The story of the Solbiati brand is not a fairy tale but a novel of perseverance and love for craftsmanship. The kingdom did not grow overnight. Behind it lie years of work and innovation. Solbiati is a blend of Italian skill, respect for family and artisan traditions, and the courage to keep improving both production and products.
For a full 150 years Solbiati has remained in the hands of a single family. It has weathered difficult times thanks to its ability to adapt in good time to cultural changes and market needs.
Let us travel back to the end of the nineteenth century. In 1874, in the Italian town of Busto Arsizio, Michele Solbiati founded the Solbiati company. He started modestly and, just before the First World War, handed the firm over to his sons. They met the demand of the day by supplying textiles to the army, which kept the business alive.
After the war the brand responded to market needs and began producing fabrics from synthetic fibres and viscose, complementing its cotton and silk manufacture.
Vittorio Solbiati: a Renaissance man with a grand vision
In 1958 Vittorio Solbiati joined the company, and under his leadership the Solbiati brand became the king of linen. Vittorio was a trained lawyer. His management of the firm was shaped by a love of art and an extraordinarily broad range of knowledge. He drew inspiration from historical research as well as from current events, connecting it all and stamping it on the production of Solbiati fabrics.
Soon, however, he began to understand that the brand’s path to success would no longer lead through the gates of wholesalers. He therefore turned his attention to smaller brands producing men’s and women’s ready-to-wear clothing. It was precisely the collaboration with these smaller local labels that carried Solbiati forward.
Innovation and continuous product development
Solbiati never ceases to study the market. The company meets with makers of branded clothing as well as promising young designers. It listens to their needs and translates them directly into production. Vittorio himself has said that the company’s success lay in its ability to reshape what already existed.
A modern 21st-century approach
Today the company is so attentive to its clients’ needs and so flexible that its production is able to respond to market demands for every new season.
An environmentally friendly crop – both humble and luxurious
Linen is the only natural fibre cultivated directly on the European continent. It thrives best in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Flax fibre has been known to humankind since long before Christ. Luxurious linen fabrics are created thanks to the care given to every stage of the production process. The fibre is durable, highly absorbent and has excellent thermoregulating properties.
…one hectare of flax can yield 200 suits, 200 tablecloths or 300 m2 of upholstery fabric, or 700 kg of seeds as animal feed?… one hectare of flax absorbs 3.7 tonnes of CO2 a year?… flax is an environmentally friendly textile crop that does not disrupt the local ecosystem?
Solbiati fabrics at Blažek
We are proud to tailor made-to-measure suits from Solbiati linen fabrics, which stand out for their exceptional quality. For its suiting fabrics Solbiati uses only the finest linen from Normandy. These fabrics have unique characteristics, making them ideal for both suits and separate jackets.
A bonus of up to 10 % on your purchases
Invitations to VIP events and occasions
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