Getting inspired by the past and mixing traditions with technology without copying or simply renewing previous garments by iconic designers is definitely the key to build a better fashion industry.
But while some fashion designers are struggling to understand this or while marketing laws and the fast pace of the industry simply do not allow designers to research specific ideas and themes in an in-depth way, a few companies have fully grasped this concept. Historical Vicenza-based silk factory Bocchese 1908 is among them.
Since it was first established, the company worked in silk reeling; spinning and twisting started as early as the 1920s, followed by high-end silk weaving in the '50s. Yet, though beautiful, luxurious and unique, silk is perceived as a summer fabric, so Bocchese 1908 decided to try and change perceptions and make silk as soft and warm as cashmere.
"We were attracted by the idea of transposition, transferring a summer concept - silk - to a new world of winter warmth," states the company CEO (and Sales and Marketing Manager at the historical Italian knitwear company Maglificio Miles) Michele Bocchese. "We searched for new special threads that may suit this type of finishing, fine tuning the right treatment. We particularly worked on the finishing of the fabric to make it snug and very similar to cashmere."
The product was created almost by accident: a fabric had been treated by mistake in the finishing phase with a machine never used for silk and the result was a soft, almost impalpable fleece, though still very different from what was going to become the new winter silk fabric.
Presented last year at the Ideabiella exhibition, the final product - a blend of ultra fine cashmere and pure silk - was patented as Soie d'Hiver (PD2011A000287).
Light and soft, rare and precious, the material has already been employed by quite a few fashion companies for their collections (also for menswear garments such as coats and jackets). While helping to re-launch the historical family business, the new material by Bocchese 1908 also prompted other companies to create further products along the same lines, proving that cutting edge innovation and research can also lead to a healthy competition between different companies and foster growth.
After Soie d'Hiver, the Italian company is moving onto further fabric research projects, "Last summer we reviewed the duplicate silk, a classic Bocchese fabric. In that case we modified the looms to obtain effects that could only be achieved by using the shorter looms of the past (70 cm)," recounts Michele Bocchese. "We want to amaze and inspire our clients. Behind each of our products there is a story made of archives, dusty books about entire ranges of products and an experienced team capable of applying creative freedom to an exclusive handcrafted world”.
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