Class Act

Gucci's high-tech training school and testing laboratory in Tuscany combines craft and science to shape the future of sustainable design

- By Scarlett Conlon

It's a bright and sunny afternoon in Scandicci, a short 8km drive from the centre of Florence. Filled with FedEx vans, busy roundabouts and industrial warehouses, the bustling suburban hub stands in stark contrast with the Tuscan capital and its cultural landmarks, but for one conspicuous structure: Gucci Art Lab. With its vibrant 10mhigh murals, the sprawling 37,000 sq m space is as unmissable as the statue of David - apt, given that a large-scale fashion anatomy is taking place.

Inside, artisan Fabio is adding volume to shoe lasts with putty before smoothing the surface by hand and checking how the light falls from every angle; Maurizio is finishing off a new-season diamanté loafer by joining its upper to its insole with precise hammer action; and Claudio is moving bamboo slowly over the naked flame of a Bunsen burner before bending it to achieve a perfect curved handle.

In adjacent laboratories, scientists and state-of-the-art robotics are working in tandem, testing soon-to-be cult bags for elastic-band fatigue and zip reliability. Treadmills are taking a pair of heels for a long-distance walk to calculate their durability, and a holdall is being checked for colour transfer using an automated mannequin that has been bopping on the spot, non-stop, for a couple of days.