Gruppo Florence, the luxury goods supplier aggregator backed by former Bulgari boss Francesco Trapani, aims to double its sales within a few years to more than €1 billion and list on the stock market. It is among a handful of Italian players gobbling up suppliers at record speed and building power and influence in the fashion and luxury ecosystem. The strategy is clear: luxury goods groups are engaged in an arms race to secure their supply chains and invest in top-end suppliers as sustainability and craftsmanship become crucial points of value and differentiation. In France, Hermès, Chanel and Louis Vuitton have integrated dozens of their suppliers in the past three decades. Now, Italy’s network of hundreds of small and medium-sized suppliers are joining aggregators such as Gruppo Florence or being acquired by brands.