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The ISSIMO Edit: Lucia Mantero

30 July, 2026

The ISSIMO Edit: Lucia Mantero

Colour, craft and the enduring beauty of Italian textiles

Few places are as closely associated with textiles as Lake Como. For more than a century, Mantero has been one of the custodians of Italy's textile tradition, creating fabrics and accessories for some of the world's leading luxury houses. In 2013, that expertise found a new expression in Mantero 1902: the company's own contemporary brand, where archival prints, exceptional craftsmanship and a distinctly modern point of view come together. We spoke with Creative Director Lucia Mantero about colour, creativity and why heritage is something to be continually reinterpreted, not simply preserved.

Mantero carries more than a century of textile heritage. How do you continue to innovate while staying true to such an important legacy?

Photo courtesy Mantero Seta – ph. Virginia Guiotto

It's our greatest privilege, but also our greatest responsibility. Next year we'll celebrate 125 years, and with that comes an extraordinary archive, incredible expertise and generations of knowledge.

At the same time, our industry never stands still. Technologies evolve, sustainability becomes increasingly important and our clients constantly challenge us to do better. Our job is to keep looking forward without ever forgetting where we come from. It's a daily balance, but one that we embrace with great enthusiasm.

Colour, print and fabric are at the heart of everything you do. Where does a Mantero collection begin?

It always starts with research.

Our archive is an endless source of inspiration, but we never simply reproduce what's already there. Every design is reinterpreted, reworked and given a contemporary voice. Then comes colour, which for us is just as important as the drawing itself. A beautiful design can be transformed – or completely diminished – by the way it's coloured.

Finally, there's the fabric. Silk remains at the centre of our world, but we carefully choose every material according to the garment, the season and how we imagine it will be worn.

Photo courtesy Mantero Seta – ph. Virginia Guiotto

Much of your work seems inspired by travel, nature and art. Where do you look for inspiration today?

Our inspiration can come from almost anywhere: a journey, a landscape, a city or simply observing everyday life.

Living and working in Como has certainly shaped the way we see the world. We pay enormous attention to detail. Sometimes we joke that we're "design nerds" or "colour nerds", because nothing is ever left to chance. We follow every stage of the process ourselves – from a tiny archive sketch all the way to the finished textile – and I think that care ultimately becomes visible in the final product.

You've chosen to keep your entire production in Como. Why is that so important to you?

Because design and production should never be separate conversations.

Our creative teams work just a few steps away from the production floor. Designers regularly walk into the print workshop to check colours, fabrics and finishes, while our technicians understand why certain creative decisions matter.

That constant exchange improves the work for everyone. Beautiful ideas only become meaningful when they can be translated into beautiful products.

Photo courtesy Mantero Seta – ph. Virginia Guiotto

The foulard – a silk scarf – remains one of the most iconic accessories in Italian style, and an iconic piece in the Mantero repertoire. Why do you think it has never gone out of fashion?

Because it's incredibly versatile.

With one simple square of fabric you can completely transform an outfit. Around the neck, in your hair, as a belt, tied to a handbag, worn as a top... it adapts endlessly.

Perhaps some people still think of the scarf as something traditional, but I see exactly the opposite. It continues to reinvent itself, while remaining unmistakably itself. That's what makes it timeless.

Do you have a favourite print from the Mantero archive?

Choosing just one is almost impossible.

I love prints in general and rarely wear solid colours. But there's one archival design I always come back to: a wonderfully playful motif featuring little soldiers, horses and flags. We reinterpreted it across scarves, clothing and accessories, and I even carry the document pouch made from that print wherever I go.

It's less classic than our floral designs, perhaps, but every time it returns to a collection, I know I'll end up taking one home.

Lucia’s ISSIMO Picks

ISSIMO Il Pellicano Backgammon

The perfect companion for slow, sun-soaked summer afternoons.

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Che Vuoi? Munari T-shirt

Hands, expressions and gestures: the unmistakable language of Italy.

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ISSIMO Italian Kitchen Tools

I may not be much of a cook, but I've always had a soft spot for beautiful kitchenware.

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Mantero 1902 Florida Keys Foulard

And finally, a scarf – something I never travel without. Around the neck, in the hair or tied to a handbag for dinner, it's the one accessory that always earns a place in my suitcase.

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