MR PORTER, the award-winning global online retail destination for men’s style, announces the launch of the Italian Masters, a curated selection of exclusive capsule collections celebrating the timeless design, craftsmanship and style of Italy.
Debuting on MR PORTER 21 September, the Italian Masters showcases 25 of the leading and defining voices of traditional and contemporary Italian style, each providing their own unique point-of-view, craftsmanship sensibility or manufacturing technique that sets it apart from the rest. Brands within the Italian Masters include: Altea, Aspesi, Caruso, De Petrillo, E.MARINELLA, Etro, Fabbrica Pelletterie Milano, Fornasetti, Francesco Maglia, Giuliva Heritage, Incotex, L.G.R, Lardini, Lorenzi Milano, Massimo Alba, Missoni and Missoni Home, MP Massimo Piombo, Officine Creative, Pineider, Rubinacci, Seed to Skin, Valextra, Valstar and Villa.
An enduring thread to Italian Masters is that it champions Italian craft through the diversity and scale of brands involved, including small independent artisans through to globally-recognised fashion houses. The result is an exclusive collection comprising of over 259 unique and distinct products across clothing, footwear, accessories and homeware.
Within the collective capsule, MR PORTER will also introduce two new brands to site, including Milan-based men’s accessories brand Villa, the Varese-based, family-owned Missoni Home, alongside the Abruzzo-based brand Giuliva Heritage. Together, with the launch of the capsule, MR PORTER will herald 65 Italian brands across its offering.
To further mark the launch, MR PORTER has partnered with the Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte to support the Foundation’s annual “A School, A Job. Training to Excellence” apprenticeship programme, which matches 25 Italian graduates from a selection of the best schools and universities of Arts and Crafts with 25 Italian artisanal ateliers or businesses. The theme of this year’s apprenticeship is “Renaissance and Sustainability”, seven months in length and comprises of one-month university training in Milan, followed by six-months on-the-job experience.
Italian Masters encompasses an extensive offering of both well-known and speciality Italian brands, all of which have a unique point of view and a distinct craftsmanship sensibility that enhances the overall collection. We aimed to seek-out and nurture exclusive product stories with each of these outstanding brands, and especially wanted to shine a light on the smaller artisanal partners who are so important to sustaining specific skills and one-of-a-kind manufacturing techniques. We’re also thrilled to partner with the Fondazione Cologni to support future generations of Italian manufacturing and craft.
Mr Sam Kershaw, Buying Director, MR PORTER
MR PORTER will celebrate the launch of the Italian Masters with a global digital campaign from late September, along with dedicated editorial and social content across its global editorial platforms, including the online magazine The Journal, the September/October issue of The MR PORTER Post, and its Instagram channel @mrporterlive.
