Platform6 buys Milan show agency Without Production for fashion
Founder Gabriella Mazzei, who has staged more than 1,000 events, stays on and becomes a shareholder in the buyer.
Platform6 has acquired Without Production, a Milan agency that designs, produces and stages runway shows and special events for fashion houses including Prada, Gucci, Ferragamo, Louis Vuitton and Ferrari, in Italy and abroad. Financial details were not revealed.
Gabriella Mazzei founded Without Production in 1999. The acquisition broadens Platform6's offer, adding fashion shows to a group whose work has centred on events for luxury and high jewellery brands and on immersive experiences.
The name Platform6 refers to the sixth art, performing arts. The collective was founded in 2024 and gathers leading creative agencies, including Marcadé, which is recognised for exclusive events dedicated to luxury and high jewellery brands, and Superbien.
Superbien, founded in 2009, specialises in immersive experiences. The group's footprint extends across Paris, New York, Shanghai, Dubai, Monaco and Milan, giving it a global reach that Without Production can now draw on.
Mazzei has executed more than 1,000 high-end events globally. Her portfolio includes Valentino's couture fall 2022 show on Rome's Spanish Steps and the fall 2023 couture show at Château de Chantilly with Pierpaolo Piccioli.
Her record also includes the first Gucci show of Alessandro Michele, in January 2015. Frida Giannini had just left the house, and the set had to be reimagined within days. The agency has also been expanding into automotive, food and beauty.
On a fashion event, Mazzei works with the creative director and the brand's identity to define the concept and location. She then picks the team and runs the logistics, including guest management and backstage operations.
François Marcadé, chairman of Platform6, founded Marcadé in 1989. He called the deal a reflection of the group's enduring commitment to excellence and creativity, and said it strengthens its presence in Italy.
He said it gives the Without Production team an immediate platform to expand into markets where Platform6 already operates: Paris, Monaco, China, the Middle East and the United States.
Each company in the group keeps its own identity. Without Production will keep trading under its name and hold on to its client relationships, with access to Platform6's resources and operating standards. Mazzei becomes a shareholder in Platform6.
What Mazzei said
"I am thrilled to be embarking on this new chapter for Without Production and for myself," Mazzei said. She added that her team has developed a distinctive approach to ideating and delivering events and experiences over the years.
"Today, we can apply this expertise to new projects and new markets, alongside partners who share our vision," she said. "This marks the start of a new chapter; I am very proud of this achievement and also extremely excited about what we will achieve together."
Marcadé said the group wants to bring creative and operational talent together while staying human in scale. He said it looks forward to working with Mazzei to consolidate Without Production as one of the industry's leading fashion show organisers.
Who owns Platform6
Platform6 is majority-owned by SLAM, the investment fund managed by Trail, whose acronym stands for Sport, Luxury, Art and Music. Its president, Xavier Marin, welcomed Mazzei and her teams to the platform.
"The acquisition of Without Production marks an important step in building Platform6 into a European leader in live exceptional experiences," Marin said. He argued that, in a world increasingly shaped by technology, exceptional live moments will only grow in value.
Marin said that with Marcadé and now Without Production, Platform6 brings together the talent and creative excellence to capture that opportunity. The sources do not disclose how many staff join the group or what the agency earned before the sale.
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