The last couple days have been beautiful, sunny yet cool. Today was not so much. A cold wind and rain greeted us as we left the hotel for our first company visit at Mantero. After a bus ride just short of an hour, we were greeted by our tour guide who introduced us to the company’s position in the fashion and luxury supply chain.
As a designer and manufacturer of luxury textiles, Mantero works with fashion artists to develop the patterns and colors of the future. We explored the site, which consisted of every step that Mantero takes in the design process. We first walked through the area where Mantero designers do the majority of their work. Following that we walked through a door from the chic modern office to the active printing factory.
We were able to observe every step of machine based and screen based printing. Afterwards we were able to see the Mantero archive! In this archive Mantero collects all designs since it’s initial conception in 1902. The designers use this archive as inspiration for new patterns or resurrection of old patterns.
After the tour, and a quick stop at the company store, we boarded the bus on our way to Lake Como.
Upon arrival into Como, we were given a short amount of time to visit the local cathedral. While I could have spent hours in this magnificent building, I quickly took pictures and we met back in the square for a group lunch.
After lunch we took a quick walking tour around Como, ending in a boat tour of the lake. The location was beautiful and, despite the rainy weather, we all took photos and had an excellent tour!
After a brief chance to warm up in the local Como McDonald’s, we all boarded the bus to return to Milan for the evening. Looking forward to Starbucks site visit tomorrow!
Buonasera!