LVMH Métiers d’Art Acquires Italian Metalworking Specialist
MILAN — LVMH Métiers d’Art, the French luxury group’s specialist crafts division, continues to expand its savoir-faire, and has acquired the entirety of Renato Menegatti, a benchmark specialist in the metal sector since 1980.
Based in Villaverla, in the province of Vicenza, Renato Menegatti will be renamed M.On.De Metal-on-Demand.
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“Metalworking is an ancient art that requires unique skills and craftsmanship,” said Jean Baptiste Voisin, chief strategy officer of LVMH and president of LVMH Métiers d’Art. “We are aware of the importance of preserving and enhancing this tradition, and we are excited to be able to do so through this acquisition.”
The acquisition follows that of Grupo Verdeveleno, a Spanish tannery that is a leader in the processing and finishing of exotic leathers, and a partnership inked last month with Hosoo, a storied Japanese silk specialist since 1688.
LVMH Métiers d’Art is led by chief executive officer Matteo De Rosa, who has helped grow the company and expanded its list of international partners.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with a group of highly skilled professionals in achieving new milestones in the metalworking industry,” said De Rosa. “Determined to carry forward the legacy of this excellence with passion and innovation, we are confident that this acquisition will allow us to continue offering our customers extraordinary luxury products and solidify our position as a reference point in the industry.”
M.On.De. is known for applying processes typical of the world of jewelry to the production of small metal parts for accessories, from logos and chains to buckles and zippers, developing the entire process in-house, from 3D design and prototyping, to production, galvanization with gold or palladium, anodization, satin finishing and polishing. Under the LVMH Métiers d’Art umbrella and in the metal sector, M.On.De. joins the Taiwan-based GBJM, founded in 2012, and the Portugal and France-based Jade Group.
Set up in 2015 to help the conglomerate’s houses build and maintain strong sourcing of rare materials, as well as education and training for the industry, LVMH Métiers d’Art acquired a stake in Spanish tannery Riba-Guixà the same year, in Italian tannery Masoni in 2019 and, last year, a majority stake in Heng Long Italy and a minority stake in leather and suede artisanal ready-to-wear manufacturer Robans.
In May, the group acquired a majority stake in Italian tannery Nuti Ivo S.p.A., established in 1955 in Santa Croce sull’Arno, a historic leather-working and tanning area in Italy’s Tuscany region, reinforcing its presence in the leather, exotic skins and metal sectors.
Also, the LVMH Métiers d’Art in September revealed it was partnering with the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine to sanction the next generation of scientists and craft leaders.
The college’s One Welfare and Sustainability Center (or OWSC) is a leader on animal population health, welfare and sustainability, with a focus on conservation-based systems and species management. The OWSC will develop a comprehensive training program for animal health specialists such as professional veterinary students, graduate students and veterinary clinical residents with support from LVMH Métiers d’Art. The division spans a variety of manufacturing facilities and skilled craftspeople working in leather, exotic leathers and high-quality metal hardware globally.
Italian fashion groups and entrepreneurs have also been investing in cultivating strategic suppliers as well as manufacturers to strengthen their supply chain, such as Prada and the Ermenegildo Zegna Group partnering to buy a majority stake in cashmere firm Filati Biagioli Modesto or Brunello Cucinelli and Chanel investing in cashmere company Cariaggi.
Gruppo Florence was established in October 2020 to develop a platform to supply high-quality Made in Italy products to major luxury fashion brands, while safeguarding the technical and cultural know-how of small and medium-sized family-owned Italian companies. Matteo Marzotto has invested in Minerva Hub, established last year to protect a number of Italian manufacturers in the country’s supply chain that help create garments and accessories.
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