Pietro Virzi
Poetry of textiles

Emilio Salvatore Leo, architect and designer, may not be a master of the arts in the classical sense, but he is undoubtedly a master of lateral thinking—a perspective that has allowed him to reinvent his family’s historic wool mill, transforming it into a creative hub with an international outlook, open to a variety of influences and narratives. By experimenting with intangible assets—history, brand identity, relationships—he reconnected Calabria’s oldest textile factory not only with the territory where it was founded in 1873, but also with the rest of the world. He achieved this by shaping the project with a clear political vision, even before an entrepreneurial one: our land, our people, and our art are the very essence of Made in Italy.

"It’s hard to make people understand what lies behind a cameo." That’s how our conversation with Fabio Ottaviano began—marked by a sense of pride and a hint of mystery. Ottaviano is a master artisan of miniature shell cameo engraving based in Torre del Greco, close to Naples. Son of Pasquale—himself a student and heir to Giuseppe Scialanga, one of the great Neapolitan cameo masters of 19th-century —Fabio spoke to us about the daily joy of creating beauty with infinite precision and passion. He also shared the deep satisfaction that comes from seeing his sacrifices recognized, and the challenges of working in a system that, in Italy, still struggles to properly support and protect its artisans.

Laura di Giovanna Nocito creates unique jewelry from the coral of Sciacca — a treasure the waters offered to the Sicilian town nearly two centuries ago — making this precious gift of the sea "sing." The heir to a family whose legacy has been shaped, generation after generation, by remarkable women, Laura was named a MAM – Master of Arts and Crafts in 2024 for her extraordinary talent in the goldsmith's art. In the following interview, she shares the captivating, almost mythical tales that led her to make coral her life’s craft.

To celebrate the arrival of spring, the Biblioteca degli Alberi in Milan has been graced with a new rose garden, which now hosts the Rosa Mestieri d’Arte, a variety specially created by the Pistoian nursery, Rose Barni, for the Cologni Foundation. The scientist, farmer, and craftswoman responsible for bringing this unique variety to life—an eloquent metaphor for a delicate yet powerful world that transforms raw matter into beauty—is Beatrice Barni. A descendant of a family that has, for four generations, given birth to new expressions of beauty, she is also an expert in hybridization, a craft for which she was honored as a MAM (Master of Art and Crafts) in 2018. An undoubtedly unique and distinctive profession within the world of craftsmanship, of which Beatrice has unveiled some of its many secrets.

Inspired by their mother's artistic flair, in 1997 Giuseppe and Antonio Bevilacqua founded a ceramic workshop in a small Sicilian town in the province of Caltanissetta, where they create the typical products of Caltagirone and Santo Stefano di Camastra ceramics - such as Moorish heads, pinecones, and tables - in a more contemporary style, while still using traditional techniques. With passion and determination, the brothers achieved recognition in a relatively short time, eventually forming high-profile collaborations, such as with Dolce&Gabbana, and in 2022, they received the title of MAM – Maestro d’Arte e Mestiere (MAM – Masters of Arts and Crafts’accolade) from the Cologni Foundation for the Métiers d’Art.


Rita Turri, Master of Arts and Crafts 2024 in wood marquetry, inherited from her father Carlo, founder of the Tarsie Turri workshop in Anagni (in the province of Frosinone), the technique and sensitivity to find the harmony in which a few dozen or a thousand pieces, patiently composed in a refined geometric and chromatic balance, can coexist.

The words of the Master from Sorrento show all his infinite passion and dedication to an ancient art that is nourished by traditional values, authenticity, commitment and great joy, as much for the craftsman as for those who can enjoy his creations.

Martha Pachón Rodríguez was born in Santa Fe de Bogotá in Colombia. She graduated in Fine Arts at the Universidad Surcolombiana in Neiva and later moved to Italy, continuing her training at the Ballardini Ceramic Art Institute in Faenza, and specialising in stoneware and porcelain. Today the artist and craftswoman is internationally renowned, and carries on a work that combines fine Italian craftsmanship, contemporary design and the Andean and Afro-Caribbean influences of her origins.
In her atelier in Faenza, she creates both porcelain sculptures and light and conceptual installations. Over the years, he has developed a personal research on translucence and colour, using the ancient techniques of porcelain working, and revisiting them in a contemporary key.
Her work is focused on the themes of magic and sacredness, eroticism and human and animal migrations, producing extremely refined works that require great patience and skill.
She co-founded and was the director of the Faenza Art Ceramic Centre, a hub for ceramic training. She is a member of the IAC - International Academy of Ceramics.

Lunardelli Venezia is a craft company founded in 1967 by Angelo Lunardelli.
After working for years alongside their father, siblings Sebastiano and Agnese took over the family business, and they now run the workshop, still keeping intact the old know-how and the values that inspired its foundation: high craftsmanship, Italian excellence, exquisite workmanship. However, their pieces are distinguished by the skilful combination of tradition and contemporary design, resulting in unique and sought-after objects.

Simone Cenedese inherited his glasswork workshop from his father Giovanni, who founded it in the 1970s in Murano. The company immediately become a renowned excellence in the field of glassworking. Simone, thanks to his talent and inventiveness, and his spirit of innovation, has also made the furnace an international point of reference for many designers who wish to experiment with Murano glass, and give shape to their ideas. Over the years, the master has developed a unique style, creating original objects with a contemporary taste. His works are pure and brilliant, and are obtained through a secret mixture of minerals. His creations are available in various colours and can be customised on request, even with the application of gold or silver leaf and other special finishes. The company also creates large avant-garde works that are often exhibited in prestigious public spaces and concept stores. The furnace and the showroom will open their doors to the general public, with guided tours and other experiences, on the occasion of "Homo Faber in Città", an initiative curated by Fondazione Cologni and the side-event of the great exhibition "Homo Faber: The Journey of Life".

Attombri is a craft workshop in Venice, where glass, combined with other materials such as copper and silver, becomes costume jewellery and furnishing accessories. Since the late 1980s, brothers Stefano and Daniele Attombri have been interpreting the history, techniques and potential of this material in a contemporary way, creating accessories and elements that combine fashion, interior design and applied arts. They make lamps, decorative and functional objects, but above all extraordinary jewellery: their pieces are all unique and handcrafted, they are whimsical and timeless objets d'art that continue the tradition of Venetian “perlere” (bead makers), combined with techniques of their own invention with Art Nouveau influences. Their works have been published and exhibited all over the world, from Europe to the United States and Japan. They have won the “New Talent 2006” award of “More”, the Milan jewellery fair. They have collaborated with prestigious companies such as Dolce & Gabbana, Romeo Gigli and Pauly.

Atelier Martina Vidal has been carrying on the Burano lace tradition for four generations now. Founded as a small family-run workshop from an idea of Martina Vidal, the brand now makes luxury lace for the home and person, and has a sumptuous showroom on the island of Burano in the Venetian lagoon. The collections are the result of passion, experience and creativity, and are strictly Made in Italy, and handmade with quality fabrics. In addition to the shop and the adjoining Lace Museum, Martina Vidal has set up the Venice Secret Garden: a place for relaxation and pleasure, a garden from which to admire the beauty of the island while enjoying the typical “Buranelli” biscuits. Thanks to the continuous commitment to teaching and disseminating this art, over the years the atelier has become a place where lace is not just a technique to be preserved, but a contemporary experience to be lived in person.

Pusterlamarmi is a craft company in Como, a true excellence in stone working and marble processing in particular, a material with which they produce refined furnishing accessories. It was founded in 1977, and it is now run by the second generation, Lorenzo and Angela Pusterla, who respectively take care of the production and the management of the family business. Since its beginnings, the company has carried on this ancient craft, employing experienced and qualified workers.

An ancient tradition that continues in the name of innovation, thanks to the continuous search for new shapes and lines that meet contemporary living requirements. The result is unique pieces with modern and elegant taste, impeccable finishes and exquisite craftsmanship.

In 2022 Lorenzo Pusterla was awarded the title of MAM - Maestro d'Arte e Mestiere (Master of Arts and Crafts), recognised by Fondazione Cologni to master crafters who have distinguished themselves for their talent and know-how.

Alessandro Dalmasso is one of the best known and most successful pastry chefs in our country.
His adventure in the world of artisanal patisserie began at a very early age: he became fascinated by this trade thanks to his father, Giuseppe Dalmasso, owner of the confectionery shop of the same name since 1963 in Almese (Turin).
At only 15 years old, he graduated from the State Technical School for the Art of Confectionery in Turin. This was followed by several specialisation courses alongside the best masters, and then the participation in competitions and awards.
Among these, in 2022 he obtained the accolade “MAM - Maestro d'Arte e Mestiere” (Master of Arts and Crafts) by Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d'Arte. Today, in his pastry shop in Avigliana, he carries on an important confectionary tradition, with dedication and a spirit of innovation as well.

The Fashion Week has just ended: people often forget the creation of a great dress or accessory is not only the work of the designer or the stylist, but also the skilful hands of craftspeople who know how to transform the project into a magnificent object.
This is exactly what Anna Tosi, does: she is the third generation of Pagliani & Brasseur, a historic family-run artisan company specialising in the creation of fabric flowers and animals, refined and imaginative accessories made entirely by hand, which over the years have seen numerous and varied applications in fashion and interior design.
Over time, the company has grown enormously, collaborating with major fashion houses such as Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Christian Dior, Gucci, Giorgio Armani and many others.
In 2020 Anna Tosi was awarded the MAM - Maestro d'Arte e Mestiere (Master of Arts and Crafts) accolade, recognised by the Cologni Foundation for the Métiers d’Art.

Andrea Celestino is a skilled sculptor and woodcarver. Born in Aosta in 1993, he became passionate about woodworking as a child, watching his grandfather carving and sculpting in his garage in Valle d'Aosta. He thus discovered that he had a strong propensity for art and craftsmanship, great manual skills and a talent for sculpture. He then attended a “bottega-scuola” (a workshop whose skilled owner also teaches the craft to younger artisans) in his region, and continued his training in Ortisei, in Val Gardena, the home of wooden sculpture. Today, in his workshop in Saint-Pierre, he creates works of art and sculptures with a contemporary style: his female figures exude serenity, grace and freedom, but at the same time a powerful and vibrant energy. The creative process starts from a careful search for harmony in lines and shapes, which depends also on the type of wood he uses, while the inspiration comes from nature, and its shapes and colours.

Enza Fasano's workshop is the true spearhead of Grottaglie ceramic art. The master in fact grew up among terracottas, and having practiced this art all her life has allowed her to develop a refined and recognizable taste. Today, in her historic atelier, she creates artefacts inspired by local tradition, but also reinvented with originality and enriched by shapes and chromatic plays; pieces that know how to surprise, the result of years in the workshop, family school and improvement, and suitable to satisfy a cosmopolitan and demanding clientele. The large showroom presents hundreds of objects of great beauty: from the typical Apulian tradition to the more functional elements for the table and for the home. In 2020, Enza Fasano gained the title “MAM – Master of Art and Craft”, bestowed by the Cologni Foundation.

Friul Mosaic is a family-run craft company of artistic mosaics, founded by William Bertoia in 1987.
The atelier draws on an important tradition, with an eye towards contemporary design: starting from the concept, for which innovative motifs and original compositions are sought, each mosaic is made by hand, tile after tile, respecting the traditional techniques. Wall mosaic decorations, floor coverings, artistic and architectural solutions are all rigorously made to measure, with mastery, rigor and accuracy, without forgetting creativity and innovation. In fact, alongside classic motifs, original and modern textures are proposed, inspired by nature, works of art and myth, but also by modern mosaic as an interior design element. In 2020, William Bertoia gained the “MAM – Master of Art and Crafts” title, bestowed by the Cologni Foundation.

PictaLab is an interior decoration workshop created in Milan over fifteen years. It was founded in 2007 by Orsola Clerici, in collaboration with Chiara Troglio. In this elegant atelier, hand-painted wallpaper and wall decorations are created, with many different techniques: from fresco to trompe l'oeil, from coating to lacquering. Here, skilled craftspeople masterfully carry out each project, which always arises from a direct confrontation with the clients to understand their needs and expectations, and take care of the execution, rigorously made-to-measure. Every creation always takes into account the architectural space and the context in which the idea is shaped, to offer creative and personalized solutions. In addition to wall decorations, the workshop also offers a customization service for furniture and interior design objects. Orsola Clerici, co-owner and co-founder of the studio, obtained in 2020 the title "MAM – Maestro d’Arte e Mestiere" by Cologni Foundation for the Métiers d’Art.

The atelier Ornella Bijoux was founded in Milan in 1944 by Piera Barni. A historic business with an incredible story, bridged into present days thanks to the talent and determination of Simona Scala, the third generation at the helm of the business. They create jewels with a vintage flavor, ofetn inspired by Art Nouveau, but also with a more contemporary taste, made up of original compositions of metals and Venetian stones, hand-painted ceramics and crystals, pearls and shells, as well as enamels, ropes, leather and feathers, mixed with freedom, harmony and originality. An all-female enterprise, where know-how and craftsmanship have been handed down from mother to daughter for almost 80 years now.