Diego Della Valle: 'Artisanal intelligence does not fear artificial intelligence'
4' min read
4' min read
A mixture of courage, timing and luck, by his own admission: this is how Diego Della Valle speaks of his decision to leave the Milan Stock Exchange, where the Tod's Group had debuted in 2000, paving the way - speaking of courage - for many other fashion companies. It is difficult to make predictions for the high-end sector for 2025, given the many - too many for anyone, perhaps - unknowns of the global economic and geopolitical scenario. "Better to focus on one's strengths and the history one has managed to build: it is the only way to imagine the future in the short, medium and long term," says Della Valle, president of the group that controls, in addition to the Tod's brand, Fay, Hogan and Roger Vivier.
You were the first to talk about 'craft intelligence' and many have followed you. Or rather: copied it... What does this idea mean to you?
"Yeah... maybe I should have asked for copyright (ride). I'm actually glad the message was picked up and understood and... copied (ride). I'm happy because artisanal intelligence is everything for the future of a brand and a group like Tod's and for so many other Italian excellences in our sector: in the past we talked about skilled hands and in the end there isn't that much conceptual difference, but seeing that today all we do is talk about artificial intelligence, it seems interesting to me to create the right contrast.
Does the digital revolution bother you?"On the contrary, I am fascinated by it. Even if for reasons of age I struggle to use the tools that are part of our everyday life as people and companies, starting with the smartphone, which I still call a mobile phone (ride). I understand how the digital component is a strategic factor for companies in every sector. In ours it has become fundamental in communication and marketing, in process management, and of course in analysing the data coming in from shops or online purchases with the utmost accuracy. But our strength lies elsewhere, in the craftsmanship that we continue to cultivate and which is in perpetual osmosis with the creativity of the style offices. A virtuous circle that we triggered many years ago and that's why in 2025 we decided to tell the story of the Gommino, perhaps our longest seller.
The photos on the first and last pages of the book Italian hands, which you have just published, are indeed by Gommino, but they are also the only product photos in almost 300 pages...
"We have taken a liking to telling the story of the themes that are closest to our hearts with images and words. I don't want to exaggerate though: one book a year may be enough, but it must start with an idea, a spark, that somehow illuminates, once again, the intelligence of craftsmanship. In the book Italian hands, edited by Annamaria Sbisà, we have chosen Italians who may not be known to the general public, but whose lifestyle I and the people working in the group have come to know and admire, profoundly Italian in the best sense of the term. Then we asked them to point us to an artisan of the heart or an artisan passion. We made extraordinary discoveries, from the 'master of the fish market' in Santa Margherita beloved of architect Marco Bay to the Milanese ceramic workshop Paravicini, chosen by Polimnia Attolico Trivulzio. We did not want to self-celebrate, but to tell the extraordinary picture within which we move, as an Italian brand and group, made, once again, of skilful hands, craftsmanship intelligence and creativity'.
Turning back to the Gommino, what is the secret of a shoe that has survived fashions and trends, which engulf each other?
"It is recognisable, simple in its synthesis of functionality and aesthetics. And we have found that it can become a kind of blank canvas on which to practise. We will never change the steps to build it, the leathers and small details we choose by looking at the quality and beauty of the materials. But we can - and have already done so - indulge ourselves with colours, shades, different types of leather'.
