Exclusive Interview With Matteo Bozzalla Of Valstar

Valstar was founded in Milan, in 1911 and has quickly built a reputation for fine-quality outerwear such as the iconic Valstarino A-1 jacket. Loved for its versatility, the Valstarino is often found hanging in the wardrobes of men who appreciate 'Made in Italy' craftsmanship, perennial style and garments that tell stories.

Valstar is a relatively small company and prides itself on taking a personal approach to outerwear, always spending a considerable amount of attention on selecting superior materials as well as on the construction details and trimmings, making their products some of the best pieces of outerwear manufactured in the world today. This is why we were incredibly happy to talk with Mr. Matteo Bozzalla, CEO of Valstar.

First of all, tell us a little about your background, who is Matteo Bozzalla, in your own words?

Matteo is a lucky man because after some years in finance is now working with a great and talented team, following his other passion that is fashion!

Your latest collections have quite unique design details and proportions, almost like works of architecture. Tell us a bit more about your design process and inspiration behind it?

As a luxury brand and as a company we are lucky to have Luigi, our head of design. We take inspiration from our great archive and from iconic uniforms. We start form a real and utilitarian model, we go back to its true essence and we add few but sophisticated unique details.

The story of ‘Valstarino’ jacket is well known, in what way does it help augment development of new models for the Valstar brand?

Valstar is based in Milano since 1911 and has always been able to bridge the gap between its past and its future. Our legacy and our iconic Valstarino give us the freedom of going further ahead and experiment with new models and the new materials.

You work with some of the most wonderful materials and your combinations of materials and colors seem very well thought out. Tell us about your sourcing and production process?

Our work is not science, but it is an art. It is a work of balance and experience. Our production is 100% Made in Italy, we source just the best raw materials, and we craft every single jacket by hand close to Firenze and Venezia. It takes a whole day of work to create one single jacket.

The fashion industry has become less prone to working with traditional models in recent years due to the pandemic. This gave brands who have been flexible and creative, an opportunity to refresh themselves in terms of stores, showrooms and their overall presentation. How much of an advantage has that been for you?

We are – and we have always been a product driven brand. For us creativity, flexibility and research are part of our DNA. We are totally focused in producing jackets that are exclusive, extremely versatile and timeless. We make jackets that get even better with age and use. In the last years we have been able to steadily grow in a healthy way, even through the pandemic.

Finally, what’s your personal philosophy on sustainability through design?

I strongly believe in the Circular Economy in order not to waste anything. We almost use just natural materials that can easily go back to natural once not used anymore. We want to preserve our planet for the future generations and we want to educate and transmit to the younger generations of customers the green values that characterises Valstar brand and its production process.