The Kering group’s leading label has appointed Massimo Vian, formerly COO of Prada, to the newly created post of head of industrial operations and the supply chain. A highly strategic role, given how important it is for luxury labels to closely monitor their supply chain.
Vian will begin his new role in January and will answer directly to Jean-François Palus, the CEO of Gucci. As per the press statement from Gucci, Vian will take on a leadership position in the product development and manufacturing process of leather goods, footwear, ready-to-wear, and jewellery categories. He will also oversee the product allocation process across all sales channels.
Vian is a luxury operations executive with extensive experience. Notably, he spent 13 years working for Luxottica, a major Italian eyewear company. After becoming head of industrial engineering in 2005, he was named CEO of Product and Operations in 2014, and he departed Luxottica in 2017. Vian joined Prada in 2020, following a year-long position as CEO of the Calzedonia group’s Italian cashmere brand Falconeri, which was recently rebranded Oniverse.
His employment at Gucci comes after it was recently announced that Massimo Rigucci, a 23-year employee of the premium brand, would be leaving in mid-January. Rigucci was most notable for having overseen the industrial operations for jewellery, leather products, and shoes. Leading ArtLab, Gucci’s state-of-the-art centre for craftsmanship and R&D, which is situated in Scandicci, on the outskirts of Florence, since 2018, is another accomplishment of Rigucci. Its primary concentration is on the design and development of leather products and footwear.
Gucci is going through a major makeover. It’s seeking to get back into the high end of the luxury market after slowing down in the last two years. a tactic that has caused Gucci to restructure its upper management. Palus has been running the label since October, and at the beginning of 2023, Sabato De Sarno was appointed as the new creative director, taking over from the legendary Alessandro Michele.
