Berluti has reached the point where it no longer needs to reinvent the wheel, in this case itself, as seen in the Berluti SS26 presentation. Instead, the house presents a reframing of its fluency in history and modernity, as well as craft and concept.
The champ-contrechamp technique, which orchestrates the Berluti SS26 presentation, is borrowed from film, where dialogue is captured on both parties, perspectives switched back and forth to create a fuller, deeper understanding. With that idea in mind, a series of rooms is intentionally designed and furnished to create a considered distinction between tradition and innovation, material and idea, form and function.
Set within the historical walls of the Simone & Cino Del Duca Foundation in Paris’s 8th arrondissement, the journey to discover Berluti’s savoir-faire begins at the core of the house, footwear. As such, the Grand Salon room immediately establishes Berluti’s authority in the domain. A monumental foot sculpture serves as both a symbol of legacy and a deep understanding that comfort and elegance are not mutually exclusive but inextricable when executed with precision, as seen in Berluti’s custom lasts.
Wandering next to The Cordovan Room transports you into an atelier within the Ferrera Manifattura, where Berluti’s reverence for leather is both a medium and a message. While most would view Cordovan, Venezia, suede, and full-grain calfskin as individual materials, Berluti’s artisans depict them as dialects, with their ability to convey different nuances of the message and, in this case, functionality through form.
The calligraphic Scritto housed fittingly and poetically in a library setting is the next most important pillar to Berluti. Widely popularised and recognised as the house’s signature, the Scritto is inspired by an 18th-century notarised deed. However, its etching process is nowhere old as advanced laser systems allow for surgical precision when branding Berluti’s bags, shoes, and outerwear with the Scritto.
These lead rooms are supported by complementary acts in the Salon Vigny room, as functionally led leather goods seamlessly blend with timeless aesthetics. The compact Jour de Poche frees the hands and mind with essentials stashed away, while the Jour de Poche is a perfect hybrid of a Japanese inro and an overnight bag. Inside the Salon Orange, a few feet away, is the manifestation of a concept — an ultra comfortable and lightweight shoe. The resulting Shadow combines engineered fibres and components with a classical mindset.
Upstairs, Berluti’s head-to-toe vision comes to life in lush textiles and relaxed silhouettes. While the views of Parc Monceau beckons to distract, the holistic styling proves that you do not have to scream to be seen. Notably, the Forestière jacket returns in new seasonal creations — midnight blue or aloe-finished lilac linen or lime-green serge wool.
With Berluti SS26, Berluti sharpens the focus by framing its legacy through new angles, intimate vignettes and refinement. Every room, every detail, is a reminder that excellence does not need to be declared but revealed quietly to those who know how to look.
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