The La Gaspar Municipal School of Art and Design in Igualada, a member of Leather Cluster Barcelona, began the new academic year this September with significant new developments. The school starts with a record figure of 340 students and is strengthening its training offering with the start of the second year of the higher vocational training course in Leather Techniques, studies that are unique in Catalonia and in Spain.

Expanded spaces: new leather workshop on the ground floor
One of the major developments this year is the creation of a new leather workshop, located on the ground floor of the building (the former Fitex). This space, equipped with state-of-the-art machinery such as that used by luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Loewe, has been designed to become a benchmark centre for training in leather goods, prototyping and leather fashion accessories. The school offers its students a first-rate educational experience, focused on the sector’s current needs.

Equipment upgrades and the incorporation of digital technologies
Igualada Town Council, which owns La Gaspar, has made a significant investment in acquiring state-of-the-art digitalised leather goods machinery in order to ensure that its students learn to use modern, advanced equipment. In addition, CAD and 3D computer-aided design programmes have been introduced to teach the skills needed to work in the luxury leather goods sector, preparing students for a market that increasingly demands professionals trained in digital technologies.

Collaboration with the luxury industry
La Gaspar has also established alliances with leading companies in the luxury leather goods sector, offering its students the opportunity to undertake professional work placements in real environments. These placements will allow students to gain direct experience in the use of digitalised machinery and in the production processes of luxury pieces.

Updated academic programmes
La Gaspar’s academic programmes have been reviewed and updated to include content relating to the use of digitalised machinery in the manufacture of luxury leather goods. This ensures that students are prepared to meet the demands of today’s market, which is increasingly oriented towards innovation and sustainability.

Experienced teachers and innovative professionals
One of La Gaspar’s most important added values is the combination of teachers with extensive experience in the business and production sector and young professionals with innovative ideas and a fresh approach in the field of sustainability. This combination allows students to gain in-depth knowledge of the industry, market trends and best practice in the manufacture of luxury leather articles.

Young professionals bring new perspectives and creative solutions to the sector’s current challenges, especially in areas such as the environment and sustainability. Students will learn through sustainable practices, eco-friendly materials and responsible production processes, preparing themselves for a sector that is increasingly committed to protecting and conserving the environment.

Record number of students
This year, La Gaspar has reached a record figure of 340 students, an increase that reflects the growing interest in the training in graphic and audiovisual design and leather techniques offered by the centre. The school is establishing itself as a benchmark in graphic and audiovisual design and in leather, with a training offering that combines tradition and innovation.

Leather Cluster Barcelona supports La Gaspar’s leather design studies in the conviction that this commitment to new craftsmanship strengthens the cluster’s ecosystem of business cooperation, boosts the leather sector and prepares students to face the challenges of today’s creative industry.

For more information about the school’s educational offering, you can call 93.805.52.62 or go directly to La Gaspar’s website, where you will find all the information you need.

Leather Cluster Barcelona is an environment of competitive cooperation for promoting cross-cutting, transformative strategic projects with the aim of driving forward the ecosystem of the Catalan leather sector and its value chain within the framework of Shared Value policies. The cluster is an accredited body within the Catalonia Clusters programme and has the support of Acció.