The finalists for the 2025 Premio Maestri d’Eccellenza, now in its third year, have been announced. This prestigious award, a collaboration between LVMH Métiers d’Art, L’Uomo Vogue, and Fendi, celebrates Italian craftsmanship, highlighting its creativity, mastery, and enduring value. The awards are structured across three categories: Master Artisan (Maestro Artigiano), Emerging Talent (Talento Emergente), and Master’s Legacy (L’Eredità del Maestro), recognizing both established and burgeoning artisans. The 2025 edition continues to underscore the vital role of craftsmanship in preserving cultural heritage and driving innovation within the luxury and fashion sectors. The jury for this year includes Pascal Conte-Jodra, CEO of LVMH Métiers d’Art; Fabio Piras, director of the MA Fashion course at Central Saint Martins; and Silvia Venturini Fendi, artistic director of accessories and menswear at Fendi.

In the Maestro Artigiano category, the finalists are Athison (Fondazione Auricchio division), known for braided leather accessories and based in Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Piedmont; Filati Biagioli Modesto, a Tuscany-based company specializing in high-end cashmere spinning and dyeing; and Manetti Gusmano & Figli, a renowned Florentine business dedicated to the ancient art of gold leaf production.

For the Talento Emergente category, the finalists include Gaia Boldetti, a young Turin-based artisan specializing in shoemaking and leather work; Francesca Gotti, who creates innovative perfume packaging from composite materials in Savona; and Elena Salmistraro, a Milan-based product designer and ceramicist recognized for her unique aesthetic and cross-disciplinary approach.

The L’Eredità del Maestro category, which honors businesses that have successfully maintained and evolved their craft across generations, features Lanificio Leo, a historic Calabrian textile company that harmonizes tradition with technological innovation; Tessitura Luigi Bevilacqua, a family-run Venetian business preserving the rare art of velvet weaving using 18th-century looms; and Zanellato, a Vicenza-based leather goods brand that integrates heritage craftsmanship with contemporary design and entrepreneurship.

Each finalist exemplifies a profound dedication to artisanal excellence, cultural preservation, and creative reinvention. The winners will be revealed at a ceremony in Milan in October 2025.