Mario Biasutti is the owner of the Italian leather goods brand, MABIANI and for Fall/Winter 2018 he has collaborated with Atelier MONTEX to create a capsule collection of embroidered bags.
Combining rich heritages, Atelier MONTEX was founded in 1939 and is considered one of the most creative haute couture and luxury ready to wear partners joining CHANEL’s Métiers d’Art in 2011. Similarly, Biasutti established himself as a leather goods specialist since 1979. To offer his exquisite savoir-faire, he opened three factories in the North of Italy, that today work with the most prestigious French and Italian fashion houses.
This formed the foundation for his own brand, MABIANI which is known for its blend of elegance, technical precision and allure - inspired by architecture, graphics and geometries. The collaborative collection sees two iconic styles from MABANI, the ‘Panino’ and the ‘Goccia’ being revisited by Atelier MONTEX to give life to an exclusive line of embroidered bags, acting as an ode to the Italian and French long-standing proficiencies.
What was your first fashionable memory?
I was born in a family specialized in shoe craftsmanship for several generations. This important heritage has always been part of my background. I grew up with the certainty the Made in Italy and the unique know how we preserve in our Country, is still the element that today makes the difference from the rest of the world.
In the 70′s I was working as a salesman for some leather-goods specialists in the area of Vicenza. At a point I was tired of selling other people’s bags, they were classics and I was sure that a fresher idea and a different approach would have made the difference to the offer of that time. In the 80′s that’s how MABIANI started!
How would you sum up your aesthetic?
A mix of elegance, technical precision and allure, I would repeat “less is more” a collection that brings together the know-how I maturate by the time, the attention to the tiniest details, the constant research for the finest quality, in a scenario we entirely develop internally in my factories in Italy.
What’s your process from sketch to production to the customer?
We reserve for MABIANI the same service and quality standards requested by the luxury Maisons we work for. Every piece is conceived, developed and produced in our head-quarter located in San Daniele del Friuli, a significant technical and specialized added value of the in-house production. Doors are opened to creativity: unique and original pieces, bold design with practical features, available in a multitude of declinations.
I always try to conjugate expertise, technical precision and know-how with a certain approach to design that is similar to another great passion of mine, architecture. I’ve always been passionate about this topic, along with geometries and graphical pure lines. As a result, my collections are a commitment to finest quality standard and design, 100% made in Italy. We recently presented our F/W pre-collection during couture and we had the honor to collaborate with Atelier Montex from CHANEL Métiers d’Art to create an exclusive line of embroidered bags. The initial spark to conceive this unique edition came to me when I had the pleasure to discover the architectural embroideries signed by Studio MTX, a separate Atelier created by Montex in 2013.
Studio MTX is known for creating embroideries used in architectural components (they also worked with the Louvre in Abu Dhabi and some luxury hotels all over the world). From there, asked Atelier Montex to design a geometric pattern inspired by MTX work. The pattern appears on two iconic styles from MABANI – Panino and Goccia – revisited by Atelier MONTEX to give life to this exclusive line of embroidered bags, it’s an ode to the Italian and French savoir-faire. The bags, which retail for 2,500 and 4,000 euros respectively, will be made-to-order exclusively and will take about two months from placing an order to receiving the final product.
Who are the supporters of your brand?
Japan and Korea have always been aficionados but with this new look we are giving to MABIANI we are developing a new commercial strategy. I’m conscious this will take time but I’m confident we will have the chance to develop in new markets. We are already receiving positive feedback from the press and thanks to the magic of Instagram we are having even more exposure than I could imagine.
What does your customer look for in her accessory?
Collections are conceived for the sophisticated, confident woman with experienced eyes who recognize and appreciate the Italian craftsmanship, the graphic design and the mix of elegance, technical precision and allure.
Which is your favorite item/s from your collection and why?
The ‘PANINO’ bag is one of our iconic styles. We have redesigned this style to make it more modern, functional and playful (its shape reminds me of paper bags!)
We transformed this common everyday component and we turned it into a luxury accessory that could be used from day to night, from the simplest occasion to glamorous soirées. French actresses Pauline Lefevre and Sofiia Manousha, along with influencer Caroline Receveur have already been spotted wearing this bag during Paris Fashion Week.
The greatest lesson learned from the industry?
To always pay attention to everything that surrounds us…inspiration is always unexpected! The ‘PANINO’ bag is one of our MABIANI iconic styles. We have re-designed this style to make it more modern, functional and also funny! Its shape reminds the paper bags proper to the baker’s shops. We transformed this common everyday component and we turned it into a luxury accessory that could be used from day to night, from the simplest occasion to glamorous soirées; French actresses Pauline Lefevre and Sofiia Manousha, along with influencer Caroline Receveur have already been spotted wearing the bag during Paris Fashion Week.
