LVMH Métiers d’Excellence and Loro Piana announce the winners of the second edition of the Italian “Maestri d’Eccellenza” Prize

The masterpieces of the 9 finalists will be exhibited in an exceptional artistic installation created by the world famous italian artist Fabrizio Plessi on the Belvedere of Palazzo Lombardia in Milan till the 22nd of September.

In line with the Group’s commitment and philosophy of recognizing the careers of artisans and preserving  savoir-faire heritage, Métiers of Excellence LVMH has announced the four winners of the second edition of the Maestri d’Eccellenza Award, organized in collaboration with the Maison Loro Piana, Confartigianato Imprese and the National Chamber of Italian Fashion. Thanks to the collaboration with Regione Lombardia, particularly with the Councilor of Tourism, Territorial Marketing and Fashion, the awards ceremony took place on the 39th floor of the Palazzo della Regione, which will remain open to the public from September 18th to 22nd.

The "Maestri d’Eccellenza" Award by Métiers of Excellence LVMH is the first recognition dedicated to Italian artisans, aiming to raise public awareness of the importance of preserving craftsmanship and the unique skills of the country. The award highlights artisans across three different categories: expert artisans who have distinguished themselves through the quality of their work throughout their careers; emerging talents with promising projects; and professionals who have stood out for their ability to innovate while preserving historical knowledge and skills, reinterpreting them in a modern way.

Winners of the 2024 edition

·       Maestro Artigiano d’Eccellenza – Antonio Dattis

Antonio Dattis is a cabinetmaker, restorer, and luthier. His exceptional craftsmanship and technique have led him to reinterpret and reconstruct highly elaborate ancient musical instruments, create faithful reproductions of historical instruments, and develop new ones, often using rare raw materials.

·       Maestro Emergente Artigiano d’Eccellenza – Rinalda Bonazza

Rinalda Bonazza develops an original expressive language by using bobbin lace or needle lace techniques combined with a compact knot style, blending tradition with a personal and innovative touch.

·       Maestro dell’Innovazione d’Eccellenza – Fabio Molinas

Fabio Molinas studies, develops, and produces next-generation fabrics starting from the waste material from cork stopper processing. He transforms discarded biomass into a high-performance biomaterial, retaining the physical and mechanical properties of the plant from which it is extracted.

Each winner will be awarded with:

• €10,000 to reinvest in their business;
• Up to one year of mentoring with professionals from Maison Loro Piana, on topics and timelines to be agreed upon with the Maison;
• Dedicated visits to the Maison Loro Piana facilities to delve into the production processes and savoir-faire of the involved artisans and technicians, and to explore potential collaborations between the Maison and the award-winning artisans.
  
  A special mention was given to Francesco Ballestrazzi, who, by decision of the jury, was awarded with the Creatività Artigianale Award.
  
  Francesco Ballestrazzi, a hatmaker from Carpi (Modena), launched his line of hats in 2024, characterized by exclusivity, craftsmanship, and handcrafting, making them unique pieces. Already identified by Vogue Italia as a promising talent, he was also awarded the title of MAM (Master of Arts and Crafts) in 2020 by the Cologni Foundation.
  

The winners were selected by a prestigious jury composed of internal and external experts from the Group:

-       Fabrizio Plessi (artist – Jury President)

-       Chantal Gaemperle (Group Executive Vice President Human Resources and Synergies LVMH)

-       Toni Belloni (Advisor del CEO di LVMH e Presidente di LVMH Italia)

-       Alexandre Boquel (Director of Métiers d’Excellence LVMH)

-       Damien Bertrand (CEO Loro Piana)

-       Marco Granelli (President of Confartigianato Imprese)

-       Moreno Vignolini (President of Confartigianato Moda)

-       Carlo Capasa (President of CNMI)

-       Stefania Lazzaroni (Director of Altagamma)

-       Francesca Ragazzi (Head of Editorial Content Vogue Italia)

-       Eric Darrieus (COO Loro Piana)

-       Francesco Pergamo (B.U. Interiors Director Loro Piana)

-       Lucia De Cet (Virtuoso 2023 Loro Piana)

For this second edition, the role of jury president was assigned to internationally renowned artist Fabrizio Plessi, who created a digital mosaic for the occasion that frames and enhances the products presented by the nine finalists, integrating them into the installation.

The venue and Fabrizio Plessi’s artwork, featuring the nine finalist products, will be accessible to the public from September 18th to September 22nd, with prior registration through the website www.eventi.regione.lombardia.it.

Given the success of this second edition which received more than 500 applications, the third edition of the Prize has already been announced with Maison Thélios as the 2025 Maison partner.