Outside the Kering Factory [/caption]As a textiles and apparel major, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve studied the product development process for a garment. In fact, I even took a course entirely dedicated to the product development process. While I’ve been able to enjoy all the beautiful museums and and workshops we’ve visited thus far,the Kering Factory was one of the main attractions I most anticipated. I was aware that Kering developed runway samples for luxury lines such as Gucci and Stella McCartney, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get that up close andintimate with the garments.
As soon as I walked in the door of Kering Factory and saw giant “Gucci” signage, I immediately felt at home. Our group first sat down in a conference room where a representative gave us a presentation about Kering and its background.
Kering specifically makes runway samples for Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Altuzarra, and Stella McCartney, but they also create PR sample garments as well as red carpet gowns. After receiving an overview of the factory the tour began. I made sure to be in the front of the line closest to the representative. I was so excited that I started to feel the tingle in your nose that you feel when you’re about to cry. Thankfully, I was able to collect my emotions and maintain a calm composure.
The first stop on our tour was the CAD center. CAD stands for computer aided design, where you design the technical flats of the garments. UT offers a CAD class which I have yet to take, but I hope to enroll in it in the future. After visiting the CAD center, we made our way to the position of the factory that cut patterns and fabric. The majority of fabric is cut by intricate machines, however some fabrics must be hand cut due to their delicacy.
My favorite part of the tour had to be the next part of the tour, where we saw seamstresses attaching zippers, buttons, and any other adornments to the garments. I have never seen so many beautiful items in my life. I’ve always been sure that I’ve wanted to have a career in the fashion industry, but my visit to the Kering Factory just reaffirmed everything. It would be my dream to work as a representative for Kering. In fact, I told our guide that I would see her in a few years!
