The warmer temperatures are upon us and whilst in many ways this looks and feels like every other beautiful spring, this one will be remembered for all the uncertainty, worry and difficulty that the world is going through.
All through the last weeks and months, we have been in constant contact with our partner mills which are for the most part, concentrated in the north of Italy and as you know, this area has been one of the worst hit by COVID-19. The professionalism and devotion of the owners, managers and support teams to cope through this crisis has been inspiring and speaks directly to the passion for life that all Italians have. These mills have been great partners, creating phenomenal fabrics that push the boundaries of innovation whilst embracing a strong commitment to sustainability and the future health of our planet.
The Region of Biella is a beautiful mountainous range on the foothills of the Alps halfway between Milan and Turin. It really is picture postcard perfect with rolling hills, white-capped mountains and evergreen forests that evoke scenes more from the Sound of Music than anything remotely industrial. To a roaming tourist passing through this heavenly landscape, the last thing they would imagine is that this area has been the hub of the Italian textile industry for centuries. The development of wool production and the industrialization of the area came through a few genius pioneers as early as the 1600’s and later by the majority of the population discovering that the natural mountainous geography didn’t really offer much alternative.
It has always fascinated me how this seemingly isolated region over time became such an industrial hub for the finest wool fabrics in the world, and how local entrepreneurs became some of the most important names in the fashion industry today – with almost an air of myth and legend. These industrious names such as Ermenegildo Zegna, Vitale Barberis Canonico, Tollegno, Loro Piana, Reda and Trabaldo Togna are today producing some of the finest wool fabrics in the world. It could also be argued that these mills were some of the first textile pioneers of sustainability due to early commitments to the environment.
The glacial waters that flow through the region are full of natural minerals and are perfect for finishing the wool yarns and fabrics. Early on in the local development of the textile industry, the mills started adopting exacting, purifying and recycling practices not least hydro-power itself, all aimed at protecting the environment and conserving the ecosystem of this beautiful region of Italy.
A little more to the North East is the town of Quarona where Loro Piana is based. This established family name is renowned for luxury, weaving cashmere and other precious yarns both in fabric and finished products and is today a part of LMVH, the largest luxury group in the world.
Close by is the town of Borgosesia and where Colombo Cashmere is based. Similarly to Loro Piana, Colombo have established a reputation for incredibly luxurious fabrics for coats, suits and accessories supplying Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and many more luxury houses around the world.
This opens up the gateway to the cotton region of north Lombardy, which is home to some of the worlds best cotton mills including Cotonificio Albini and Sondrio. Our partnership with Albini was born with the onset of J.Hilburn and today we offer more Albini qualities than ever due to their standalone shirting research and design capabilities setting global standards that are hard to beat.
Last but not least, north of Milan, is the region of Como – centered by a silver lake made famous by Versace and lately George and Amal Clooney. The surrounding hills hide silk and print manufacturing that date back to the Renaissance period. Here we find the print and silk specialists of Ratti, a historic mill that we have rediscovered and started to work with at J.Hilburn. Over recent times, Ratti was able to revolutionize its structure to cater for multiple aspects of global fashion; from men’s silk ties to designer fashion. The archives are full of works of art produced through the years of collaboration with French couture and Italian design houses, a true treasure trove which they are constantly referring to in producing new and exciting designs and which we are selecting from for neckwear and printed shirting.
In such a relatively small area of northern Italy, you can imagine over the years the rivalry and family feuds that have ensued – especially in a country rich in historical and political turbulence over the last 100 years alone. Over more recent times there has been an emerging spirit of community and shared values, particularly around protecting the environment and sustainable practices that benefit everyone today and for the future.
I have been lucky enough to work with these mills on and off for most of my career and I hope I have a pretty good understanding of what each mill’s strength is and how to focus on the fabrics’ natural characteristics and put them to use in the best possible way. To be able to work side by side with these powerhouses of Italian textile innovation means that we are able to be bring to our customers the highest possible qualities, in the most researched and technically driven fabrics all with the design eye of Italian knowhow in the colors and design work.
During this period, we have been in constant contact throughout the various shutdowns that all of us have suffered. We have been in daily communications between the teams here at HQ and the various Italian teams. We have been checking in, staying updated and most of all, showing our mutual concern and support for the health of our colleagues, clients and their families.
On behalf of all of us here at J.Hilburn, we are proud to be working with such established and prestigious mills creating a partnership today that we hope will last through many seasons to come and we will be able to put these days behind us knowing that our future can only be strong together, building upon our shared common values. Last year before the COVID-19 pandemic, we had decided to adjust our lining design and showcase our mill labels in full view as a symbol of our deep collaborative approach with the Italian textile mills and our common commitment in making the best possible product for our customers.
Today we are weathering a storm together, but we hope very soon, we will stand together again in the sunshine.
