Arsutoria School joined Leather Naturally to support the use of leather

From this year, Arsutoria School has become a member of Leather Naturally, an international association that includes associations, tanners, producers of auxiliary chemicals and tanning technology from all over the world, created to counter unjustified attacks on leather through the dissemination of clear and complete information based on facts and scientific data. Ars Tannery, the […]

From this year, Arsutoria School has become a member of Leather Naturally, an international association that includes associations, tanners, producers of auxiliary chemicals and tanning technology from all over the world, created to counter unjustified attacks on leather through the dissemination of clear and complete information based on facts and scientific data.

Ars Tannery, the magazine of Edizioni AF group that deals with sustainability in leather tanning processes, has been a media partner of Leather Naturally since the beginning.

And so this year, Arsutoria School has also decided to make its contribution and support Leather Naturally by becoming a member.

What is Leather Naturally?

Leather Naturally is a non-profit association based in the Netherlands that educates and promotes the use of leather. Its mission is to encourage the use of sustainable leather worldwide and to inspire and inform designers, creators and consumers about its beauty, quality and versatility.

On its website there is a section containing information sheets on leather and its production. These reports are accessible and easy to download for anyone, educators, students and all those who wish to access transparent information about the leather sector.

In addition to the website and the main social channels, Leather Naturally has been promoting leather culture for just over a year now through the new global communication platform Metcha, a sort of online magazine aimed at conquering younger audiences.

Metcha deals with topics related to fashion and design, publishing photos of innovative products, interviews with leading designers and various articles related to the beauty and sustainability of leather products. One of Metcha’s strengths is its collaboration with brands and designers who tell their experiences with leather, offering interesting examples of success stories.

Why Arsutoria School decided to support Leather Naturally

Apart from being a material of great value and beauty, leather has characteristics that make it much more eco-sustainable than many of its competitors.

It is a material that guarantees a high durability of the product over time, it is totally recyclable, versatile and can be easily repaired. It is of 100% natural origin and if treated correctly, through sustainable and eco-compatible processing, it is one of the best allies for creating products with a low environmental impact.

This is why we have always promoted the use of leather in our courses. The aim is to make our students aware of the use of a material that stands not only for a quality product but also, and above all, for a product created respecting the environment. We teach them how to treat it properly, with all due respect.

This is why it seemed natural to us to become part of this reality. Leather Naturally supports and promotes a concept to which Arsutoria School has always been deeply and intimately linked.

From Arsutoria School to Serapian Milan and Seymechamlou with the internships by Fondazione Cologni

For several years Arsutoria School has been supporting the project "Una scuola, un lavoro. Percorsi di Eccellenza" organized by Fondazione Cologni. The project, which provides for the activation of internships at very important companies in the field of craftsmanship, involves our school in both leather goods and footwear.

For several years Arsutoria School has been supporting the project “Una scuola, un lavoro. Percorsi di Eccellenza“ organized by Fondazione Cologni.

The project, which provides for the activation of internships at very important companies in the field of craftsmanship, involves our school in both leather goods and footwear.

In these years we collaborated with several companies and some of our most talented students are now part of their staff.

Also in this year’s edition, 2019-2020, despite the difficulties, the realities that have welcomed our students to share with them the secrets of the craft, are two real excellences in the sector:

• Seymechamlou, the women’s shoe company that was the first to produce the creations of designer Christian Louboutin;
• Serapian Milan of the Richemont group, one of the most famous Milanese high leather goods maison.

Before revealing the students of Arsutoria School who have managed to get this unique opportunity with their talent, we want to introduce you more closely to the project.

What is the project “Una scuola, un lavoro. Percorsi di Eccellenza”

“Una scuola, un lavoro” is a project carried out by Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte, a non-profit organization founded in Milan in 1995 by Franco Cologni.

Its aim is to safeguard craft activities at risk, contributing to the training of new generations of Masters of Art.

To this end, Fondazione Cologni promotes, supports and implements a series of cultural, scientific and educational initiatives aimed primarily at young people, which also include the training courses of the project “Una scuola, un lavoro. Percorsi di Eccellenza“.

These training paths are aimed at training young talents in the field of high craftsmanship and provide for their entry into employment.

How the training project “Una scuola, un lavoro” is constituted

The training project “Una scuola, un lavoro” is made up of three main phases:

• The selection;
• The Mini Master;
• The start of the internships.

A careful Special Commission evaluates the applications and projects submitted by the schools.

After deciding on the best ones, the winners of the scholarship have the opportunity to access a Mini Master’s Degree in 4 modules that reflect the current themes of the world of craftsmanship:

• History of Applied Arts;
• Design;
• Micro-enterprise management;
• Digital Communication.

At the end of this mini-master, a six-month internship will be activated at the chosen and available artisan reality, for which the intern will also receive an expense account.

Who are the Arsutoria School interns of the 2019-2020 edition

Two women and both very young, Valentina Marasco and Rita Lionetti are our ex-student candidates selected by Fondazione Cologni for the edition “Una scuola, un lavoro” 2019-2020.

Both have always been passionate about fashion and have found in Arsutoria School and Fondazione Cologni a great opportunity for professional growth, with the possibility to access a truly exclusive training internship: Valentina at Seymechamlou and Rita at Serapian.

Valentina Marasco – Seymechamlou

Valentina Marasco, from Vigevano, attended the bag pattern making and prototyping course and the shoe pattern making and prototyping course at Arsutoria School, specialising herself as a technical pattern maker. Both courses allowed her to acquire technical and practical knowledge about leather, fabrics and reinforcements.

Valentina was selected by Fondazione Cologni to enter the Mini Master course and then, starting from February, to the six-month training internship at the modelling office in Seymechamlou, the Parabiago-based company that produces Louboutin shoes.

Following the suspension due to the health emergency, the internship, which resumed in June, will be extended until November 2020.

During all these months Valentina will have the opportunity to support the tutor, Federico Barera, product development coordinator of Seymechamlou. Together with his colleagues, Federico will transmit to Valentina the passion and technique necessary to obtain a high quality product.

Then she will learn the drawing on form, CAD and will control the creation of the prototype, dealing with the people in charge of cutting, hemming, assembly and fixing.

“In this way I discover the facets and the different aspects of this work: artistic, technical and productive. I make my own every teaching, so that I can create the ideas of great designers, but also optimize the work to meet the needs dictated by the rhythms of production” – Valentina Marasco from unascuolaunlavoro.it.

Rita Lionetti – Serapian Milano

Also born in 1994, Rita Lionetti, originally from Campania, attended a course for leather counter workers at our school.

Thanks to this opportunity, Rita has the chance to deepen the knowledge learned during our course through a training internship in one of the most famous Milanese leather goods maison, Serapian Milano.

The internship was activated in December 2019 and will finish at the end of September 2020, after the interruption due to the health crisis.

Rita Lionetti can benefit from the teachings of her tutor Anna Gagliardi, appointed Master of Art and Crafts in 2018, from whom she can learn the craft skills and the historical working techniques of the Milanese atelier, such as mosaic.

“I hope to learn to master the processing techniques typical of fine leather goods that have always characterized Serapian creations. My aim will be to interpret them through the inspiration and creative ability that distinguish me”- Rita Lionetti, from unascuolaunlavoro.it.

A unique opportunity for the emergence of new talent

For those who dream of working in the world of leather goods and footwear, an experience like this is a truly unique and unrepeatable opportunity.

Our students have the chance to get to know closely the processes and dynamics that govern the world of shoe and leather goods craftsmanship, gaining valuable experience and knowledge.

We believe that this opportunity offered by Fondazione Cologni is the perfect conclusion of a training course of excellence, which can make the difference in a future entry into employment and in the emergence of new talents.