LAUDATIO | FRANCO COLOGNI

Franco Cologni is a great and a multifaceted artist. A man of culture, journalist, author and entrepreneur, he has not limited himself to exercising one, or in this case, several professions, but spent his entire career in search of beauty in its ethical and aesthetic sense. A mission that led him to imagine and create the Foundation that bears his name, educational institutions such as the Creative Academy of the Richemont Group, the Michelangelo Foundation, and to promote the culture of savoire faire and high craftsmanship in Italy and in the world before many and with great vision.

In the premises of our Campus in Milan, our Chairman, A. Lupo Lanzara, and our CEO, Furio Francini, have had the honour on behalf of Accademia Costume & Moda, to award the Certificate of Merit to Mr. Cologni. Why Franco Cologni,  Cavaliere del Lavoro and Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite, Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and Officier de la Légion d’ Honneur? Because our history since 1964 up to today, rooted in promoting culture and know-how is akin to the masterful work that Franco Cologni managed to accomplish in his life. Like our founder Rosana Pistolese he managed to have impact and make a difference, to create a reference universe; all of that when he could have felt accomplished by the enormous professional and entrepreneurial goals, he had already achieved in his work. On the contrary, he decided to continue to give, to disclose and his work and what he has established can now be witnessed, understood and lived with great ease, by all of us.

The Ceremony has been followed by an important panel on “The Manufacturers of Beauty: Arts, Métièrs, Talents”moderated by Alberto Cavalli, Director of Fondazione Cologni, with the participation of Stefania Lazzaroni, DirectorFondazione Altagamma, Anna Zegna, President Fondazione Zegna , Ermete Realacci, President Fondazione Symbola, and a message from Sergio Tamborini, CEO Ratti, President Sistema Moda Italia.