Mantero, the historic Como-based textile company, encapsulates its 122-year legacy in its archive. Preserving the company’s history means safeguarding its knowledge, secrets, expertise, and, in a sense, the legacy of the individuals who contributed to its creativity and growth. This is more than a meticulously cataloged collection—it is a living resource filled with pieces of textile history.
Nestled between the department for traditional printing and the inkjet printing and finishing area, the Mantero Archive serves as a bridge between past and future, inspiring upcoming collections. Within its walls, the hum of production resonates—a tangible reminder of the company’s vitality. Stepping through the black door reveals a unique and exclusive treasure trove: books, volumes, collections, proof sheets, drawings, fabric prints, accessories, photographs, slides, original kimonos, antique printing tools, and countless other creative materials spread across its 41 collections.
“The Archive is the beating heart of our company, the starting point for our collections, and an inexhaustible source of inspiration for our clients,” says Franco Mantero, President of Mantero Seta. “This space is where the fast-paced rhythm of fashion meets a deeper reflection on the origins of the materials selected for each new season. Beyond stimulating creativity, it guides a cultural journey that requires time and dedication to fully appreciate and enhance. Mantero is a modern factory of beauty, and the Archive is the catalyst for our future—a guardian of our identity, an incubator for collaborations, and a hub for new opportunities. Through it, we steer the company toward ever more innovative and prosperous horizons.”
Among the richest textile archives in the world, Mantero’s archive has accompanied the company throughout its expansion. From the historic headquarters on Via Volta in central Como, it has grown into a purpose-built 2,500-square-meter space at the Grandate production facility. This archive has hosted some of the greatest fashion designers, reassured creatives seeking inspiration, captivated visitors, and fueled innovation in international fashion. It remains a cornerstone of the company’s expertise and core business: designing, weaving, and printing fabrics and accessories for the fashion and luxury sectors.
In textile language, a Variazione represents the ability to identify the essence of a design and apply a modification—an evolution that keeps it recognizable yet brings it into the present context. This process maintains contemporary relevance while defining a new language between tradition and innovation, creating something unexpected: the credibility of the past combined with a vision of the future.
Mantero’s Variazione project selects a contemporary artist each year to interpret one of the archive’s collections. These interpretations are documented in the Vademecum, a guide to navigating the archive’s rich content and materials. The result is a hyper-contemporary creation that experiments with diverse artistic languages and practices.
“Unlike the daily reworking of inspirations by the Archive Atelier, this initiative transforms the Archive into a communication project, not a commission. The outcome transcends fabric design, presenting a narrative-driven vision of evolution. The rule is ‘experiment to amaze,’ combining extremes in an explosive cocktail of ideas, instincts, and aesthetics. It pairs technical and technological advancements with a profound appreciation for beauty, producing results that are unique, unrepeatable, and ever-new.” — Laura Fedriga, Creative Director of Atelier and Archive.
For Variazione 00, the beta version of the Archivio Mantero project, Italian designer Giorgio Di Salvo reinterprets the Avantgard collection. Founder of United Standard, a brand combining streetwear elements with functional design and strong visual identity, Di Salvo is known for his attention to detail and use of technical materials.
The Avantgard collection, created by the groundbreaking Como-based textile studio founded by Fabrizio Navarra in 1975, includes 270,000 digital files, 32,000 printed fabric samples, and 3,000 hand-drawn designs. Navarra’s innovative use of early digital technologies to deconstruct and reassemble designs as prototypes revolutionized graphic textile production.
Inspired by this legacy, Di Salvo categorized the Avantgard collection into three themes—Allover, Collages, and Small Drawings—and created three original artworks: MONOCHROME METAL PATTERN, DISASSEMBLED VEHICLES COMBINATION, and SUPERHERO VECTOR MASK. These designs transcend traditional fashion applications, finding new life in unexpected formats.
Variazione 00 manifests as three kites—not mere playthings, but intricate creations that connect the ancient art of kite-making with contemporary design.
“I wanted this project to go beyond graphic design, landing on a product that aligns with the company’s philosophy while bearing my stylistic signature. The kite is not typically associated with fashion but has a technical essence. Historically crafted with silk sails and bamboo frames, today’s kites use carbon fiber—but we’ve returned to silk for the textile components, decorating them with modern prints derived from Avantgard designs. This approach bridges past and present in a truly innovative way.” — Giorgio Di Salvo.
Variazione 00 reimagines textile design as a soaring artistic endeavor, blending Mantero’s heritage with visionary creativity to craft pieces that are as timeless as they are unique.
