Italian Knitwear- The perfect combination Of both history & technology.
Italian knitwear represents a rare combination of tradition, up to the minute technology, hand craftsmanship, and an uncompromising approach to quality. At Marc Allen, that tradition is represented through two exceptional names: Fioroni and Colombo, Italian houses whose approach to luxury begins with the fiber itself and continues through every stage of production. Their knitwear is distinguished not simply by softness or appearance, but by the expertise, precision, and heritage embedded in every garment. Both collections are available exclusively at Marc Allen, bringing an extraordinary level of Italian knitwear craftsmanship to our clients.
Fioroni traces its origins to 1978, when a small artisan workshop specializing in cashmere was established on the shores of Lake Trasimeno in Umbria. What began with a single sewing machine and one artisan has evolved into a renowned name in luxury cashmere, while retaining its connection to the region and its traditional craftsmanship. Fioroni continues to emphasize exceptional natural fibers and production carried out entirely in-house, with hand-finishing and meticulous attention to construction. The result is knitwear with a distinctive softness, substance, and depth that reflects more than four decades of Italian expertise.
One of Fioroni's defining innovations is its Cashmere Duvet, an exceptional construction developed through a specialized knitting and finishing process. The knit is made significantly more compact by incorporating more yarn into the garment, then subjected to an intensive washing process using the mineral-rich waters of Lake Trasimeno. According to Fioroni, this combination allows the cashmere fibers to fully expand, creating an unusually soft hand and a finish designed to virtually eliminate pilling. It is a remarkable expression of how Fioroni combines local tradition, technical knowledge, and the inherent luxury of pure cashmere.
Colombo, formally Lanificio Luigi Colombo, brings a different but equally distinguished history to Italian luxury. Founded in Borgosesia in 1967, the company grew from its founder Luigi Colombo's pioneering work with noble fibers and double-face cashmere into a specialist in some of the world's most precious natural materials. Over the decades, Colombo has continued to combine traditional textile knowledge with research and technological innovation, becoming internationally recognized for cashmere and other noble fibers. This heritage remains central to the character of the brand: exceptional raw materials transformed through highly refined Italian manufacturing.
Lanificio Colombo, Luigi, the founder of the weaving mill, an artist and a dreamer, possessing great kindness and energy, invented the famous double face cashmere, the favourite fabric among the most renowned couturiers. He planted the seed that continues to grow and flourish today. It is the same factory that continues to imbue every stage of production and young employees with enthusiasm that is supported by the expertise they acquire in the course of their daily work. This culture of innovation and enthusiasm for our beautiful product is carried out in the comfort of large, well-lit, eco-compatible spaces which are continuously renovated. Roberto Colombo comments: “We immediately realized that it was necessary to invest more in order to grow and we never stopped doing this”. This is the secret behind the extraordinary fabrics that have made the weaving mill justifiably famous, where the most technologically advanced machines achieve antique jobs much in vogue.
Among Colombo's most remarkable developments is Cashmere 4.0, introduced in 2020. The innovation begins by transforming the precious cashmere fiber into a hollow-core yarn, producing a fabric that is exceptionally light while retaining comfort, resilience, and an elegant drape. Colombo describes the result as a new generation of cashmere—light and airy, naturally resistant to creasing, and designed for modern wear. Cashmere 4.0 demonstrates the house's ability to take one of the world's oldest luxury fibers and rethink it through contemporary textile engineering. In addition to their 4.0 cashmere their ultra fine 12.8 micron kid wool is the next finest fabric on earth, second only to vicuna. Its softness is matched by its ani-microbial qualities. A truly unique and useful fiber.
Together, Fioroni and Colombo represent two distinctive expressions of Italian luxury knitwear: Fioroni through its artisanal Umbrian heritage and extraordinary Cashmere Duvet, and Colombo through its decades of textile innovation and pioneering Cashmere 4.0. At Marc Allen, these exceptional collections are available exclusively to our clients, offering knitwear that goes well beyond seasonal fashion. Each piece reflects the Italian philosophy that true luxury is found in the quality of the fiber, the mastery of the maker, and the attention devoted to every stage of creation.
