4 certain way. And that was what we have successfully maintained over
Armani has very good knowledge about fabrics and how to use them, since it would be extremely hard to create great men’ s wear if you don’ t have that knowledge about fabrics
the years.
So when did the original family business start?
The family business started back in 1881, when my grandfather with his brothers
Mohamed Kabbani, Nino Cerruti and Camile Khouri
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and cousin moved from a factory they were working in to establish their own business. My father started working in the family business around 1912, and took charge of the company around 1940, and in 1951 my father passed away and it was my time to take charge of the family’ s business. My brother has joined me in running the business, and we are waiting to see the future of our business.
It seems that you are on the right track and will see a very bright future.
I like to focus more on the character of producing fine products with keeping an open mind towards bright ideas, and that was the DNA of the company that we kept over many generations. You can’ t produce fine products and cheap products at the same factory, so you have to decide which direction you want to take, and maintain it.
You told me off record that you didn’ t get any technical training at school when it comes to fabrics and textile, so how did you acquire such knowledge?
I have been working with my family at our factory since I was 10 years old, since then
I learned how to build a fabric and what it is made of, then I spent 3 years in the finishing department to learn how that was done, so it was mostly hands-on. You see natural fibres require a physical connection with the fabric.
What would be the mark of excellence that has been always associated with Cerruti?
Globally speaking, Cerruti is one of three leader brands around the world that has its own distinguished mark. I have been fortunate to work with many designers, amongst whom the most famous Armani, who started working on our clothing line in the 1960s. After that, he worked with our company in Paris, so he had been working with us for a little over 10 years. And over the years, we built one thing that has been going on till date, the notion of the nonconstructed clothes, which are clothes that had no lining, much softer deconstruction, and that was one of the main products, we worked on together. Back then, Mr Armani was only working on men’ s wear.
I think that you can do really well if you move from men’ s fashion to women’ s fashion, because with men’ s wear, you must be very precise, while women’ s wear gives you more room for invention, space, and theatrical glamour, and Armani has very good knowledge about fabrics and how to use them, since it would be extremely hard to create great men’ s wear if you don’ t have that knowledge about fabrics.
How did Cerruti move into the furniture industry?
I got into design for several reasons, the first was that I am a strong supporter of the idea that lifestyle of our time is becoming more and more integrated, meaning our fashion, our food, and the way we live are all mixing together and connecting, so I saw the clear direction that I wanted to take.
The second was because I cut out felt from the creative work, since I sold the fashion company, so I decided that design was my way of staying creative. Clothes are what you put on you, and design is what you put around you, so it is all about the physical dimensions and the emotions which always remain the same.
And the third reason was because I like interior design, and I think it is going to be a very important area of development in the company’ s future. From where I see it design is where the fashion industry was in the 1970s.
DORCHESTER December 2012 53