Gisberto Carlo Sassi Of Doriani Cashmere
"Our family has been in the world of textiles and clothing for three generations, since the 1930s," recalls Mr. Sassi.
The Doriani brand entire look is rigorously Made in Italy and produced in Biella, the Italian district of excellence in textile manufacturing. At Lund & Lund we are proud to present to you an exclusive interview with its founder and CEO, Dottore Sassi as his closest friends and collaborators address him.
Milan is synonymous with elegance and style, famous for its men’s fashion industry. What is your relationship to Milan, it’s sense of discreet and sober elegance?
I was born and raised in a family that has been in the world of textiles and clothing for three generations, since the 1930s. Milan is indeed an elegant city because the understated, discreet and sober elegance is in the DNA of the Milanese men and women. A true Milanese always look for what flatters their body type and represents their lifestyle, rather than following the trends.
We know that Doriani was initially called STORM, producing high-quality belts and straps in the 1930’s. What are the typical garments of Doriani style today?
Storm, which was the original name of our company, started as a producer of high-quality belts and straps, adding raincoats and other high-quality products over time.
The idea of making cashmere accessible to a wider audience was born in the 1970s. At that time, every evening in Portofino, Capri or Forte dei Marmi, men wore cashmere sweaters thrown over their shoulders. This was the look that evoked a certain lifestyle, Dolce Vita.
In 1972 we founded Doriani brand focusing on the production of cashmere. Everything we do today is derived from the sweater, made of cashmere yarn for the winter seasons. For the summer, we combine pique shirts with jeans in different colors, achieving elegance that goes beyond formality of a well-fitted suit.
You produce all garments in your own factory in Biella. Tell us about the sustainability of Doriani Cashmere production process and fabrics?
For several years we have been working towards more sustainable materials, by eliminating down from our outerwear and using only thermal padding, for example. Although fur is one of the oldest forms of clothing, it is almost completely eliminated from our collections, except for a very limited export to the Russian market.
In addition, we are also using eco-sustainable yarns with EEC-compliant fiber dyeing process. Our focus right now is on expanding eco-innovation of the technology, and scale it up in our production as this is only possible when you own your factory.
Doriani was first to start mono-brand stores around Italy. Which markets are you selling to today, and where are your current customers coming from?
I am very pleased to say that all the major markets in the world are offering Doriani brand today – from Benelux, Scandinavia and Germany to Japan and the USA.
When comes to our our mono-brand stores, in addition to Italians of course, most of our customers come from Russia, United Arab Emirates, Japan, South America (especially Mexico and Brazil) as well as the rest of Europe. This makes me very happy as Doriani brand allows Italian craftsmanship to keep its reputation for being of the best quality across the globe.
Your personal style is always impeccable, which item would you recommend for customers who live in Scandinavia and still wants to look great in any occasion?
Thank you for your kind words. When comes to formal occasions, navy blazer with three buttons (in metal) with double vents, combined with a blue striped shirt and grey trousers will always be the most suitable outfit.
Same blazer paired with well-fitting jeans and pique jersey shirt or a turtleneck will be the perfect look for your free time.
What can we expect from Doriani Cashmere brand in (near) future in terms of product lines?
Maintaining our image that we have invested years in and built up until now is our primary goal. Furthermore, we also constantly evolve our collections both in terms of colors and wearability without compromising the essence of our brand. Making products with excellent raw materials, time and dedication to deliver something extraordinary is what defines personality of Doriani Cashmere.
