Venice immersed in the fog of a November morning, streets almost deserted of tourists and fields invaded by the chattering of seagulls, masters of a still sleeping city. In Santa Croce silence runs far and wide to bring out the ancient and poignant, immortal and mysterious charm of this city. After crossing a small bridge you arrive in a small square where you can read a plaque "Luigi Bevilacqua weaving“. A building overlooking the Grand Canal but with an entrance in Campiello della Comare which may be rather hidden to an inquisitive eye, but it is precisely here that the headquarters of a very important Venetian weaving mill founded by the Bevilacqua family back in 1499 is located. To introduce us to this fantastic world is Alberto Bevilacqua (CEO) who welcomes us graciously and who we could define as a true Venetian gentleman. In the entrance corridor, small frames display some of the works carried out to furnish important rooms or entire famous buildings, such as the tapestries of the Stockholm City Hall, the fabrics for the Colonna Hall of the transatlantic Conte di Savoia, the curtains of the Apollonian rooms of La Fenice Theater or for the Goteborg Theater or the Fabergé Museum in St. Petersburg. However, this is not the place where weaving originated. The weaving mill was originally in Fondamenta San Lorenzo in the Castello district and then moved in 1892 to Palazzo Labia. In 1895 the company also changed its name from Bevilacqua Luigi & GB Gianoglio to Luigi Bevilacqua and again in 1902 to F.lli Bevilacqua. Today the factory sees some Bevilacqua heirs at the helm: Rodolfo, Alberto, Gianpaolo and Mario.
The early 900s were certainly of great interest for the development of weaving. Can you introduce us a little to these years and what were the important commissions?
Alberto Bevilacqua – The first half of the twentieth century was important for international events or rather EXPOs and being able to participate in them meant making yourself known beyond the Italian market. Especially Brussels in 1910, where we were given the gold medal. In 1928 it was Turin that rewarded weaving with a Grand Prix and finally Barcelona in 1929 awarded us the Diploma of Honour. And to think that many of the fabrics that we have used for many important commissions can still be reproduced today. In 1934 some velvets and brocades were also exhibited at the XIX Venice Art Biennale. While in the second half of the same century the White House in Washington also commissioned a yellow velvet with an ivory background called "White House". But they were years of ecclesiastical commissions, it was Cesare Bevilacqua who was appointed: Papal Supplier, a title that he would maintain throughout the papacy of Pius XXI, John XXIII up to Paul VI.
In the 90s we had a commission from Ann Getty and reproduced several damasks and brocatelles for the Venice Casino and the Gran Caffè Quadri in Piazza San Marco. Then in the first decade of 2000 we created a soprarizzo velvet for the Kremlin in Moscow and other creations for the Saudi Royal House and the Omani Royal House. And finally to remember, we supplied crimson handmade velvet for the Royal Palace in Dresden.
But were there also years of collaborations with important fashion houses?
Alberto Bevilacqua – Yes, again in the 50s there was a first collaboration with the designer Roberta di Camerino in producing velvets and in particular that for the bag Bagonghi which was worn by Grace Kelly in 1956 and by Catherine Deneuve more recently. We have created fabrics commissioned by various fashion houses, from Dior to Dolce Gabbana and others. Our fabrics, brocades, damasks, velvets and silks, are well suited to the world of fashion Couture, a sector, together with the furniture sector, where it is always important to experiment in particular creations in which the preciousness of the design and fabric can truly make the difference.
Can you now tell us about the most recent accessories line you have created, a project that complies with the fashion and luxury trends that the market requires?
Alberto Bevilacqua – A segment that interests us, also given the previous experience with Roberta di Camerino. Our fabrics, being very structured, lend themselves very well to the creation of objects of this type. At the moment we have our showroom here in the Grand Canal which also hosts a first "shop" space where you can find different interpretations, from simple key rings to belts and bags (like the Tote Bag) designed by stylists or designers in a more contemporary key, accessories suitable for today's woman who increasingly seeks to stand out.
Show-room and entrance from the Grand Canal
But what are the most requested or loved fabrics?
Alberto Bevilacqua – There is no fabric that is more loved than another, it depends on the commission and the period. Today, for example, there is a lot of demand for velvets with animal prints, especially from the United States, an evergreen in the world of fashion and furnishings that we are re-proposing today in a contemporary key. In the past, animal prints, a symbol of power, honor and wealth, were known as Zoote, which can be translated as spotted, an animal print. So much so that starting from the 700th century the first fabrics for the home were also requested and they also made their entry into the furnishing sector.
Now we enter the real forge, what I would define precious canvas factory, a world outside of time but at the same time magical, where works are produced by hand. Can you introduce us?
Alberto Bevilacqua – Production has been taking place here since the beginning of the century and everything has remained as it was then, eighteenth-century looms and ancient weaving methods. Consider that to produce velvet we start from the design and in our historical archive we have around 3.500 designs from the Middle Ages to Art Deco and beyond. We also have an archive of fabric samples and paper drawings, i.e. those drawings that contain the information useful for punching the cardboard cards that were used for the Jacquard machine.
How is your production organized today?
Alberto Bevilacqua – Our production is divided into manual weaving which is carried out in this location and mechanical weaving for larger quantities in order to satisfy orders that require different sizes, especially for furniture. Consider that the manual processing of our velvets, in particular the soprarizzo, the workmanship is very slow as each frame is a few tens of centimeters per day. While the mechanical one can satisfy greater requests and this allows us to also create productions for more structured and complex furnishings, as can be increasingly requested by interior designers.
Could it be a job to pass on to new generations and possibly how?
Alberto Bevilacqua - At the moment there are 7 people involved in production and one technician. It's not that easy to find people motivated to learn an ancient trade. Today, young people have other priorities, certainly not those of finding a craft job. We had a collaboration with a Venetian University on a specific project, but now we have not followed up. It would be interesting to raise young people's awareness of this profession, after all it would also lend itself to technological valorisation which could be more interesting for the new generations.
Metropole Suite Venice and Fabergé Museum in St. Petersburg
But with all this history of Venetianness, certainly appreciated abroad, but how are you seen by Venetians, or at least those who have not yet left the city?
Alberto Bevilacqua – If we produce in Venice, we are still able to be present in much of the world through distributors both in Italy and in various European countries, but also in Asia, North America, South Pacific and Africa. Speaking of Venice, it has always been a city without borders, a place where different cultures have intertwined and for this reason loved by everyone in the world. Therefore our weaving also thrives on recognition from many foreigners who come to visit us specifically to get to know us and who we welcome with great pleasure. The city, however, is no longer the same and suffers from mass tourism which has led almost everyone, even the Venetians, to no longer seek out or re-evaluate the ancient artisan traditions, including the preciously creative work of factories like ours. .
