Alviero Martini, A Luxury Italian Fashion House That Shows The World How It Might Be | Lifestyle

Alviero Martini, A Luxury Italian Fashion House That Shows The World How It Might Be

by KayRoy

Born around 1940, Alviero Martini has put more than his birthplace of in Cuneo, Italy on the map. He has put maps into the fashion world. Alviero Martini is known for the Prima Classe (1A Classe) line of luggage, luxury handbags and small leather goods, and today, belts, clothing, sunglasses and more.

Martini's first idea for what has evolved into an iconic fashion house came when he was creating a store display in Rome for furs. "I had this old suitcase and had to cover it with something,'' he said. ''So I decided to use a map." When customers started asking for the suitcase in the window, the seeds of travel, maps and luggage were sown. Some of his original designs for handbags mimicked the then popular Hunting World styles. But since, he has expanded and developed his own style and distinctiveness.

The classic Alviero Martini look is that of an antique-looking pattern with faded colors and old-fashioned cartographic depictions. The maps are not true projections and so the resulting bags and luggage can have fascinating versions of Africa alongside Alaska, South America edging out Europe allowing different views of our world.

But whatever the origins of the map design, when each item is first cut from the PVC coated canvas and then stitched together by Italian craftsmen, Alviero Martini customers know they are getting a "one of a kind" piece. Part of their shopping experience includes choosing which combinations of countries, continents and/or oceans they want on their shoulder bag, duffel or wheeled trunk. They keep coming back for years to add to their collection as new parts of the world take on new personal meaning.

Alviero Martini designers continue to innovate. Their geoBlack style kept the classic maps but changed the colors to black, silver and grays. Dustin Hoffman and Olivier Martinez like the subtle yet classic lines of the geoBlack. Helen Hunt, Mischa Barton, Amy Smart and Carmen Electra still choose the classic parchment colors for their own use. And more and Prima Classe fans are also picking up items from the new lines of jewelry, watches, sunglasses, shoes and clothing.

Their 2010-2011 winter look book includes a heavy focus on belts, buckles, boots and bags. But whatever the season, those with a penchant for travel, those who envision themselves sons and daughters of plant earth, those who see themselves on a journey naturally gravitate toward Alviero Martini and its geophilosophy.

DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as information only and is not to be taken as financial advice.

As manager of one of Westchester's premier multibrand boutiques, Kay Roy has been charged with the responsibilityfor the Alviero Martini account for almost a decade. Today, as Alviero Martini is breaking new ground, very few in the USA carry the brand. Boutique Al Ponte carries this iconic brand in Ardsley, New York.