‘Craftsmanship, heritage, passion and perfection’ are the central tenets of Gianfranco Lotti, the luxury leather goods house established in Florence in 1968. Italian to its core, the company’s namesake founded the label to ‘give something back’ to his Florentine home – the city in which art and craftsmanship are synonymous. From hand-worked python skin clutches to exquisitely crafted men’s weekend bags, Gianfranco Lotti values artisanal quality above all else.
In 2013, the brand welcomed new creative director, Melissa Loyd Maish, who previously held senior positions at Salvatore Ferragamo and Bally. With her arrival came an expansion of the company’s offerings and the introduction of its ‘One Piece Only’ service. This foray into the bespoke market offers the brand’s committed clientele the chance to work alongside Maish in creating unique leather goods, from initial design sketches through to final manufacture.
The process begins in the Salon Privé of Lotti’s flagship on the Via de’ Tornabuoni in Florence, the heart of the city’s fashion district. Historically home to royal processions from the Palazzo Pitti to the Ponte Santa Trìnita, the street now houses an array of high fashion boutiques among which the Lotti design studio is nestled.
Located a stone’s throw away is the house’s atelier; such proximity makes for a highly integrated and communicative process between creatives and artisans, ensuring control from concept to realisation. The process constantly emphasises the value of handcraft, minimising machine interference with the brand’s ethically sourced leathers.
All creations bear the house’s signature lock – a symbol for the brand’s commitment to tradition and heritage as hallmarks of quality. Yet if Lotti’s manufacturing process remains traditional, the house’s aesthetic is distinctly contemporary.
New creative director Melissa Loyd Maish, appointed in 2013, recently launched the brand's foray into the bespoke market
The 'One Piece Only' bespoke service offers customers the chance to see, and even influence, their bag's creation – from initial sketch, to manufacturing, and the finished article. Pictured: Lotti and Maish
In spite of this new move into customisation, the brand is ever committed to heritage and tradition. Each bag bears a statement signature lock, symbolising Lotti's seal of quality and history
From start to finish, the creative process takes place in workshops and studios dotted around Florence's cobbled streets, all in close proximity to keep craftsman, creatives and designers singing in the same key
This process begins in the heart of Florence's atmospheric fashion district, on the Via de’ Tornabuoni, where smart boutiques line narrow streets
The house’s aesthetic remains distinctly and impressively contemporary, despite the reliance on tradition
From men's weekend bags to python skin clutches, each creation bears an idiosyncratic Lotti style
For Gianfranco Lotti, it is clear that the message is not just about bags, but also about culture, local history and art
INFORMATION
For more information, visit Gianfranco Lotti’s website
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