Taking excellent textiles into the future: the Biella Master of Fine Fibres turns 40

There are masters who may never be surpassed by their disciples. This is almost certainly the case with Luciano Barbera, who has spent his life defending Italian-made spinning and weaving, attracting no small amount of criticism: intransigence can sometimes be mistaken, in good or bad faith, for obstinacy.

On 21 May, Biella will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Master of Noble Fibres, one of the most distinctive post-graduate courses in the sector. Born from a philanthropic intuition of Luciano Barbera, the master's degree was launched in 1986 to preserve and pass on the heritage of skills, industrial culture and entrepreneurial values of the Biella district and the entire textile-clothing sector in Italia. Since its inception, the project has involved some of the excellences of Made in ltaly, including Zegna Group, Botto Giuseppe & Figli and Lanificio F.lli Piacenza, expanding the network over time to involve 100 partners.

Luciano Barbera

"When we launched the master course, the objective was clear: to pass on knowledge and skills to the new generations,' explains Barbera. 'Forty years later, this urgency is even more topical because for Made in ltaly the greatest risk is not global competition but the loss of skills.

The master's course lasts 13 months, has a 100% occupational placement and the 131 students trained so far, all of whom receive scholarships, are placed in major companies in the sector. The students go through the entire value chain, from the selection of natural fibres to the development of the finished product and its international distribution. The course includes internships at partner companies in Italia and abroad - including Europe, Australia, New Zealand, China, Peru and the United States - putting the students in direct contact with the production processes and global dynamics of the sector.

Since its inception, the master's degree has received 1,850 applications and trained 131 students - all recipients of scholarships - who are now employed in the leading companies in the sector. Today the Biella Master looks to the future by integrating the key themes of sustainability, technological innovation and social responsibility into its programmes. The aim is to continue training professionals capable of leading the sector's transformation towards an increasingly conscious, traceable and sustainable luxury model.