questo, ma anche di compliance di filiera e Made in Italy, con lo stesso Lorenzo Bertelli e con Andrea Guerra, AD del Prada Group, in un incontro a Scandicci (FI), nello stabilimentod’eccellenza dedicato alla produzione a ciclo completo di borse e articoli di pelletteria delle linee Donna e Uomo di Prada, in cui si realizzano anche prodotti in pelli pregiate e alcune lavorazioni speciali eseguite su richiesta dei clienti.
FashionNetwork.com: What new investments in the production chain are planned for 2025 by the Prada group?
Andrea Guerra: With our investment we have not stopped and we will continue.Near the pipeline, in Malacca we will expand and expand the structure of the real thing.It will be a complex laboratory.Another important investment, which will be cut in the next 12 months, is the new leather products company in panancagnag (si)
In Umbria will create a new production center for Knitwear in Gubbio, which will provide the necessary complement to the site that is already in the area of Torgiano (PG), where the Academy project is also located.Torgiano has at least 7 special production processes and we have created an Academy wherever there is a similar type of production.
It is not over: we will invest to increase the production capacity of the Northampton Plant in England, we will expand the Foiano Della Chiana (AR) plant and we are preparing other developments in the footwear related march.Acquiring new suppliers is not on the agenda.
Fn: What reviews you put in a past to reduce the problem of problems such as players have players?
Lorenzo Bertelli: First of all, except for our group, in our sector and in other sectors, fashion shows take place in factories from day one.When you meet the managers of other companies, factories and industries, they don't know who you are and you don't even have to deal with it. Because they feel it doesn't fit within the scope of their responsibilities.And it has faced many difficulties which we read about in the newspapersI wrote this introduction because my father believed in owning the factory from the beginningIn fact, this is the story of my parents, who were more devoted to the design part (Muccia Prada, ed.) and more devoted to the factory (Patrizio Bertelli, ed.).It is our history, a cultural theme that is in our bloodHere in our Milan office, you don't talk about business without talking about the impact it has on factories and productionI can guarantee you that many managers working in other companies do not deal with factory issues
Maybe it's because we are the cause of many wars that are pushed by age, causing problems for other companies today, but in the past we have more experience in trying to clean the chain as much as possible.We were destroyed in those days, we know that it is easy to collect work with other killers with high added value.
FN: Do you only show about 50% of your supplier list on your website?Why not 100%?
LB: In terms of compliance, we are not legally required to disclose all levels of the production chain.Until recently, only the first level 1 in the supply chain was required, not level 2, level 3 and so it's trivial, based on the way the manufacturing architecture is built, the moment to look "cleaner", if you have a few very green level 1s in your business who then have many subcontractors who are not... We have almost very few level 1s and level 12s.
Firstly, because currently there is no minimum percentage required for sustainability reporting.But what if one day the reporting rules change?We are more than happy to share 100% information.
Second, because in any case the question of competitiveness arises: why should we give preference to our competitors in gathering information about our production chain?
Three, because, although there are people who are brave and obedient, we want to declare that we are the only ones who are proud.
FN: How much of Prada Group's production is internalized?
AG: We do not provide that information.From our perspective, manufacturing is fully embedded in the sense that we have the ability to control our entire supply chain from A to Z, and we've made it very short.I believe our in-house production rate is the highest in the industry.
FN: In your opinion, are prices in the fashion and luxury industry too high?
Ah: During the Povid-Cous-Caud period, some of our competitors thought and continued to raise the price without any action that would bring significant benefits to the product.I believe this is one of the reasons why this industry has entered Corgis in recent years.I think that many companies and brands today are a subject of reflection.
FN: Made in Italy and how can it be preserved?
Ag: We have always done this and we are very strong. Italy's problem was created.Italian companies have always been exceptional, but unfortunately they are not equally good when it comes to sales.
Companies like Prada, which decided to enter the world of the end consumer more than thirty years ago, are an exception compared to most Italian companies.I always give this example: If I go to a French or Anglo-Saxon businessman and say 'tell me about your business', they will take me to one of their shops, one of their restaurants, one of their hotels.Tell me about the job' and he'll take me to the warehouse.Here's the difference.Here the tradition of shops, restaurants, hotels has always been familiar, but we do not teach the evolution of customer management to new generations (or we do very little - or maybe we started recently).
Today in Italy we can produce 80% of luxury goods, but Italian companies are responsible for even 20% because of the currency operating in this bank.Here we are lost, we must consider this banking sector as the cornerstone of the Italian industry.
