Introduction
Some posts ago we talked about different stores and brands. In those cases, the prices were mainly affordable since the brands, although offer very good quality, they are far from being considered luxury brands.
In this article, I present you 4 Italian brands that are the exemplification of classic, sophisticated style combined with a delicate treatment of the different materials. They have been for some years selecting the best materials, and while other brands have preferred to focus on other aspects such as the latest trends, finding the best fabrics around the world continues to be one of th brands.
The prices are of course high, but as opposed to other brands, when it comes to the attention to details, quality of fabric and country of manufacturing, this can of course be a valid justification.
Zegna
One of the staples from Zegna is the suit. Founded in the north of Italy, Trivero more specifically, Ermenegildo Zegna created the company in the 1910s. However, he did not do this alone and his two brothers Mario and Edoardo helped him with the task of creating the company and its vision. The objective from Zegna was already clear in its inception, more than 100 years ago:
On one hand, they wanted to always find the best fabrics for each garment and each occasion. For that, they used to track different regions in search of the best product
On another hand, innovation was already an important pillar of the company, combining it together with the best fabrics.
Fortunately for the consumers, the vision of the original founder remains unchanged today and they have not been transitioned to other styles or politics, as it has happened unfortunately with other classic houses.
In Zegna, all materials such as wool and cashmere are carefully selected so they are perfect for suits and sweaters. Nonetheless, you will see exquisite products such as ties, shirts, or accessories to complete one man’s wardrobe.
Although their style is classic, keeping the traditional tailoring as a service, called Su Misura, they also have collaborated with other brands on the crest of the wave, such as Fear of God. Further, thanks to different technologies they have also created the Tech Merino collection.
Although the prices are in the top, it is possible to see the quality of the different garments from miles away, and you will not be wrong if you go for this option.
You can find Zegna in their website or other pages such as Mr Porter
Canali
2 hours away from Trivero, close to Monza, Canali was founded just a few years before the second world war in Triuggio. It was founded by two brothers: Giacomo and Giovanni Canali, and the family still plays an important role in the company today. A family-owned based company, the focus on Canali lies on traditional menswear such as knitwear, suits, and shoes.
The idea behind Canali is to keep a classic style but modernize it with minor enhancements constantly, also adapting the look to the contemporary times. They call it “modern elegance” and this term is very appropriate in his blog.
Customers also play an important role in Canali’s history and they are important for them regardless of who they are. As it occurs with Zegna, they also offer an exclusive made to measure service, so you can see that the classic style is one of their signatures.
Although it has less history than Zegna, and it is also probably less known, you cannot go wrong either if you decide to visit the shop from the province of Monza.
Modern Elegance is how Canali define their style and you can see an example above.
E. Marinella
Since we have introduced two Italian brands from the north, it would be fair also to travel to see a different style from the South of Italy. And not, we are not checking Dolce & Gabbana or similar. This brand is rather unknown and due to the relaxation of the outfits in last years (COVID-19 may have something to do), it may have lost presence in the recent years.
We are talking about E. Marinella, which was found as Zegna in the 1910s. However, the company was created in Naples, where they started with a tiny 20-meter shop. Marinella means “From the Sea” in Italian and you could guess that the shop is related to the Gulf of Naples or the Mediterranean Sea. However, the company owes its name to the creator Eugenio Marinella.
However, if you don’t know E. Marinella is focused mainly on ties and handkerchiefs and what they wanted to achieve was replicating some of the British products and style in Italy. Since the usage of ties is less common nowadays, that’s why it may not be as famous one as the other brands listed here.
As it occurs with Zegna and Canali, E. Marinella is focused on two different aspects:
Materials : The characteristic prints and pattern of the ties are designed carefully and produced with the best silk prepared exclusively just for them.
Craftsmanship : Although they have invested in different technological machinery, some part of the fabrication is still manual, where the works prepare the ties with the utmost care. The ties are folded 5, 7 or 9 times to themselves, and you can note it when touching them.
Although the format attire is losing more and more presence, we all must attend special occasions. For these events, the ties from E Marinella will for sure elevate your outfit and you will create an excellent impression to the hosts and other guests.
Even if it is just a picture, you can notice the quality of the ties from E. Marinella. above.
Bottega Veneta
This one is probably the most famous company, especially for women. If you know about Italian, you can see that in this case the name is quite simple: Bottega means shop and Veneta means Venetian – yes, we have come back to the North of Italy for this last section -. This is the only company listed in this post that does not have the origin in the founder of the company.
As opposed to other brands, Bottega Veneta is focused more on women’s attires, or at least they have more options. Nonetheless, since we have already talked about different garments, it’s the time to focus on accessories for the daily activities. Bags, wallets, backpacks. This way, we complete the list, and we can have an outlook composed of just these brands.
Their instant hit was the Intreciatto leather, technique that had been tried to replicate or imitated in some brands. It’s also the main characteristic today, giving the different accessories a unique feel. Intrecciato is called like that because of the way the leather is weaved. In the past, in the region the company was created, they were used to work just with clothes and the machinery were adapted to garments. In order to be able to recycle these machines, the leather had to be super thin. Once completed, the workers had to wove with this characteristic pattern to make the accessory more resistant.
Although them were acquired 20 years ago approximately, they have not been corrupted and they have kept their unique design and exquisite craftsmanship. You can also see some of these pieces of art below.
Classic and unique is what accessories from Bottega Veneta are. above.
Alla prossima
There are more Italian and non-Italian brands to come. For example, there are some brands from Italy which will be included in the future are the ones like Boglioli,Corneliani,Pal Zileri or Incotex (Slowear group). For the moment, we have seen a few and I hope that you have discovered at least one interesting company.