KICL, Arsutoria sign MoU for vocational design training programme in Tamil Nadu

Kothari Industrial Corporation Ltd. (KICL) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Arsutoria, Milan, to strengthen India’s design and creative capabilities for global markets. The long-term collaboration will focus on footwear, leather goods, and accessories, spanning both leather and non-leather categories, the company said in a statement.

“The partnership is strategically aligned with the rapidly evolving global trade environment. It gains relevance in the context of the recently concluded India–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which significantly enhances market access for Indian exporters across the 27-nation European Union, as well as the emerging India–U.S. trade understanding, including the reduction of US tariffs on Indian goods,” the company said.

Under the MoU, the partners propose to establish a vocational design training programme in Tamil Nadu, with plans to explore additional campuses across the country, subject to statutory and regulatory approvals.

The proposed institution will focus on footwear design, leather goods, and accessories, with curricula closely aligned to international trends, evolving consumer preferences, and real-world industry requirements. The programmes will be developed in active collaboration with industry, ensuring that design education remains applied, market-relevant, and outcome-oriented.

As part of the collaboration, Arsutoria will contribute its globally respected academic frameworks, contemporary curricula, and international best practices, built on decades of practice-led design education. KICL will leverage its infrastructure, manufacturing ecosystem, and execution capabilities to seamlessly integrate classroom learning with live industry exposure.

“By building a strong pipeline of industry-ready designers, the initiative aims to enhance India’s export competitiveness, support design-driven manufacturing, and position the country as a credible global hub for creative industries. We have collaborated with Indian institutions in the past, but this is the first time Arsutoria will have a direct and comprehensive presence in India,” said Matteo Pesca, Managing Director, Arsutoria. 

“By co-creating curricula with industry, we are offering both short-term and long-term programmes — starting with six-month courses designed to deliver immediate, real-world impact,” he said.  “Design is no longer an aesthetic add-on; it is the language through which brands compete globally,” said Jinnah Rafiq Ahmed, Executive Chairman, KICL.  “As trade barriers fall and products converge on cost and quality, design becomes the true differentiator. This collaboration is about embedding global design thinking into India’s manufacturing and export ecosystem,” he added.