Auteur/autrice : Newsroom

In our rapidly evolving world, with unstable scenarios and ever-changing markets, upgrading one’s professional skills is becoming increasingly important, a requirement that can really make a difference when working in an innovation-oriented environment.  This is why on November 8 Marcolin kicked off the “Leadership Academy”, a training project dedicated to the company’s talents and future leaders that was launched in 2021 and that is now at its third run. And that this year featured a session fully dedicated to women’s leadership. An issue that is a top priority for a company where 57% of its employees are women (43% of whom are senior managers). So much so that Marcolin earned the recognition « Best Employers for Women 2022 » from the German ITQF Quality Institute, which rewarded the top 360 companies in Italy.

The project, including ten meetings and running until February 2024, focuses on four key values on which Marcolin’s Leadership model is based: openness to change, practicality, responsibility and sense of belonging. The final goal? Providing a select group of its people with all the tools needed to look to the future with awareness and an open mind. Because there are many new, ever-changing challenges facing us today. From an increasingly closer connection between the physical and digital worlds to corporate social and environmental responsibility up to the competitive scenario among European, Chinese and North-American development platforms. A real obstacle course that, to be navigated effectively, requires agile thinking and the change-oriented mindset of conscious and qualified leaders.

The first day of the event, set against the welcoming backdrop of La Calcina hotel in Venice, just a few steps away from the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute and Punta della Dogana, hosted a team of speakers who, through six theoretical and practical steps, talked about the new leadership. No longer viewed in general as the ability to “encourage others to do better” but as a real driver of personal growth and independence for all, as well as the ability to enhance positive resources and especially, to identify and unleash hidden talent within each and every person. An intense working day that ended with a visit to the Icons exhibition at Punta della Dogana; a show that, with 80 works of contemporary art from the Pinault Collection (by names of the caliber of David Hammons, Agnes Martin, Kimsooja, Chen Zhen, and Rudolf Stingel) and site-specific installations by 30 artists belonging to different generations, gave food for thought and an opportunity to discuss the issue and role of icons and images in contemporary culture.

Marcolin’s Leadership Academy project thus provides an effective, complete and helpful way to boost productivity and in-house performances, starting from good relationship building skills. How? Through attitudes and behavior that can positively influence others, stimulating their personal growth. A valuable ingredient that – as confirmed by the latest research in the industry – is the real “raw material” of a modern, competitive and future-oriented company.

A popular summer destination like Portugal surprises us at this time of the year with a cascade of bright colored fall leaves reflecting onto the water.  To admire this view, all you need to do is drive through the Douro Valley, a one hour drive from the town of Porto, and set off along the paths winding through the hilly landscape dotted with ancient terraced vineyards, villages, churches and castles.  Magic places worth exploring also by boat, going on a peaceful cruise along the river to the heart of this valley that has been a Unesco heritage site since 2001; a region where vines have been cultivated with patience for 2000 years and that, along with breathtaking views, also offers fragments of history and the opportunity to enjoy an amazing food-and-wine experience, tasting Porto wines of different alcohol content and delicious salt cod dishes.  Among the many can’t miss attractions, worth visiting are the Numao Castle, Peso da Régua with the Douro Museum, and Pinhao with its old train station decorated with azulejo tiles depicting the grape harvest.

There are three different routes in Oasi Zegna, a magic place nestled in the heart of the Biellese Alps, that at this time of the year allow visitors to take a stroll in the beech and chestnut forests to breathe in the crispy mountain air, surrounded by the leaves’ vibrant yellow and red hues. They are called Bosco del Sorriso (the most popular route in the Oasi), Sentiero delle More and Cammino di San Bernardo.  Three routes accessible to all by foot, by mountain bike or on horseback that are located in a protected area that was established in 1991 thanks to the Zegna Foundation, which thus embraced and continued the ambitious project conceived by its founder Ermenegildo Zegna over a century ago to connect the company with the land.  These forests are ideal for practicing Forest Bathing (i.e. Shirin Yoku for the purists), a form of active meditation immersed in nature that helps reduce stress.  The foliage around here, though, also features a tasty side, thanks to the many fruits of the land worth tasting in the lodges located just a few steps away, where you can enjoy traditional chestnut, mushroom, pumpkin and polenta-based dishes.

The perfect movie setting?  NYC in the dark yellow light of fall.  Time flies when you’re in New York, visiting museums, going shopping and taking a stroll in Central Park that, with its 340 hectares of land and 500,000 trees, offers unforgettable views.  We suggest that you access Central Park from Conservatory Water, located between Fifth Avenue and 72nd Street, and take the walkway lined by 150 American elm trees known as The Mall and leading up to Bow Bridge, the most photographed location in the Park, and Bethesda Fountain, the Angel of the Waters.  Otherwise, you can wander along The Ramble paths, the “wild garden” of Central Park, and walk up to Belvedere Castle and the Turtle Pond, where many different turtle species live.  However, to really enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of one the oldest parks in NYC, Battery Park is the right place for you, where you can take a leisurely stroll surrounded by luxury buildings and food trucks.

Twenty-thousand visitors for 100 laboratories, companies, manufacturers and ateliers located across the country. These are the figures for ApritiModa, an event that, now at its seventh run, was held last weekend, between October 21-22. Created by journalist Cinzia Sasso and sponsored by the Ministry for Business and Made in Italy, the Town of Milan, Fai Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano and the Altagamma Foundation, Apriti Moda is an event that, since 2017, has offered the audience a sneak peek of the behind-the-scenes of the world of Italian fashion and luxury. A world that is usually reserved to insiders only. Marcolin, for the third year in a row, participated in the initiative by welcoming visitors at its Longarone headquarters.

«Three years ago, when we have been invited to attend ApritiModa, we joined with enthusiasm and today the idea of opening the doors to the public continues to excite us. Glasses are thought to be simple, easy products, but this is not the case» said Sabrina Paulon, Marcolin Group HR Director. «A frame, instead, is the result of a long process that includes 50 to 67 phases, and opening the doors also means transferring the craftsmanship behind a product. Some manufacturing steps have been automated but the savoir faire and experience still matter a lot for us. The human value at Marcolin is crucial». About fifty visitors, including students, curious viewers and enthusiasts, had the chance to step into the Design and Style department, a place that is at the heart of Marcolin’s creativity, where every new frame is conceived from the very beginning; they had the opportunity to personally touch the materials in the lab where prototypes are made and to see firsthand a part of the eyewear manufacturing and finishing process.

Manufacturing steps that, from the design to the final product phase, require 18 to 24 months of work. Combining tradition with innovation is key, without forgetting the indications provided by the designers of the fashion brand whose frame are being created. «Every frame is a unique, one-of-a-kind piece, so nothing is left to chance» concluded Sabrina Paulon. Before hitting the market, every frame manufactured daily at Marcolin must undergo rigorous quality controls and gain official certification. That’s something to remember every time you wear your glasses.

Tod’s pays homage to craftsmanship, to Italian savoir-faire, with a project and an exhibition that are traveling the world and that stem from the collaboration with a fashion photographer of the caliber of Tim Walker. We are talking about The Art of Craftsmanship, A project by Tim Walker: a gallery of photos depicting, with a hint of irony and great imagination, the manufacturing process of Tod’s iconic products.

This project wishes to speak of the evolution of objects through the tools used to manufacture them and the skilled hands that shape and assemble the different materials together, to highlight the fact that the most valuable asset and what really makes a difference in the creation process of objects such as the iconic Di Bag and Gommino is craftsmanship itself.

These are the values on which the collaboration between Marcolin and Tod’s is built, a collaboration that today gives life to a new collection made instantly recognizable by its unique elements, such as the unmistakable leather braid on the temples or the metal chain detail inspired by the exclusive Kate collection. Signature details that don’t go unnoticed, reflecting a contemporary vision of Italian excellence.

To do this, the vision of Tim Walker was crucial, a man who can turn a setting into a dream full of magic, while always staying true to Irving Penn’s famous motto: “I always thought we were selling dreams, not clothes”. On the setting, Walker thus plays with the double meaning of the objects crafted and of the tools used during the key manufacturing phases: leather cutting, sewing, brushing. A celebration of the Italian lifestyle and craftsmanship quality – key values for Tod’s – using an ironic and free-spirited language.

Maintaining a good work-life balance; constantly facing change and challenges on both fronts; establishing positive relationships with colleagues and superiors. These are all regular topics in every worker’s daily life but, over the past few years, they have also become a source of great stress.  Because something has changed. We talked about it a few days ago during the World Mental Health Day: in Italy, just like in the United States and in other European countries, workers have been experiencing a sense of discomfort. Why is that? Because the stress levels are too high.

According to the latest data, 56% of Italians are under stress, an 8% increase versus last year (source: the International Workforce and Wellbeing Mindset Study and the Axa-Ipsos Survey). A pretty significant number if you consider that almost 80% of them think that their general well-being is strongly connected with workplace well-being. On the other hand, 92% of workers, including both men and women, deem it important that companies actively take care of employee psychological well-being. In light of all this, Marcolin decided to embrace the good practices implemented by some international companies and introduced a workplace counseling service for all its employees in Italy.

The service, supported by Odm Consulting (a consulting company specialized in human resources management and enhancement) and in partnership with the Sygmund platform (run by an Institute registered with the National Health Service and supervised by the National Register of Psychologists), is available 24/7 (seven days a week) to all the employees. The counseling service aims to help employees handle personal and work-related problems more effectively, favor self-awareness, promote dialogue and well-being, while of course allowing them to remain anonymous and respecting their privacy. This project is just one of the many initiatives that Marcolin Group has always carried out for its employees, as their well-being and value are considered a top priority. All these projects are part of a vision where welfare, vocational training (thanks to the various Academies operating across the Group) and flexibility are the key assets on which the company’s success is based.