By Senay GOKCEN | Editor-in-Chief
In the past, we’ve featured many interviews at Fashion Trendsetter, and now we’re launching ‘Industry Q&A‘, a new section featuring a series of interviews with industry leaders, designers, and innovators in fashion, interior design, and textiles.
Launching our Q&A section, we welcomed Leonard MARANO, President of the Americas at Lectra, to share his insights on technology, AI, sustainability, and the evolving landscape of these industries. We truly appreciate Leonard MARANO for sharing his time and insights with us.
President of the Americas at Lectra
Leonard MARANO has been President of the Americas at Lectra and a member of the Executive Committee since 2021. Before joining Lectra, he held leadership roles at Gerber Technology, Fujifilm, and Jensen Dental, bringing years of expertise in advanced technology, product management, and marketing. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Central Connecticut State University.
Mr. MARANO, can you give us an overview of Lectra’s role in Industry 4.0 and how the Lectra 4.0 strategy is driving transformation across your core markets-fashion, automotive, and furniture?
Lectra has been at the forefront of the Industry 4.0 revolution, aiming to optimize processes to produce higher-quality products and services faster and at a lower cost, all while respecting the environment. Our Lectra 4.0 strategy, launched in 2017, positions us as a key Industry 4.0 player in our three strategic markets, fashion, automotive, and furniture, which we develop high value-added solutions and services for.
By integrating advanced technologies such as software, equipment, data, and services, we facilitate the digital transformation of companies in these sectors. This approach not only enhances operational efficiency but also supports our clients in adapting to the evolving demands of their industries.
Lectra Expertise Center’s Customer Support Engineers provide technical assistance to users of Lectra’s cutting solutions. Their primary goal is to identify and resolve potential technical issues, ensuring that breakdowns are prevented or fixed as quickly as possible. With a well-structured escalation management process in place, 90% of cases are resolved locally at the first level of intervention. For more complex issues requiring additional expertise, the support teams collaborate directly with the R&D team to find a solution. (Photo courtesy of Lectra)
As President of the Americas at Lectra, how do you see the company’s values of open-minded thinking, trusted partnerships, and passionate innovation shaping its growth in the coming years?
Our core values are integral to Lectra’s identity and success. These values drive us to explore new ideas, build strong relationships with our clients, and continuously innovate our solutions.
By fostering open-mindedness, we remain receptive to emerging trends and technologies which allows us to stay ahead in all three of our key industries. Our commitment to trusted partnerships ensures that we work collaboratively with our clients, understanding their unique challenges and providing tailored solutions for their businesses. Passionate innovation propels us to develop cutting-edge technologies that meet the evolving needs of the fashion, automotive, and furniture markets.
Collectively, these values position Lectra as a leader in the market that is poised for sustained growth, enabling us to adapt to market changes and support our clients’ success in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.
Lectra positions itself as a trusted partner in digital transformation. Can you share specific examples of how your solutions are helping companies in the fashion industry gain agility and improve decision-making?
Lectra offers industrial intelligence solutions-encompassing software, equipment, data, and services-that facilitate the digital transformation of fashion companies. For instance, our recent launch of Valia Fashion propels fashion brands and manufacturers into a new technological era, enhancing their agility and decision-making capabilities.
By leveraging these solutions, fashion companies can respond more swiftly to market trends, optimize their operations, and make informed decisions that drive success in a competitive landscape.
In your recent correspondence, you emphasized the importance of brand-specific strategies over traditional market positioning. Could you expand on how brands can effectively adapt their strategies to navigate sector constraints and meet evolving consumer expectations?
Historically, a brand’s market positioning-whether luxury, mid-market, or fast fashion-played a significant role in determining its success. However, the industry is shifting to where brand performance is now increasingly tied to its ability to adapt strategies to both sector constraints and evolving consumer expectations rather than traditional market placement.
Given this shift, brands can adapt more effectively by embracing data-driven strategies that go beyond traditional market positioning. At Lectra, our AI-powered platforms, like Retviews, allow brands to monitor competitors’ pricing, assortment, and inventory trends in real-time. This kind of intelligence enables brands to make faster, more informed decisions, ensuring the right product is available at the right price-point and location. We’ve also seen how AI-driven platforms like Six Atomic streamline pattern-making, improving product fit and quality while shortening time to market.
Elevating your retail strategy with tailored competitor insights, enabling fashion brands and retailers to optimize collection planning, make confident data-driven decisions, and maintain a market-leading edge. (Image courtesy of Lectra)
By integrating these kinds of technologies, brands can better navigate sector constraints and evolving consumer needs without having to compromise on efficiency or profitability.
Vector Fashion iX2 and Q2 enable manufacturers to cut fabric at a ply height of less than 2.5 cm. Gain agility and streamline your workflows for shorter production cycles, higher quality products, and improved profitability and sustainability. (Photo courtesy of Lectra)
Price increases in the mid-market segment are a hot topic. How can brands effectively balance price and perceived value to maintain customer loyalty while meeting demands for quality, style, and sustainability?
Balancing price and perceived value starts with margin maximization. That means aligning product offerings with market demands, while also refining pricing and discount strategies. Our Retviews platform plays a critical role here by providing competitive intelligence, so brands can adjust pricing and assortment based on real-time market trends. For instance, reducing unnecessary discounts or optimizing assortments can significantly improve net margins while maintaining customer loyalty through value-whether that’s quality, style, or sustainability.
Against a backdrop of fierce competition from fast-fashion giants, many mid-market brands want to stand out through quality and style, and are choosing to raise prices to stimulate growth. But increasingly demanding consumers are demanding tangible value to justify these price rises. Innovation, style, quality and sustainability are becoming essential criteria for success. By 2025, successfully balancing perceived value and price will be one of the keys to maintaining customer loyalty.
— Leonard MARANO, President of the Americas at Lectra
Artificial intelligence is a key driver of efficiency and innovation in the fashion industry. For my knowledge, Lectra has been using machine learning AI for over 18 years. How is the company leveraging AI to optimize processes, predict trends, and personalize the customer experience?
I think artificial intelligence in the fashion industry is crucial because customers are always asking about the various ways we use AI, and that is the most impactful at this point. We’ve been leveraging AI at Lectra for nearly two decades, starting with our first automated cutting device connected to the internet back in 2007 to drive predictive maintenance and remote resolution of our equipment. Today, AI powers platforms like Retviews for competitive intelligence, helping brands align collections, pricing, and trends globally. Our investment in Six Atomic further automates pattern grading based on size inputs, while our partnership and investment with AQC focuses on leveraging AI for defect detection in fabrics, improving production quality. These innovations not only streamline operations but also allow brands to better personalize the experiences they are providing to their customers by anticipating trends and being able to quickly refine any product offerings.
Stricter environmental regulations are transforming the industry. How is Lectra supporting brands in achieving material traceability and compliance with sustainability standards?
Material traceability is a key challenge. Without transparency and verified data, sustainability claims lose credibility. Lectra helps brands tackle this by offering digital solutions that enhance supply chain visibility and ensure compliance with sustainability regulations. Our acquisition of TextileGenesis in 2023 positioned Lectra as a leader in traceability platforms. This solution provides end-to-end visibility, tracking materials all the way from the cotton field to the end consumer. It’s a game-changer for navigating complex regulations, like the Xinjiang cotton ban, by ensuring supply chains remain free from restricted materials. This level of traceability not only supports compliance but also prevents costly delays from things like goods being held at customs.
The intersection of economy and ecology – what we call “Econogy” – is pushing businesses to integrate corporate social responsibility (CSR) directly into their economic models. And technology is the key enabler in this transition.
— Leonard MARANO, President of the Americas at Lectra
Sustainability and profitability are often seen as opposing forces. How can technology serve as a bridge to reconcile these imperatives, and what role does Lectra play in this process?
For sustainability to gain widespread adoption, it has to translate into profitability. That’s why we focus on reducing waste and optimizing resource use. The intersection of economy and ecology – what we call “Econogy” – is pushing businesses to integrate corporate social responsibility (CSR) directly into their economic models. And technology is the key enabler in this transition.
We know that around 30% of apparel typically goes unsold, which creates a significant amount of waste. Our solutions, like Retviews for market analysis and Kubix Link for product lifecycle planning, enable brands to produce more accurately, minimizing excess inventory. On top of that, advanced nesting technology and Industry 4.0 practices ensure maximum material utilization, lowering both costs and environmental impact.
Kubix Link goes beyond traditional PLM boundaries, leveraging over 50 years’ fashion expertise. It allows you to efficiently plan, monitor and launch your collections on time, streamline sustainability management processes, and coordinate production while data-protecting your supply chain. (Image courtesy of Lectra)
Emerging markets like India and the Middle East are gaining attention as growth areas for 2025. How should brands adapt their strategies to cater to these regions, and how can Lectra’s solutions support their efforts?
Emerging markets require a “local for local” production approach. As trade environments become more dynamic, brands are embracing multi-channel production models closer to their target markets. In regions like India and the Middle East, nearshoring is becoming a priority to improve speed-to-market and reduce logistics costs. At Lectra, we support this shift with solutions that optimize production planning which help brands efficiently serve these markets with tailored offerings.
Looking ahead, what do you see as the most significant challenges and opportunities for the industries Lectra serves, particularly in the context of digital transformation and sustainability?
Looking ahead, I see digital transformation and sustainability as interconnected challenges and opportunities. One of the biggest issues is unsold inventory-nearly 30% of apparel ends up as waste. At Lectra, we’re addressing this through AI-driven market analysis and efficient production planning, which help brands reduce overproduction and material waste. At the same time, stricter environmental regulations and evolving consumer expectations will accelerate the adoption of traceability platforms, like TextileGenesis. The real opportunity lies in using technology not just for operational efficiency but also for sustainable growth and profitability.
We sincerely thank Leonard Marano for his time and valuable insights. His expertise in technology, fashion, and innovation offers a deeper understanding of the industry’s future. Stay tuned for more exclusive conversations with the leaders shaping fashion, interior design, and textiles.
— Senay GOKCEN | CEO, Editor-in-Chief, Fashion Trendsetter
About Leonard MARANO
Leonard MARANO has been President of the Americas at Lectra since June 1, 2021, and a member of the Executive Committee since July 16, 2021. Previously, he held leadership roles at Gerber Technology, Fujifilm, and Jensen Dental, focusing on product management, marketing, and advanced technology solutions. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Central Connecticut State University.
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Gokcen, Senay. Fashion Trendsetter. “Industry Q&A: Leonard Marano, President Americas at Lectra,” March 2025, https://www.fashiontrendsetter.com/v2/2025/03/29/industry-qa-leonard-marano-president-of-the-americas-at-lectra/. Accessed Day/Month/Year.
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Tags: advanced technology, AI, apparel, artificial intelligence, automotive, CAD, CAM, clothing, clothing industry, digital fashion, digital transformation, fabric waste, fashion, fashion industry, fashion technology, furniture, high quality, high value, industrial intelligence, Industry 4.0, interior design, interview, Kubix Link, Lectra, Leonard Marano, marketing, marketing strategy, pattern making, product management, QandA, quality, Retviews, Senay GOKCEN, Six Atomic, sustainability, technology, textile industry, TextileGenesis, Valia Fashion, Vector Fashion iX2, Vector Fashion iX2 Q2
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