About
Barbisio creates form and function, since 1862. Collections grounded in the careful observation of the symbols of headwear are informed by the incessant search for new languages. The process breaks the moulds of tradition, borrowing from contemporary aesthetic codes found in art, architecture, culture and anthropology. Materials take shape under expert hands, testing the limits of their plastic possibilities. The result is pure, sculptural hats, conceived to be worn by everyone, regardless of their age, gender, point of view. Each Barbisio creation is handcrafted in Biella, Italy.
History
In the mountain village of Sagliano Micca, along the banks of the river Cervo that lends its name to a valley known for its century-old tradition of hat making, the Barbisio millery was founded in 1862. A collective of local master hatters, who learnt their craft from their fathers and grandfathers joined forces to transform an artisan, family-led business into a thriving modern industry. Skills and knowledge handed down the generations were enhanced by the use of advanced technology. Thanks to the entrepreneurial savvy and ability to understand and respond to the evolving demands of the market for quality hats of its founders, the company’s felt hats, fashioned by hand in the factory using specially-sculpted aluminium or wooden moulds, became a trademark of outstanding Italian design worldwide.
By the 1930, Barbisio exported to the Americas and Africa and had shops across Italy. Throughout the following decades, also thanks to the growing popularity of Hollywood productions and British music culture, the fashion for hats secured a thriving market for the brand’s creations. Today, Barbisio brings this 150-year long heritage back to life, turning classic accessories into icons of contemporary design. Each of them still crafted by hand in that small village in the province of Biella, Italy.
