The film spotlights academies from brands including Fendi and Valentino
Italy’s fashion chamber is doubling down on the future of Made in Italy, unveiling a new documentary that places craftsmanship, education, and generational continuity at the center of the industry’s narrative.
Titled Grand Tour. Viaggio attraverso le Accademie delle Arti e dei Mestieri, the 45-minute film was presented by Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) in Milan, aligning its premiere with the national day dedicated to Made in Italy, celebrated on Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday. The project arrives at a moment of mounting pressure for the sector, as brands contend with slowing sales, supply chain scrutiny, and the need to cultivate new talent.
Directed by Alessandro Manieri, the documentary traces a journey across Italy through the academies of leading fashion houses, including Brioni, Brunello Cucinelli, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Kiton, Tod’s, Valentino, and OTB Group. Each institution opens its doors to reveal hands-on training environments where artisanal skills are passed down directly from master craftspeople to a new generation.
CNMI chairman Carlo Capasa framed the initiative as both cultural and strategic, drawing parallels to the historical “Grand Tour” undertaken by artists and intellectuals in the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, he emphasized, Italy’s role as a center of learning extends beyond aesthetics to include the preservation of technical expertise and manufacturing excellence.
The film moves through a range of disciplines, highlighting tailoring at Brioni, Kiton, and Brunello Cucinelli; leather craftsmanship at Fendi and Tod’s; product development at OTB; and couture training at Valentino’s Bottega dell’Arte. By presenting these academies in sequence, the documentary underscores the diversity of skills underpinning the industry, while reinforcing a shared commitment to education and mentorship.
Beyond its Milan debut, the documentary will travel internationally, with upcoming screenings in Rome and Athens, accompanied by discussions aimed at broadening awareness of the sector’s inner workings. The initiative also signals CNMI’s broader push to strengthen Italy’s positioning as a creative hub, particularly during moments like Milan Design Week, where fashion increasingly intersects with other disciplines.
Through Grand Tour, the organization seeks not only to document craftsmanship, but to reframe it as a living system—one that depends on transmission, visibility, and sustained investment in the next generation.
