Spring/Summer 2020 - Our Fabrics

Jakub Ziółkowski, the newest member of our team, has prepared an extensive text about all the fabric mills that appeared in our latest SS2020 collection. Have a read and dive deeper into the world of cloth!

Author: Jakub Ziółkowski

Except for the articles on how our clothes can be worn, from time to time we try to prepare some articles on how our clothes are made and what they are made of. This time we will focus on the cloth - a foundation of every piece of tailoring.

Without further ado, we invite you to read a story about four different producers, which however different, share several common features, two above all - high quality and presence in our latest collection.

Distinctive Linen - Solbiati

If you are looking for a classic fabric that is suitable for an everyday business suit, Solbiati is not a place for you. Navy worsted wool? You won’t find it there. Despite the usage of many fibers in the production - such as wool, cotton or silk - linen is undoubtedly the core of their offer.

Solbiati was founded in 1874 in Busto Arsizio (northern Lombardy). As the company developed, various fabrics, mainly of plant-based fibers, were added to the offer. Thanks to the technology developed over the years, they have managed to create an exceptionally soft linen yarn. The water used for the production process is not without its contribution - in the Biela region it is exceptionally soft, what makes for a delicate finish and hand. Partially thanks to that, this linen is perfect for shirts, lightweight jackets and suits.

Fabrics made of this yarn are hard to compare to rough Irish linen produced in the British Isles. Maybe that's why Solbiati started producing fabrics not only for the clothing industry, but also for interior design. Their collections are a feast for the eye - the variety of textures and colours is huge! If you have dreamt of a linen garment in a particular color, there is 99% chance that such fabric can be found in Solbiati fabric books. In addition, their offer also includes cotton gabardine, seersucker, moleskin and casual fabrics from the Grafitti series. An interesting fact is that the brand has been a part of the super-luxurious Loro Piana group since some time ago.

British Heritage - Marling & Evans

Speaking of weaving mills that can be considered important for British heritage, Marling & Evans should be mentioned. It was founded nearly 200 years ago and specializes in the production of high quality yarn. The exceptionally soft and distinctive finish of the fabrics is achieved through the use of natural fibers, dyes and traditional processes. The soft water found in the well-known region of Huddersfield, from which this producer comes from is also important!

Their offer includes both light fabrics such as silk-cotton blends, wool with linen and summer worsteds, as well as heavier flannels and tweed. Collections often feature earth tones, British style classics. Marling & Evans proudly says that in order to achieve this effect, they often use the natural color of undyed (and ecological) wool and the the colour variety is achieved thanks to different varieties of sheep, such as Shetland, Jacobs and Welsh Black.

The proof of quality might be the fact that Marling & Evans fabrics are used by Rolls-Royce in their cars. A special, delicate fabric with a twill weave guarantees unparalleled softness with an unimaginable touch.

Despite the great know-how, high quality and experienced team, the company ran into financial problems a few years ago. In 2012, there happened a surprising transaction - Lanificio Angelico became the owner of this British weaving mill. It was the Italians who defended the company's heritage and thanks to them we can still enjoy Marling & Evans perfectly British, wide offer of unique fabrics.

Italian Top Level - Carlo Barbera

When it comes to the insanely luxurious fabrics, we cannot forget the Carlo Barbera weaving mill. This name should be useful by everyone who is looking for a fabrics with unique compositions and properties!

In comparison to other, famous names from this industry, the company was established quite recently, already after the World War II, in 1949. However, it didn’t prevent it from becoming a respected name among the producers of exceptionally exclusive fabrics. After all, it was Carlo Barbera who has been supplying fabrics for Kiton for many years, finally becoming a part of this group in 2010.

In a modest, 19th-century mill building, various fabrics are made: high-quality wool, its blends with silk and cashmere, a unique blend of cashmere and mohair - K-mohair - and Abssoluto - a blend of wool with carbon fiber, which supposedly neutralizes the effects of magnetic waves on humans (if you are concerned about the 5G network, you already know where to get the fabric for your next suit! - just joking). Carlo Barbera also pays a huge attention to the design - including a great variety of unique colors that are unheard of among other manufacturers. Everything has to be special here.

Beyond the Great Britain and Italy - Cerutti

Although the majority of weaving mills (due to the conditions and wool sources) come from Italy or Great Britain - and this is also the case here - the most important country for the Cerruti’s history is France.

In the 1950s, less than 20-years-old Nino Cerutti took over the family business in Biella, Italy - a well-known region famous for wool production. Established in 1881, the factory would have remained one of many small fabric producers had it not been for Nino and his ideas. First, shortly after taking over the mill, he set up a Hitman sewing factory producing men's clothing. Soon after, the opening of a fashion house in Paris followed. It was one of the first places of this type in this city where an elegant man could shop (and Giorgio Armani gained his experience in this place!). Thanks to these decisions (today we would call it a great example of vertical integration), the potential of the core business could be better used.

Since 1967, Cerutti 1881 not only produced fabrics, but also presented collections for men (and from the 1970s, also for women). Nino's charisma made the company quickly dress up movie stars. A passion for cinematography made Nino one of the most popular costume designers at the turn of the 80's and 90's. He dressed actors for such films as Air Force One, Basic Instinct, The Silence of the Lambs, Pretty Woman and The Witches of Estwick. He himself starred in Holy Man with Eddie Murphy, playing... himself.

Luckily for us, Cerutti never stopped producing high quality fabrics, also available in cut length for bespoke orders. If we are looking for a truly Hollywood-worthy look, you have to check out their fabric books! Begin with the Iparty bunch - it is simply made for the red carpet. You shouldn’t be disappointed with the rest of the offer either - as they produce their collections from the most exclusive fibers such as cashmere, mohair or vicuna.