LVMH Métiers d’Excellence Launches Fourth Award with Bulgari

MILAN — LVMH Métiers d’Excellence on Tuesday launched the fourth edition of the Maestri d’Eccellenza Award craftsmanship competition, dedicated to Italian master artisans.

Partnering with Bulgari through the Fondazione Bulgari on the initiative, the prize will again acknowledge three master artisans from all backgrounds across three categories, dedicated to established artisans with 10 or more years of experience, emerging ones with under 10 years of experience and innovators, respectively.

The prize previously involved Fendi, Loro Piana and eyewear manufacturer Thélios — all part of the French group — in its first three iterations.

The project was launched in 2023 in Italy and developed with Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana and the Confartigianato association, aiming to raise awareness around the importance of local craftsmanship and its preservation, attracting media attention to the cause and offering financial aid to some of its exponents.

The winners will be selected from among nine finalists, three for each category. Applications opened Tuesday and will run until May 31 on a dedicated website.

The three winners will be revealed on Sept. 14 at the Bulgari Hotel in Rome, with each bestowed a prize of 10,000 euros to reinvest in their business as well as media coverage and mentoring sessions with Thélios professionals.

“Bulgari is one of the Italian maisons in the group and also the Fondazione Bulgari is already very involved in many initiatives tackling education and the transmission of savoir-faire and craftsmanship, so it was quite natural to involve them,” said Marion Bardet, LVMH group vice president of Métiers d’Excellence, at Tuesday’s kick-off event held at the Cova café, also part of the LVMH portfolio.

“This exciting initiative celebrates and promotes the artistry of craftsmanship, perfectly aligned with one of the core pillars of our foundation: preserving and passing down the invaluable heritage of artisanal know-how to future generations, recognized as a true form of art,” said Jean-Christophe Babin, president of the Fondazione Bulgari and chief executive officer of Bulgari until July 1, when he will be succeeded by current deputy CEO Laura Burdese.

“The Maestri d’Eccellenza Award embodies the essence of this generational dialogue, reflecting the passion of artisans to refine their talents, pursue excellence and innovate, creating a tangible legacy that stands the test of time,” Babin said.

The Fondazione Bulgari was formally established in 2024, building on the Roman jeweler’s numerous charity initiatives, which have spanned the support of gender equality and equal access to education, as well as financial contributions to the preservation of Italy’s cultural heritage, in addition to the promotion of contemporary art initiatives and partnerships with cultural institutions to offer visibility to emerging talents.

Bardet said the roster of applicants — and winners — is becoming richer every year.

“Italian craftsmanship is very rich and diverse. We always discover very interesting and new and different savoir-faire. Craftsmanship is something where you can have real diversity of techniques and results also. And it’s always very enriching to meet someone who has a different technique, a different craftsmanship and we really believe in this hybridization, it always gives birth to new ideas and interesting collaborations,” the executive said.

Asked about how technology is resonating in artisanal sectors, Bardet said that “craftsmanship is kind of benefiting from the rise of some technologies…and for centuries, it has evolved through technologies, but what’s very unique in craftsmanship is the specific, very human intelligence that it requires…which cannot be replaced by machines.”

Bardet will sit on the jury that will review applications and name winners. The panel will also include Burdese; Massimo Di Valentini, Bulgari’s product development and innovation senior director and Virtuoso 2021; Toni Belloni, adviser to LVMH and CEO and president of LVMH Italy; Maud Alvarez-Pereyre, LVMH’s group chief human resources officer, as well as Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana’s president Carlo Capasa, among others.

Italy is home to six of the more than 75 brands within the LVMH portfolio, including Bulgari, Acqua di Parma, Pucci and Cova, in addition to Loro Piana and Fendi.