Chanel is working hard on all fronts to strengthen its production network. This is illustrated by the growing number of operations carried out in recent years, particularly in Italy, considered to be Europe’s luxury factory, where the group is now present in around twenty production units. After recently acquiring a 35% stake in Mantero Seta, the historic weaver and manufacturer of silk accessories in Como, the French luxury house has now invested in the Conceria Nuova Impala tannery via a minority holding, which is estimated at 20%.

“Chanel continues to secure its supply chain in France and Italy, by directly or indirectly supporting historical partners of the house. This includes acquiring stakes in companies recognised for their expertise and know-how, such as Nuova Impala, a tannery with which we have collaborated for over ten years and of which we have been a minority shareholder since the end of 2024,” the label told Fashionnetwork.com, while highlighting that “in line with Chanel’s strategy for this type of operation, these companies will continue their collaboration with all of their customers”.

The tannery was founded in 1958 by the Caponi and Vannucci families in Santa Croce sull’Arno, near Pisa. Specialising in calf leathers for the footwear and leather goods categories, it has developed expertise in the art of tanning, while innovating to meet market evolutions, especially in terms of environmental and ethical standards. The company employs 37 people and achieved sales of 22.2 million euros in 2024, with a net profit of 1.17 million euros.

In a very high-end market, driven mainly by leather goods accessories, including bags that have reached astronomical prices, Chanel is understandably keen to consolidate its leather production capacities. In particular, it has consolidated this sector in Italy and France. Firstly, through the acquisition in 2019 of the Italian tannery Samanta, specialising in printed and embossed leathers, then in 2020 through the acquisition of Conceria Gaiera Giovanni, its supplier for smooth and supple leathers, in which it acquired a 100% stake in 2024.

The brand has also invested in Blupell, a Veneto-based company specialising in hide treatment and dyeing, and last year acquired a stake in the Lombardy-based tannery Co.Fa srl, according to a Chanel Limited Group document detailing the entities present in its scope in 2024.

Meanwhile, in 2023, Alsatian tanneries Haas, acquired by the luxury house in 2018, and leather wholesaler Campelli, also present in its brand universe, became majority shareholders in Volfoni tannery, the company told us. Volfoni is the joint venture resulting from this merger with Volpi Concerie, a specialist in vegetable tanning located near Pisa.

“We also support the members of our ecosystem of factories in securing their own network and production capacities,” stressed the rue Cambon brand. In addition to the creation of the Volfoni tannery, this type of consolidation has also taken place in the knitwear sector.

Paima hosiery, owned by Chanel since 2021, “took a majority stake in Samo Cotton hosiery”. This hosiery, acquired in 2024, is located, like Paima, near Ancona in the Marche region.

Similarly, in the footwear segment, the Group pointed out that Roveda, the company specialising in high-end women’s footwear that it acquired in 2000, “has strengthened its expertise in the manufacturing of uppers thanks to the activities of Ibisco and Primula”, two companies created in 2023. Since Roveda became 100% owned by Chanel, this family-run business founded in 1955 in Parabiago, not far from Milan, has modernised and grown significantly, becoming a strategic entity for the French group, while continuing to supply other international labels.

Last year, Chanel, which also includes shoemakers Gensi Group, controlled by the French company since 2015 and which expanded its production site in 2024, and Nillab Manifatture (Calzaturificio Ballin), also took over the historic luxury shoe manufacturer Grey Mer, its supplier for thirteen years, based in San Mauro Pascoli, Emilia-Romagna.

In the leather goods sector, the label invested in Lombardy-based Renato Corti in 2019 as well as in Mabi International, a producer of leather bags and accessories with two factories in Veneto and one in Tuscany, in whose capital it took a 100% stake in 2023.

In addition, the group has interests in other sectors. In 2022, for example, Chanel acquired 60% of jeans specialist FashionArt, and in 2023 took a minority stake in Marche cashmere spinning mill Cariaggi Lanificio. In 2020, it had already acquired the Piedmont-based producer of fancy wool yarns Vimar 1991, invaluable to the creation of its signature tweeds. In silk, beyond Mantero Seta, it has also secured the services of Como-based weaver Biseta, in which it acquired a 100% stake last year. Finally, in early 2025, it took a minority stake in Tuscan costume jewellery and metal accessories specialist Leo France.

The Group has been present in Italy since 1986, and at December 31, 2024 counted twenty-nine subsidiaries in the country, active not only in manufacturing, but also in sales, marketing, distribution and logistics, employing over 2,500 people.