Berluti: Craftsmanship as the Foundation of Luxury Menswear
Parijs, donderdag, 26 juni 2025.
Berluti reaffirms its unique position in luxury menswear by focusing on its core competency: shoes. Under the leadership of CEO Jean-Marc Mansvelt, the brand shows its distinctive strategy by being the only luxury brand combining specialised shoe and tailoring departments. The latest collection emphasises this with innovative models like the lightweight Shadow sneaker, the Alessandro 1895 shoe, and the Far Niente slip-on. Berluti’s focus is not on quantity, but on refining iconic products, with each shoe viewed as the foundation of their brand identity. With a heritage dating back to 1895 and a production location in Italy, Berluti demonstrates how craftsmanship and heritage can be central to modern luxury fashion.
Strategic Focus on Craftsmanship
Berluti confirms its unique position in luxury menswear by fully concentrating on its core competency: shoes. The brand distinguishes itself as the only luxury brand with specialised departments for both shoes and tailoring [1][2]. CEO Jean-Marc Mansvelt emphasises the strategic choice to ‘do less, but cultivate what is most important season after season’ [3].
Innovative Collection 2026
The Spring/Summer 2026 collection showcases Berluti’s innovative approach with new shoe models. The Shadow sneaker was renewed with four new knitted uppers, including cashmere and linen, each designed for different functionalities [4]. Other notable models include the Far Niente, a light suede slipper with Gommino soles, and the Alessandro 1895, an oxford shoe made from a single piece of leather [3].
Heritage and Production
With a heritage dating back to 1895, Berluti produces all its shoes in its own factory in Ferrara, Italy, where 400 people are employed [2]. The brand has 65 owned boutique stores and 10 franchised stores, with clients including Bergdorf Goodman [2]. Jean-Marc Mansvelt emphasises that ‘the shoe is the foundation of the house’ [1].