By The Fashion Editorial Team
Last month, the esteemed Simone & Cino Del Duca Foundation in Paris' 8th arrondissement hosted a momentous display of unparalleled savoir-faire from French luxury house, Berluti. The showcase was titled, Champ-Contrechamp, as a clever play on words referencing a film technique where camera angles switch back and forth to show both sides of a conversation.
Within the venue, an historic townhouse that overlooks Parc Monceau, guests are reminded of parallels within the Berluti family history. Maison founder Alessandro Berluti's son, Torello Berluti, in the late 1920s opened the first Berluti boutique in Paris. Meanwhile, Cino Del Duca, also hailing from Marche, established France's fourth largest publishing group, Simone & Cino Del Duca. The mission of the foundation established in 1975 specially resonates with Berluti's shared vocation for catering to clients of excellence with remarkable style, be it artists, scientists, writers, actors, politicians, or those in business. Presented as an allegory of Berluti’s signature style, this game of shifting perceptions plays out on different levels over the building’s three storeys, gradually drawing visitors deeper into the world of Berluti discoveries and initiations.
Upon entering, guests pass through an impressive semi-circular arch before arriving at the Grand Salon, where they're met with a life-size sculpture of the human foot, reminiscent of Michelangelo's iconic masterpiece of Florence's Uffizi Gallery dell'Accademia in Florence. This ambitious installation aims to illustrate Berluti's profound understanding of the human foot, which underlies its dedication to creating bespoke shoes that cater to every individual's unique needs.
Next, guests enter the Cordovan room, a space that explores Berluti's world of fine materials. The story is woven generationally where Torrello trained his son, Talbinio Berluti, in the art of leatherwork. Today, the artisans at the Berluti Manifattura in Ferrara, Italy continue to employ such cutting techniques and an expertise in selecting which hides and sections to cut. Traditional materials such as full-grained calfskin applied with the Maison's signature patina to 'saddle soft' leathers suited for jackets, or suede fashioned for the Forestière jacket. A nod to the Roman origins of shoemaking, where among the nine citizen guilds, shoemakers occupied the fifth. Authorized to work Cordovan leather to craft luxurious shoes for the ruling class, the word 'Cordwainer' first appeared in Western Europe in the 11th century when shoes were so valuable that they were often bequeathed in wills.
An encounter with Scritto leather occurs in the library where this signature Berluti pattern has a unique history of its own. Inspired by a notarized deed from 1771, the calligraphy is etched onto its surface by laser and lending it a poetic effect on Oxford lace-ups, cigar cases, polo shirts or an overcoat.
On the first floor, another encounter takes place in the Salon Vigny which has been transformed into an irresistible candy box of colors and falcons to celebrate 1 Jour de Poche, a convenient compact bag for essentials. Having first launched its leather good line in 2005 with staples like the travel bag Deux Jours and briefcase, the Jour line offers functionality, aesthetics, and purpose in an array of formats, leathers, colors, and styles. Sheathed in Venezia leather with a leaf shaped zipper tab and outside pocket, 1 Jour de Poche is conceived as a hybrid between a Japanese Inro and an overnight bag. Similar in size to a paperback book, this new addition makes for the perfect travel companion and is offered in shades like cognac, mimosa, and Golf Scritto, grass green, and dark cherry.
A few steps away in the Salon Orange, Berluti displays its featherweight sneaker weighing in at only 450 grams, the same as two apples. With the name, 'This is not a slipper,' the Shadow sneaker is the classic shoemaker's answer to flexible high-performance and comfort wear. On the townhouse's second floor, a sweeping view over Parc Monceau is revealed. In this space, guests are treated to head-to-style with hero pieces from Berluti's Forestière jacket in linen or serge wool to summery tweeds in cashmere, wool, cotton, silk, and linen. Much to take in, the Berluti guest this season can contemplate their style for the coming season in the Grand Salon or on the terrace where one can sip a drink, contemplate over the garden views, and write a story parallel to Berluti's of their own.
