FOR THE LOVE OF CRAFT
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An exploration of craft. Its definition, purpose, and enduring relevance through the lens of alta artigianalità and the artisan’s daily pursuit of excellence.
Our founder Luigi presenting his designs.
Two pairs of eyes lock, a smile emerges, laughter follows – a tacit understanding, a recognition of roles, an invisible bond taking shape. The relationship between father and son is sacred yet its actualization is a daily choice. Without effort, one remains a father in little more than name only. When this duty is embraced, however, something profound occurs. A bond arises woven by intention strengthening the connection between father and son. Similarly, the bond between artisan and craft is formed anew each day. There exist physical realities to craft, like a tailor stitching fabric into a suit, that must be fulfilled. But true craft goes further, merging mind and body, and introducing a third element, the soul, breathing life into creation. This threefold harmony defines true craft, referenced in Italy as alta artigianalità.
Craft abounds, it is all around, it is a staple of human life and human experience. At its core, craft signifies the union between body and mind. The mind visualizes and the body follows, creating some physical good. The carpenter views the African blackwood, imagines a chair, and creates it. A glass blower sees the molten glass, fancies a reticello decanter, and produces it. The potter eyes the lump of clay, envisions a porcelain plate, and crafts it. These are not casual acts. Each artisan creates not just to make, but to fulfill a specific end. The carpenter does not build any chair, he builds a chair capable of bearing weight and designed for comfortably sitting upright. The glass blower purposefully shapes the decanter so that it may aspirate the wine appropriately. The potter centers every plate to balance food evenly. In each case, careful consideration of the function is the minimum requirement. Without it, the created item is a failure. To avoid this outcome, the artisan must hone his skill over time so that his vision may consistently transform into the desired result.
Two jackets created in the Leccese style by the eponymous tailor — Mesciu Gigi.
Pure craft, alta artigianalità, is the paragon of all craft. It moves beyond the plainly functional and introduces something else to the mix - the artisan’s spirit. When goods are created with intention as opposed to simply mechanical repetition, a special occurrence transpires. With every good, the artisan infuses the product with part of his soul. All the sweat, heartache, creativity and toil become embedded into the craft. Suddenly, the item no longer simply conveys a functional aim but incorporates the essence of the artisan, his culture and the traditions of his land, into the item. Thus, the good adopts a new meaning, introducing a new language to the lexicon. Take the example of bespoke suits made in Italy. The tailor attuned to the ways of pure craft not only seeks to create an elegant suit that drapes the wearer well but to transpose his culture into its creation. The Mesciu, the master tailor, ensures every stitch is intentional. He does not merely measure and cut, the Mesciu listens. He learns about the client's posture, lifestyle, and movement. The suit is made not in taglia, but su misura. In this attention lies intention. The hand becomes an extension of the heart and soul, and the garment becomes a form of silent speech—communicating excellence in craft, tying the wearer and tailor by the thread of the Mesciu’s stitch.
The achievement of such excellence in craft is indebted largely to the work of the artisan’s forebears, to a certain way of seeing and doing things – an accumulation of knowledge known as tradition. An appreciation and respect for tradition is fundamental to the further development of craft. At its best, it does not involve some rigid textualist adherence to previous norms. Tradition acts as a sort of guide indicating the correct path to explore. Properly understood, there are always new paths to explore. Think of the Mesciu’s workshop and view it as a sort of living archive, storing not only tools and textiles but ways of seeing. The grain of a fabric, the tension of a thread, the puzzle of a silhouette, these are things that are best understood by physical presence, experiencing with the eyes and feeling with the fingers. In places like Italy, this density of tradition becomes a kind of geographic advantage. Language, culture, and legacy combine to create invisible barriers to entry elevating the development of craft in the world of handmade suits, Murano glass, and Deruta ceramics which remain unmatched even today. In these spheres, craft is not only functional but also beautiful. Imagine a perfectly draped suit, its shoulders gently cupping the wearer, the chest floating yet firm, the movement fluid. This is no longer just clothing, the Mesciu’s skill possesses the ability to unlock a new exalted realm. The finished good transcends its purely functional end becoming a work of excellence mimicking the divine. Thereby creating the ultimate excellence in craft, a kind of masterpiece that blends form and function unto one another – something approaching the sublime.
The Italian sculptor Renzo Buttazzo working on one of his pieces
Sculpture by Renzo Buttazzo
To finish this aerial broad-brush consideration of craft, mention must also be made to the limits of this good. By understanding these limits, additional light shall be shined on the nature of craft providing a clearer picture of its nature and consequently its appreciation. Certain limits of craft are obvious like its materiality and its need to fulfill some functional end. Yet, certain areas inhabit a sort of gray zone where the limit of craft is not easily understood. The first gray area is between art and craft. Can craft be art? Can art be craft? Is some craft considered art? The two often share a decorative element yet their ends diverge. A chair expertly crafted can be excellent, even beautiful, worthy of display. Referencing it as art, however, seems misplaced unless as a metaphor or compliment. Art exists for its own sake, to be considered and appreciated on its own terms. It may “speak” to the viewer, but it does not serve the viewer directly. A painting does not hold someone, but a chair should. This illustrates a fundamental difference between craft and art, craft must function. It must work to be useful. Craft serves, art expresses.
A second gray area involves the apparent dissonance between craft and technology. At first glance, these two elements seem opposed. Craft celebrates handiwork whereas technology automates it. The truth, however, is more nuanced. Indeed, it is worth stating that well intentioned artisans are not luddites. Artisans are happy wherever possible to adopt tools that provide value and do not compromise quality. The “Mesciu” may use a sewing machine for long, durable seams, but hand-finish the lapel and shoulder where nuance and flexibility matter most. The key is discretion. Discerning what to trust with the machine and what to leave to the hand. This discretion stems from mastery. Look no further than Ferrari. Visit the factory in Marinello and behold the staggering level of technology involved in its production. Yet every Ferrari is still a triumph of craft, an object where human ingenuity and artisanship coexist in perfect balance.
In today’s increasingly connected world, it is important to not lose sight of those traditions that are singular in their presence and exceptional in their expression. These schools of craft, while widespread, are rare. They are upheld by artisans who preserve a sacred harmony between mind, body, and soul. This trinity defines true craft. A venerated task marked by an otherworldly intention. And in it, our longing for the divine offers a glimpse of a deeper truth.
Our President Nicolas Segura with our General Manager of Italy, Luca Giusto viewing fabric swatches.
