Alessandro Berluti founded his namesake luxury footwear brand for men in 1895. The Italian founder launched the company in Paris, designing shoes that became prestigious and highly sought after. The LVMH Group now owns Berluti, and Kris Van Assche is the Creative Director. Continuing the exceptional reputation that Berluti has acquired over the years, the brand has evolved to encompass other leather goods and accessories, as well as the addition of ready-to-wear.
With such a long history in fine shoemaking, Berluti holds vast knowledge and deep understanding of the art. Rich expertise throughout generations has meant that Berluti shoes are of unparalleled quality. While traditional in their approach to shoemaking, the brand has always been innovative and creative with their designs. Berluti boldly challenges the norms of luxurious footwear, seen in the introduction of Patina shoes. Olga Berluti perfected the technique in the 1980’s, which coloured leather through a mix of pigments, oils and dyes to create stunning new colours for Berluti shoes. For the first time, men could wear a vibrant palette from greens to maroons, and no longer just black or brown. Whether classic brogues and loafers or modern sneakers and sliders, Berluti does not compromise on quality or style, and continues to break new ground with their modern approach.
Contemporary design can be seen further in the Berluti ready-to-wear lines. Taking pieces which make up a man’s wardrobe and elevating them to appear high-fashion and high-quality is signature to the brand. Berluti designs are timeless yet modern, offering minimalist, crisp blazers, as well as bright, artistically printed shirts. Sleek suits and sharp wool coats are as elegant as Berluti shoes, while more casual tapered joggers and logo-printed tees have a stylish off-duty appeal.
Berluti has around 50 boutiques worldwide, in cities such as London, Paris, Shanghai and New York. Their collections can be located on the Berluti website, and through Mr Porter and Matches Fashion.