Recommended Reading: Johann Rupert Wants To Save Old-School Craftsmanship

September 06, 2018

It probably comes as no surprise, but Richemont CEO Johann Rupert is a man invested in the future of craftsmanship. On the one hand, the businesses he controls (and, to a large extent, owns) wouldn't really work without trained hands and eyes ready to create intricate little objects of beauty and desire. But, his commitment goes much further than this. In a recent profile in the Financial Times' How To Spend It, journalist and author Nick Foulkes talks to Rupert about the creation of the Michelangelo Foundation, which is dedicated to the promotion and preservation of craftsmanship itself. The crafts range from boot making to the creation of intricate mosaics. I could try to wax poetic about the foundation's work, but, like Foulkes, I'll let Rupert do the talking. What can Europe sell to the rest of the world?," he says in the story. Culture. History. Taste. The luxury goods industry started because of appreciation for finely crafted articles made by people with skills. But artisanal skill without the taste is wasted. We need a combination: true artisanal skills, helped and guided by people of culture and taste. Foulkes's profile is full of interesting information, sharp wit, and skillful writing. It's a well-crafted portrait of a man deeply interested in the promotion of craft C and it's well worth a read. You can read the full story from How To Spend It here.