THE LEGACY OF CERRUTI

Cerruti is first and foremost the name of an Italian family, weavers since the middle of 1700. In 1881, Nino Cerruti’s grandfather Antonio Cerruti, founded Lanificio Cerruti, a textile production business in Biella, Piedmont, Italy. In 1950, the 20-year-old Nino Cerruti inherited the family business and took over its management. Then he began to modernise the textile manufacturer to incorporate clothing production.

FROM BIELLA TO PARIS

Building on his experience at Lanificio Cerruti, Nino Cerruti founded HITMAN in 1957, specialising in the production of menswear. That same year, he launched a men's ready-to-wear collection for the company, which made waves in the fashion community, setting the standards for bespoke tailoring at the time. In November 1967, Nino Cerruti became the first designer to launch his own label of men’s high-quality prêt-à-porter in Paris: the maison Cerruti 1881. He presented his first collection at the same time as opening his boutique in La Madeleine.

Nino Cerruti’s first fashion show in 1967, held in his boutique on Place de la Madeleine in Paris, highlighted a stunning array of futuristic trends that captured the attention of the fashion press, which proclaimed, '1967, the year when Italian style dethroned English fashion. His innovative silhouette, embodying a sense of nonchalance and masculinity, resonated with a society increasingly engaged in business travel and seeking a more relaxed elegance.