Takumi, Sustainability Innovation Lead at Bottega Veneta

The free spirit 

Takumi is half Canadian, half Japanese, he speaks five languages and has lived in Tokyo, India, Ottawa, São Paulo, Montreal and now Milan.

He studied Environmental Geography in Montreal, focusing on satellite imaging analysis and environmental systems. “It’s essentially earth science. We learnt how to do data collection and draw conclusions using demonstrative methodology. For example, I spent a lot of time studying forestry, understanding how key indicators like plant species and tree core samples  can tell a story from past climate events such as forest fires.”  

Despite being fascinated by this field of study, Takumi faced a crossroads after graduating.  “I knew I didn't want to become a researcher and I didn't want to do a PhD. At the time, we were at the beginning of the AI craze and blockchain technology was taking off, so I decided to dig a little deeper.”

In 2020, he moved to Milan and embarked on a master’s degree in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Politecnico di Milano. “I learnt how, from a business point of view, we can adopt these new technologies and create disruptive innovations. At the time, my goal was to create my own company and help reduce the environmental impact of a specific sector.”

Fashion wasn’t something he had considered, until fate intervened. One evening, as he was enjoying a meal at a restaurant in Milan, Takumi started chatting to a French couple at the next table. What began as a discussion about menu recommendations became something much bigger. “It turned out the woman I was speaking with was a headhunter for Kering. After hearing about my professional background, she said she had the perfect opportunity for me and put me in touch with someone at Kering. It’s funny, if I hadn’t chosen that restaurant on that specific day, or hadn’t been seated at that table, none of this would have happened!”  

He joined Bottega Veneta in 2021 as a Sustainability Intern. “I had never heard of the brand at the time, so I had to do quite a lot of research. I never expected to end up in a luxury group, but I thought why not give it a try?” Naturally curious, he asked “a thousand questions, I wanted to understand everything, such as why fashion weeks take place when they do. The good thing about sustainability is that it gives you the opportunity to look at the blueprints of a company. You get to see what happens behind the curtains. You speak with every business unit and with everyone at the office. I think it was important for Bottega Veneta to have someone who’s not from the fashion world, who comes in with a fresh point of view and tackles everything from zero.”  

Takumi credits his manager at the time for helping him believe in himself. “Like me, he didn't come from fashion; he had an engineering background. He taught me everything I know today. Even as an intern, he listened to my ideas, answered all my questions patiently and valued my fresh perspective. It really shaped me.”

Today, four years on, Takumi is Sustainability Innovation Lead, a position that was created specifically for him. He describes himself as a scouter, identifying, filtering and presenting relevant suppliers and innovation to the relevant stakeholders.  

A major part of his role is sourcing alternative materials to reduce environmental impact. “I’m researching and exploring the newest materials from bright-minded innovators who, in some cases, take inspiration from nature, which I find mind-blowing.”

For Takumi, the best part of his job is the people. “Sustainability is a small world and we all support each other. I have a lot of freedom to collaborate across Bottega Veneta and with peers at Kering’s other brands. I love to talk to innovators and suppliers, finding unexpected synergies between different business units. And of course, I love discovering new materials, touching them, smelling them, sharing them. And when clients fall in love with them too, it's even better.”

Takumi in 6 questions

Long term goal? I would love to retire to Japan. I would live on a farm that focuses on permaculture, using little ducks and frogs as natural pesticides.

Personal motto? Quando è gratis, anche il pane sa di carne, which means “when it’s free, even bread tastes like meat” I believe in the quiet value of simple things.

Biggest extravagance? I have lived in five different countries and I can speak five languages. I don't know if that's an extravagance, but it’s definitely a luxury.  

Current state of mind? I’ve been all over the place and my life is very dynamic, but today I’m looking to settle down.  

Talent you wish you had? The capacity to say no. I have so much trouble saying no to projects. I’m actually working on that as part of my goals this year.  

Personal hero? Batman. I like that he doesn't have special powers, he's just a human who is perceived as a superhero, who lives in a cave with all the newest tech and gadgets. And also Leonardo da Vinci, who pioneered biomimicry. I love that he wrote everything in code. He had such a fascinating mind.