OTB presents M.A.D.E., Made in Italy, Made Perfectly, the Campaign that aims to promote the Italian Fashion and Luxury Goods Industry

• The Italian luxury goods group launches a campaign to give a voice to the small and medium-sized companies in its supply chain, by spotlighting their Manual Dexterity, Artisanal Skill, Dedication and Excellence  

• The initiative coincides with the 10th anniversary of the C.A.S.H. project which aims to provide concrete support to the Italian fashion supply chain  

• Minister Adolfo Urso attended the event, which was held at the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy

Rome, 12 September 2023 - Today, at the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy (MIMIT), OTB, the international fashion and luxury holding company founded by Renzo Rosso, which includes the brands Diesel, Jil Sander, Maison Margiela, Marni, Viktor&Rolf, the companies Staff International and Brave Kid, and holds a stake in the brand Amiri, presented the M.A.D.E., Made in Italy, Made Perfectly campaign, aimed at promoting and enhancing the Italian fashion supply chain. Minister Adolfo Urso took part in the event, acknowledging the project as a strategic initiative for the promotion of beautiful and well-made Italian products, in line with the government's proposal to establish a national Made in Italy Day for the first time.  

The fashion sector relies on its synergies with the supply chain, and Italy is an excellent example of a success in this sense, since it is made up of small and medium-sized enterprises capable of realising the very essence of Made in Italy. This awareness is what sparked the commitment of OTB: well ahead of its time, it has taken action to contribute concretely to the growth and development of the entrepreneurial fabric that makes up its supply chain by launching the C.A.S.H. project (Credito Agevolato-Suppliers’ Help), as early as 2013. A programme that allows suppliers to collect their receivables from OTB in advance through a bank and offers them the opportunity to benefit from extremely favourable economic conditions, possible thanks to the high creditworthiness of the Group that acts as guarantor. The project has proved to be particularly effective because it has enabled the companies in the supply chain to face even the most complex periods, such as the pandemic, with greater confidence. C.A.S.H. now involves more than 60 active suppliers who have assigned 90% of their receivables and, since the programme began, the total volume of the payments disbursed has exceeded EUR 510 million. This is an important figure that demonstrates how initiatives of this kind can make an effective contribution to the economic-financial stability of companies, both small and medium-sized, and more generally of the entire Made in Italy sphere.  

The M.A.D.E., Made in Italy, Made Perfectly campaign, an acronym for Manual Dexterity, Artisanal Skill, Dedication and Excellence, was inspired by the desire to give a voice to and shine a light on the Group’s suppliers, as well as the bond forged with them over the years. A tribute to the skills and stories of those who, working behind the scenes, are fundamental in the process of creating excellence and quality of Italian well-made products, and deserve to be the protagonists.  

The project, which OTB will launch through its communication platforms, will culminate in the Made in Italy Day that the Council of Ministers has set for 15 April. By showcasing their faces, materials and working environments, the initiative will tell the stories of some of OTB's most important suppliers, selected according to specific criteria, ranging from their long-term relationship with the Group, to their participation in the C.A.S.H. project, and their focus on sustainability and innovation. The participating companies are located in different regions of Italy and belong to the textile, ready-to-wear, footwear, tannery and leather goods, and metal accessories sectors. The voices of these companies, guardians of Italian craftsmanship, will be the stars of the campaign, allowing them to be known and appreciated by the general public.   

“With good reason, MADE’s aim is to turn the spotlight on the wealth of knowledge and know-how of all those who create value every day, through their work, in all the stages of the supply chain. This is the greatness of Italian fashion, which continues to set new records year after year: we are the leading exporter in the sector in Europe and second in the world, since our creations are considered “MUST HAVES” by everyone, works of art capable of gifting the wearer a little piece of Italy that goes far beyond the garment itself,” commented Adolfo Urso, Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy. 

"The small producers, the artisan enterprises, the true artists are the ones who are the lifeblood of the Italian fashion supply chain. It is thanks to them that Made in Italy is recognised and loved around the world. With this campaign, we want to turn the spotlight on the artisans who produce beautiful and well-made Italian products, in which creativity, craftsmanship and innovation meet. The OTB Group has intervened in recent years by offering its supply chain opportunities for growth, training, innovation, digital and technological transformation, and guidelines for respecting the values of sustainability and transparency,” commented Renzo Rosso, Chairman of the OTB Group. "To really help the supply chain and Made in Italy production, we cannot think in terms of aid and the government cannot do everything on its own: the resources must be invested well and so they must be entrusted to large and medium-sized companies that have the tools to manage them and the ability to support the smaller ones, helping them to develop and grow. I am proud that OTB's commitment and the 10-year-old C.A.S.H. project, which has provided our suppliers with financial stability and security, is being celebrated with this campaign, with which we aim to raise awareness of the value of the companies and professionalism behind the finished products we see on runways and in stores all over the world”, Rosso added.