For the third year running, Berluti chooses the Simone & Cino Del Duca Foundation as the setting to showcase the inspirations, savoir-faire and creative decisions that shape the Maison’s world.
Housed in an imposing late 19th-century classical townhouse overlooking Parc Monceau, the Simone & Cino Del Duca Foundation perpetuates its founders’ cultural vision under the aegis of the Institut de France. It was set up by Simone Del Duca to further the philanthropic legacy of her husband, Italian entrepreneur Cino Del Duca, who became a key player in the French publishing landscape of the 20th century. The Foundation promotes the arts, literature and sciences, singling out an author of international distinction to award its annual Prix Mondial Cino Del Duca.
There’s a natural resonance between the Foundation’s history and that of Berluti; like Simone Del Duca and her husband Cino before her, the Maison has its roots in both Italy and France. Founded by a family from the Marche region, Berluti has since its earliest days cultivated a dialogue between the two cultures, driven by the same dedication to knowledge-sharing, the creative arts, and exceptional craftsmanship.
This year, the Maison takes the garden as its theme, with spaces that bring to life the transformation of an idea into material form. On one side are the images, emotions and references that fuel the creative process; on the other, these are translated into tangible pieces through Berluti’s savoir-faire and technical expertise.
The conception of these pieces was further enriched as the Maison entered into creative dialogue with the story of The Little Prince, which also inspired a limited edition to be released at the end of the year. This immersion revealed profound affinities between Saint Exupéry’s universe and that of Berluti: an attentive observation of nature, a reverence for all living things, and a sensitivity to the details that imbue life with meaning.
This meeting of worlds is felt throughout the presentation at the Foundation. While certainareas are dedicated to the universe and the writing of The Little Prince, characters and symbols from the story have also been subtly transposed onto shoes, leather goods and garments by means of Berluti’s diverse savoir-faire.
Prelude
“I shall know a sound of footsteps that will be different from all the others…”
As soon as they arrive, visitors are immersed in a sensorial experience mingling the scent of melted wax, the sound of footsteps, and a display of three heels of different sizes. This multisensory welcome conjures up Berluti’s shoemaking world while echoing an idea close to The Little Prince’s heart: that among a thousand others, we must recognise what is unique and precious to us.
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
This quote from The Little Prince is displayed in the Salon Monceau, on the second floor, to prompt reflection on the remarkable style so dear to Berluti – an elegance rooted in being as much as in doing, one that transcends outward appearance and reveals itself through the way one moves, one’s bearing, and the emotions it sparks.
Displays here revolve around a dialogue between impressions and sensations – what is seen and what is felt. On one side, cinematic sequences of silhouettes and objects in movement capture the ineffable poetry of the moment. On the other, Berluti designs give material form to these emotions through the distinct languages of each of its artisanal disciplines.
As the central theme running through this presentation, the garden is explored through a variety of lenses. For some, it evokes the interplay of shadow and light so prized by the Impressionists. For others, it finds expression in the sensory richness of materials, the subtlety of patinas, and the mastery of traditional craftsmanship.
Faithful to its timeless signatures, Berluti offers a fresh interpretation of several of its iconic pieces. The Forestière is adorned with a very natural-looking daffodil, appearing to blossom from its pocket, while the embroidered flower on a jersey jacket seems to grow from the very garment itself. Floral motifs abound – on pop-over shirts, regular shirts and even the Scritto – through a visual language that blends print, embroidery, and optical effects.
New explorations of its savoir-faire push Berluti’s artistic expression even further, with the floral embroidery and laser-cut details on a stunning jacket attesting to exceptional technical mastery. Elsewhere, the entrelacs collar on the Un Jour blouson brings together several of the Maison’s distinct craft traditions in one overarching celebration of artisanal excellence.
The garden theme even extends to footwear, with the launch of a new series of tightly curated capsules to allow for artistic experimentation within the main collections. A first illustration of this, the Galet Bloom shoe draws inspiration from the organic curve of the arum lily, rendering the flower’s natural grace in a sculptural design with a striking new patina finish.
The Lorenzo and Panache loafers carry forward the lineage of signature Berluti silhouettes, where craftsmanship, construction and fine materials come together in shoes of remarkable elegance.
Painting the Light
In the first-floor Orange salon, the garden theme unfolds across a series of small leather accessories that reference the Impressionist movement, whose painters sought not so much to faithfully depict nature as to capture its shifting atmospheres and emotions.
This artistic approach finds its natural echo in the art of the patina, a savoir-faire Berluti is renowned for. Just as the Impressionists layered short brushstrokes to reproduce fleeting effects, the Maison’s artisans gradually bring out the rich beauty of Venezia leather by masterfully playing with different shades, transparencies and depths.
For this presentation, the design studio selected four paintings and homed in on fragments of them to develop new interpretations. These were applied to the models Un Jour, Luti, Un Jour de Poche and Toujours, each evoking a garden at a different moment of the day: the dewy freshness of a rose garden at daybreak; glittering reflections of a rowing boat on a lake under the midday sun; the vivid blooms in a cluster of hydrangeas; and the atmospheric hues of a garden at dusk.
While the patina pushes the boundaries of artistry on leather, Berluti’s creative teams are also exploring new directions for leather accessories. Take the Un Jour-nal model, whose unprecedented suppleness recalls a rolled-up newspaper carried under the arm, and the Grand Jour, a new take on the men’s tote bag: both illustrate the Maison’s constant quest to balance style, comfort and functionality.
A Constellation of Creativity
The following spaces are chiefly dedicated to the realm of The Little Prince. Moving through the rooms, visitors discover the common threads linking Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s story with the world of Berluti.
In the next room stands a softly-lit desk, inspired by the one that the author of The Little Prince once wrote at – like a gateway between his book’s imaginary universe and the Maison’s own realm.
In the Vigny salon, the display divides into two complementary spaces. On one side, a series of planets conjure up The Little Prince’s poetic universe. On the other, a series of display capsules juxtaposes Saint-Exupéry’s drawings with the creations they inspired.
This staging underscores the essential role of linework in the author’s creative process. Sketches and iconic characters drawn from the story are transposed onto a selection of leather goods and accessories, including the Un Jour, Deux Jours and Trois Nuits bags, as well as the iconic Alessandro lace-up.
The Foundation’s library, where part of Simone and Cino Del Duca’s personal collection is preserved, makes a very natural home for Saint-Exupéry’s story. The space also evokes the creative exchange between Berluti and the publishing house Gallimard that led to the Bibliothèque de La Pléiade’s special edition dedicated to Saint-Exupéry, which the Maison crafted a presentation case and book covers for in patinated Venezia leather.
An Enduring Bond
In the Cordoue salon, an artisan embodies the very special bonds that unite the Maison, its savoir-faire, and the objects it crafts. A selection of restored pieces set out around him attests to their owners’ attachment to them. These creations are more than simple objects; bearers of memories, of long-held habits and of personal stories, they gain a new lease of life by being restored.
Through this celebration of care, Berluti reminds us that an exceptional object is, above all, created for living, evolving and weathering the passage of time alongside its owner. This attentiveness extends well beyond the moment of purchase; specialist artisans in the Aubervilliers repair atelier dedicate themselves to preserving Berluti pieces, restoring their beauty and ensuring they bring pleasure for many years to come. Currently, 97% of Berluti products can be repaired, underscoring the Maison’s commitment to making objects that last.
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BERLUTI Impressions et Sensations