SHOP ROLLS OUT LUXURY
Unique, centuries-old Italian machines produce silk that’s sought after all over the world
It’s possible to hear the Antico Setificio Fiorentino before you see it.
Nestled down a cobblestone driveway in the historic San Frediano neighbourhood of Florence, the sounds of the factory filter out to greet visitors before they’re granted admission to the intimate courtyard that beckons beyond a set of purposeful black gates.
If you’re fortunate enough to be given access to the inside — appointments are required — you’ll discover a workshop that is the last of its kind in Florence for the art of silk weaving, one of the oldest of the Florentine arts. Located at Via Lorenzo Bartolini, No. 4, the Antico Setificio Fiorentino is renowned for its made-to-measure luxury textiles that are created using painstakingly intricate processes on antique looms.
Within its walls there are 12 oversized looms in use by a few of the 15 employees — there are 10 in the factory and five in the front office — who work there. The rhythmic click-ety thwack, clickety thwack of at least five of these machines can be overheard in the nearby vicinity on any given day.
Creating fabric for some of the most opulent and exclusive private homes, hotels, yachts — and even the Kremlin in Moscow — the Antico Setificio Fiorentino works to preserve the painstakingly detailed processes of silk weaving that date to the 14th century.
The creation of coveted silk textiles is said to have been a primary source of wealth for many of the area’s prominent families, including the Pucci, Corsini, Agresti, Gharardesca and Bartolozzi during the Renaissance. That interest in the artisan trade prompted the families to come together to create a single workshop to pool their resources of fabric, looms and artisans. Located at Via dei Tessitori (which translates to Street of Weavers), the co-operative represented the early beginnings of what the Antico Setificio Fiorentino is today.
In fact, the fabrics that are made on the hand looms continue to be given the name of the noble family from Florence which, in the past, the machine and the pattern was exclusively for the purposes of.
Crafted primarily using silk or a combination of silk and linen, the factory churns out a selection of intricate textiles, including Ermisino (a fluid-like silk cloth crafted from threads of different colours), Damaschi (a single-colour fabric often featuring floral designs), Lampasso (a lampas fabric requiring two warps and several wefts), delicate custom trims and more.
The fabrics are made using either semi-mechanical looms from the 19th century that produce 10 metres of fabric each day in eight hours of work, or hand looms from the 18th century, on which a master weaver can create only one metre of fabric in an eight-hour day of work.
The star of the workshop, if it’s possible to pick just one, may be the vertical warper designed by Leonardo da Vinci. The machine, which was built in 1786 and is referred to as the Orditoio, is the only one of its kind in the world (though a functioning copy was made recently for an exhibition after the original was deemed too precious to move). The machine is used regularly at Antico Setificio Fiorentino as part of the production process.
While the manufacturing techniques have remained much the same since the Antico Setificio Fiorentino opened in 1786, the practice of selling the luxury textiles to its customers, many of whom are located around the globe, have, admittedly, been modernized. Much of the planning and work is done via computer, where clients such as architects and interior designers (celebrated architect Peter Marino is among the factory’s clients) communicate with the Florence workshop exchanging photos of spaces and finished textiles.
In Italy, there isn’t a school for learning the antiquated machines at Antico Setificio Fiorentino. Instead, the factory also acts as a “school” of sorts, employing the expertise of the master weavers, many of whom have been working there for more than 30 years, to pass along their know-how to a new generation. Two to three trainings are organized each year to explain all the “secrets” of the production, when production allows for downtime of the looms.
The education, in addition to the modernization of the digital frontof-house business practices, are elements of the business that have been introduced since the Stefano Ricci Group acquired the silk factory in 2010. The dedication to time-honoured craftsmanship and artisan textiles on display at the workshop align with the attention to detail and emphasis on quality reflected in the luxury menswear and lifestyle brand’s ethos, according to Filippo Ricci, the creative director for Stefano Ricci.
“The family business was established in 1972 by our parents, Stefano and Claudia. My father has always abided by his initial vision, by making high-quality products exclusively in Italy and always selecting the best materials. There is a real sense of creating the best of the best. From ties to shirts, from jewelry to silverware, leather goods to outerwear; our production reflects this DNA,” Ricci says.
Situated a short drive from the main area of Florence, in Fiesole, the company’s headquarters offer a further reflection of this obsession with exquisite details and opulent materials, as well as the emphasis on made-in-italy production. Craftspeople in various departments spanning diamond setting to sewing work, by hand, create the individual pieces on offer by the Stefano Ricci and SR Home lines.
“Our brand is the purest expression of a 100 per cent made-in-italy production, using exclusive designs and guaranteeing the absolute quality of all materials,” Ricci says. “Fundamental components, however, are the manual ability of our workforce, the craftsmanship used in the process of creation and the passion that each of us puts into our work: all of these details evoke emotion.”
The company, which offers a somewhat staggering array of products ranging from diamond-studded belt buckles and mink-lined sport coats to silk ties and made-to-measure suiting — and even home decor goods, including crocodile chairs, wardrobes crafted from Californian briar-root wood and gold-accented glassware — is considered by some to offer the height of men’s luxury goods. The company also debuted SR Wine production and a cigar accoutrements collaboration with Arturo Fuente for the SR Opusx cigar and accessories collection.
Strategically, Stefano Ricci products are sold at full price, are never put on sale and can’t be found at an outlet. The designs can be discovered at one of the company’s more than 70 boutiques around the world, including the sole Canadian in Vancouver.
“Since our father opened the first-ever mono brand boutique in Shanghai in 1993, we have had a view towards investing in growth and creating a brand presence in the most important countries and cities throughout the world. We choose what we term as capitals of elegance, environments that are destinations,” Niccolo Ricci, the company’s CEO, says.
“When we evaluated the opportunities for Canada, we were fascinated by the history of Vancouver. We believe it’s a city of the future, which is well-placed for highly qualified strategic development plans and significant economic growth.”