Kering Launches 'Centers of Excellence'

The new "Industry" center will consolidate Kering's purchasing, manufacturing, and supply chain, while the "Client" center will manage the entire customer experience, including product, marketing, distribution, and data. This restructuring aims to provide shared resources and a unified framework for its portfolio of brands, which includes Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, and Balenciaga. Leading these new divisions are Chief Industrial Officer Stéphane Noël, an expert in large-scale manufacturing operations, and Chief Client Officer Carlo Mocci, who specializes in data-driven customer strategies. The move comes as Kering navigates a challenging market, with group revenue falling 12% to €17.2 billion in 2024, largely driven by a sales decline at its flagship brand, Gucci. This strategic shift aligns with a larger trend in luxury to focus on immersive, multi-sensory brand experiences that resonate with younger affluent consumers. More than 70% of millennials report they would rather spend money on an experience than a physical item, pushing brands to transform retail spaces into cultural destinations with private dining and VIP events. The intersection of fashion and food has become a key marketing strategy, with brands hosting culinary pop-ups and collaborating with food artists to generate viral social media content. For example, Gucci partnered with three-Michelin-starred chef Massimo Bottura to create the Gucci Osteria, a restaurant that blends high fashion with fine dining. These collaborations create exclusive, memorable moments that are highly shareable on visual platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Creatives like Laila Gohar have built careers designing food-as-art installations for luxury houses such as Prada, Hermès, and Dior, demonstrating the growing demand for catering that doubles as a branding event.