Exploring the science of leather is to embark on a journey to the very heart of the material. Every aspect – from tanning to carefully selecting the hides; from the luminous patina of Venezia leather to the distinctive gleam of exotic skins – is tailored to the one goal of turning the material into a lasting heirloom. It should speak of beauty, emotion, and finely wrought craftsmanship.
Taking a raw, fragile and perishable material and transforming it into something noble, supple and durable – this is the art of tanning, a fundamental stage in the life of every piece of leather. Thanks to this process, a byproduct of the agrifood industry can be turned into an enduring creation.
The Maison explores a wide array of skins (calf, goat, lamb and exotic leathers) with an unwavering focus on preserving the authentic character of each material. Every step – from river work to fulling, and on to the resting and drying phases – is carried out with measured rigour, because it takes patience to impart suppleness and strength to the leather.
Berluti has also perfected a technique that brings out all the rich nuances of the patina. Our Venezia calfskin was jointly developed with the tannery, using an exclusive double tanning process that's a closely guarded secret.
After tanning, another key stage in the life of a leather is the selection process. When they arrive at Manifattura Berluti, the leathers are meticulously assessed by our skilled graders. Nothing escapes the eagle eye of these experts; they’ll notice the slightest irregularity in the grain, the most minute natural blemish, or any tiny roughness in the skin. Only natural leathers are allowed into the workshop, another mark of the Maison’s highly exacting standards.
True to its ethos of creating lasting pieces, Berluti selects only the very finest leathers – ones that will endure through the years, acquiring a beautiful patina and revealing their own special beauty in some shoes, accessories, or a garment.
Talbinio Berluti introduced patination after noticing how moonlight affected the shoes on display in his storefront window. The patina revolutionised men’s footwear by bringing colour into a realm that was traditionally dominated by black and brown. Not unlike a magical alchemy, this art involves painstakingly applying successive colours until you reach the desired shade. This makes every shoe utterly unique, suffused with the transparency of light.
With a cotton cloth wrapped around their fingers, the colourist applies the stain in a circular motion, rubbing the pigments into the pores of the leather with the utmost precision. Little by little, hazy films and smoky glints appear, giving a unique depth that's never the same from one piece to the next.
A language unto itself, the patina has become an exclusive Berluti signature. This merging of artisanal rigour with the poetry of colour transforms every shoe into a living artwork.
The strength of the material and the patina will give the leather the transparency of light.Talbinio Berluti
In 1993, the Italian tannery that Berluti works with perfected an exclusive new product, Venezia leather, which was specially developed to express the art of the patina. This full-grain calfskin goes through a unique double tanning process: first mineral tanning that binds the collagen fibres and stabilizes the skin, and then vegetable tanning using a mixture of roots, tree bark and fruits to bring suppleness and depth to the skin.
With no finishing or modifying agents, its transparency exposes the natural grain and can take on the most subtle shades, from Nero to Cacao or Neutro. A hide only yields enough material for three pairs of shoes on average, reflecting the stringent standards of this rare premium leather, which is exclusive to Berluti.
The rich character of the Maison's collections is underpinned by the excellence and diversity of its leathers. In Tuscany, calfskin is transformed into Saddle Soft, using the traditional barrel-tanning method that allows colour to permeate deep into the leather, and confers suppleness and depth. The more delicate lambskin from a centuries-old French tannery becomes Seta, a silky, lightweight leather with unique qualities.
Alongside these exceptional leathers are exotic skins like Alligator mississippiensis, prized for its big square scales ideally suited to leather goods, and Crocodylus porosus, which is coveted for its fineness. Exotic skins are especially responsive to colour, meaning that Berluti's master colourists must employ the utmost precision to bring out all the variations in their hues through the patina.
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