Talbinio Berluti, born just after the war, began working in the family business alongside his father, Torello, at age 14 while also studying architecture. He was obsessed with making Berluti a household name and, driven by a thirst for change and an enlightened world view, brought Maison Berluti the international renown he craved. In 1959, Talbinio introduced Berluti’s first collection of luxury ready-to-wear footwear bearing all the hallmarks of traditional shoemaking savoir-faire. In doing so, he opened the Maison’s doors to a broader, younger, trendier clientele. “The spirit of the Maison is found where the artisan’s respect meets the artist’s defiance.”