Mill focus: Barberis
Three centuries, 13 generations and always-exceptional cloth.
A CLOSE LOOK AT BARBERIS, ONE OF THE EXCEPTIONAL MILLS WE WORK WITH IN BIELLA, ITALY
• WORDS: C. STEWART
Founded in 1663, Vitale Barberis Canonico is a family-run Italian mill that’s world-renowned for its pure wool cloths. Based in the Italian province of Biella, thirteen generations of the Barberis Canonico family have washed, spun, dyed and hand-finished the world’s best raw materials into its much-celebrated fabrics.
With over three centuries honing its technical ability, Barberis reinterprets its vast archive of fabrics with subtle adjustments in weight, handle and design to match modern trends and tastes – and, as a result, has the world’s leading menswear designers lining up to use its signature cloths in their collections.
Its most famous output is its flannel wool cloth. Robust and insulating, flannel has natural drape and warmth as well as a wonderfully soft brushed finish. In Barberis’ hands, it’s made from super 120s wool and complemented in suiting with a softer shoulder construction typical of more laidback Italian style.
The mill is also revered for its fabric blends, such as wool, silk and linen blend in our tailored fit blue check suit. The addition of linen makes for a lighter, breathable fabric, while silk adds a smooth handfeel and a soft lustre. Cut on our tailored block, the result is a quietly elegant suit that’ll elevate your event options.
Every Moss suit crafted from Barberis fabric comes in traditional half-canvas construction across the chest and lapel, enhancing the cloth’s drape and allowing it to mould to your frame over time. Waistcoats also nod to heritage style with elegant lapels that look refined layered under a suit jacket.
Aside from the beautiful cloth, we’ve also added finely crafted finishings – Italian style might be intended to look effortless, but closer inspection reveals precise care in the details.