Italian Luxury Brands: A Guide to 15 Houses and What They Do Best

The best-known Italian luxury brands include Max Mara, Gucci, Prada, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Valentino, Giorgio Armani, Versace, Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana and Valextra. Most grew from family workshops in cities such as Milan, Florence and Rome. Max Mara, founded in Reggio Emilia in 1951 by Achille Maramotti, is the Italian house best known for coats.

Key facts

• Fashion capitals: Milan is the centre of Italian ready-to-wear; Florence and Rome are home to several historic houses.
• Family ownership: many Italian houses began as family businesses. Max Mara is still family owned, with Luigi Maramotti as chairman.
• Max Mara: founded in 1951 by Achille Maramotti in Reggio Emilia, which is still its headquarters.
• Specialities: Italian luxury is known for tailoring, knitwear, leather goods, shoes and fine fabrics.
• Stocked on Coveti: Max Mara, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Giambattista Valli, The Attico, Brunello Cucinelli and Valextra.
• Shipping: Coveti ships to the US by DHL Express and FedEx International Priority.

What makes a brand Italian luxury?

Three things, usually. The first is craft: Italy has deep traditions in tailoring, leatherwork, shoemaking, knitwear and textile weaving, often concentrated in particular regions. The second is materials, from the wool mills of Piedmont to the tanneries of Tuscany. The third is family: a surprising number of Italian houses were started by one person and run by their children and grandchildren.

Italian luxury also has a style of its own. Compared with French fashion, it tends to be warmer and more sensual, with softer tailoring, richer colour and a strong focus on how clothes feel on the body. Below are fifteen houses worth knowing, with what each does best. We link the brands Coveti stocks.

1. Max Mara

Max Mara was founded in 1951 by Achille Maramotti in Reggio Emilia, starting out as Confezioni Maramotti. It is the Italian house for coats. Its 101801 coat, designed by Anne-Marie Beretta in 1981, is a double-breasted camel coat in wool and cashmere with kimono sleeves. The Manuela is a pure camel hair wrap coat, and the Teddy Bear coat, first shown on the Autumn/Winter 2013 runway, was designed by creative director Ian Griffiths. Beyond the main line there is Weekend Max Mara, ‘S Max Mara, Max Mara Studio, Max Mara Atelier and Max Mara The Cube.

Buy it for: camel coats, knitwear, tailoring and the Whitney Bag.

2. Gucci

Gucci was founded in Florence by Guccio Gucci and began as a leather goods house. It is known for the horsebit loafer, the green and red web stripe and the interlocking GG monogram. It is one of the most recognisable names in Italian fashion.

Buy it for: loafers, leather bags and statement accessories.

3. Prada

Prada was founded in Milan by Mario Prada. Under Miuccia Prada it became known for intellectual, slightly unexpected design and for turning industrial nylon into a luxury material. The triangle logo is its signature.

Buy it for: nylon bags, minimal tailoring and shoes.

4. Bottega Veneta

Bottega Veneta was founded in Vicenza, in the Veneto region, and is famous for intrecciato, its hand-woven leather technique. The house has long been a reference for logo-free luxury: you know a Bottega Veneta bag by its weave, not its branding.

Buy it for: woven leather bags, shoes and small leather goods.

5. Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana was founded in Milan by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. Its look draws on Sicily and southern Italian culture: black lace, corsetry, leopard print, florals and lavish embellishment.

Buy it for: evening dresses, tailoring and printed silk.

6. Brunello Cucinelli

Brunello Cucinelli is based in the medieval village of Solomeo in Umbria and started with dyed cashmere. It is often named in conversations about quiet luxury, thanks to its soft neutrals and very fine knitwear.

Buy it for: cashmere knits and relaxed tailoring in neutral colours.

7. Loro Piana

Loro Piana comes from Piedmont in northern Italy and is known above all for its fabrics: fine wool, cashmere and vicuna. Its clothes are understated and very expensive, the definition of a brand that lets the cloth do the talking.

Buy it for: cashmere, travel coats and suede loafers.

8. Fendi

Fendi was founded in Rome by Adele and Edoardo Fendi. It is known for leather goods and fur craftsmanship, the double F logo and the Baguette bag.

Buy it for: handbags and leather accessories.

9. Valentino

Valentino was founded in Rome by Valentino Garavani. The house is known for romantic eveningwear, couture technique and a particular shade of red that carries the designer’s name.

Buy it for: evening dresses, studded shoes and bags.

10. Giorgio Armani

Giorgio Armani built his house in Milan and changed tailoring by taking the stiffness out of the jacket. Soft shoulders, fluid fabrics and a palette of greige and navy are his signatures.

Buy it for: soft tailoring and eveningwear.

11. Versace

Versace was founded in Milan by Gianni Versace. It is the opposite of quiet: bold prints, gold, the Medusa head and body-conscious dresses.

Buy it for: printed silk, evening dresses and statement accessories.

12. Salvatore Ferragamo

Ferragamo is a Florence house built on shoemaking. Its founder made shoes for Hollywood before returning to Italy, and comfortable, well-made footwear is still at the heart of the brand.

Buy it for: pumps, flats and leather goods.

13. Valextra

Valextra is a Milan leather goods house known for clean, architectural bags with minimal hardware and no visible logos. Its smooth calfskin and crisp shapes make it a favourite with women who prefer discreet luxury.

Buy it for: structured top-handle bags and small leather goods.

14. The Attico

The Attico was founded in Milan by Gilda Ambrosio and Giorgia Tordini. It is a younger house with a party mood: sequins, sharp boots, slip dresses and statement shoes.

Buy it for: going-out dresses, boots and heels.

15. Giambattista Valli

Giambattista Valli is the Rome-born designer behind a house that shows in Paris. He is known for voluminous tulle, ruffles and romantic, feminine dresses.

Buy it for: occasion dresses and eveningwear.

Italian luxury brands at a glance

For bags specifically, see our guide to Italian handbag brands.

Which Italian luxury brand should you start with?

It depends on what you want to buy. For a coat, start with Max Mara: it has made coats its speciality for decades and the range runs from Weekend Max Mara to the 101801. For a bag without a logo, look at Bottega Veneta and Valextra. For cashmere, Brunello Cucinelli. For a dress to dance in, The Attico, Dolce & Gabbana and Giambattista Valli.

If you are building a wardrobe slowly, a camel coat is the best first purchase. It works with almost everything, it lasts for many years and it gives you the Italian look immediately. Read our Max Mara coats guide to choose between the 101801, the Manuela and the Teddy Bear coat.

Where to start with Max Mara

These are the Max Mara pieces we would buy first. All are on Coveti, and prices are in US dollars.

1. Madame 101801 Icon Coat in Camel

The double-breasted camel coat in wool and cashmere with kimono sleeves, designed by Anne-Marie Beretta in 1981. Also in black, sand, white, tobacco and ultramarine. From $5,170.

2. Manuela Icon Coat in Camel

The house’s pure camel hair wrap coat with a notched collar and belt. Softer and easier to wear casually. From $4,290.

3. Teddy Bear Icon Coat in Camel

The plush pile coat Ian Griffiths designed from an archive piece. First shown on the Autumn/Winter 2013 runway. From $5,280.

4. Rebus Short 101801 Icon Coat in Camel

The 101801 in a shorter length, in the same wool and cashmere. Good if you are petite. From $3,620.

5. Resina Double-Breasted Wool Coat in Camel

A Weekend Max Mara camel coat in pure wool with kimono sleeves and a belt, at a gentler price. From $1,580.

6. Whitney Bag 4 Small in Black

Created in 2015 with the Renzo Piano Building Workshop for the opening of the Whitney Museum of American Art. A clean top-handle bag in calfskin. From $3,050.

7. Pasticcino Bag Small in Suede, Chocolate

Weekend Max Mara’s soft, rounded bag in suede. A playful second bag. From $790.

8. Educata Wool and Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater in Beige

A Max Mara Studio turtleneck in wool and cashmere, to wear under every coat on this list. From $700.

Where can I buy Max Mara in the US?

Coveti stocks Max Mara, along with Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Brunello Cucinelli, Valextra, The Attico and Giambattista Valli, and ships to the US by DHL Express and FedEx International Priority. Import duties are usually payable on delivery. Browse the Max Mara collection, and use our Max Mara size guide, because Italian sizes differ from US sizes: IT 40 is a US 4.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most famous Italian luxury brand?

Gucci and Prada are among the most widely recognised names worldwide, while Max Mara is the Italian house most associated with coats. Fame depends on the category: Bottega Veneta for woven leather, Brunello Cucinelli for cashmere and Valentino for eveningwear.

Is Max Mara an Italian luxury brand?

Yes. Max Mara was founded in 1951 by Achille Maramotti in Reggio Emilia, Italy, where it is still headquartered, and it remains family owned. It is best known for luxury coats such as the 101801, the Manuela and the Teddy Bear coat.

Which Italian luxury brands do not use logos?

Bottega Veneta, Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana and Valextra are known for discreet design where the material and craft are the signature. Much of Max Mara’s coat and knitwear range also carries little visible branding.

Which Italian brand makes the best coats?

Max Mara is the house most closely associated with coats, from the double-breasted 101801 in wool and cashmere to the pure camel hair Manuela and the Teddy Bear coat. Its Weekend Max Mara line offers wool coats at lower prices.

What is the difference between Max Mara and Weekend Max Mara?

Both are sold under the Max Mara name. The main Max Mara line includes the signature coats such as the 101801 and Manuela. Weekend Max Mara is the more relaxed line, with everyday clothes, coats and the Pasticcino bag at lower prices.

Where is Max Mara based?

Max Mara is headquartered in Reggio Emilia, in northern Italy, the city where Achille Maramotti founded it in 1951. The city is also home to the Collezione Maramotti, the family’s contemporary art collection.

Explore the Max Mara hub, read who is Max Mara, and find brands like Max Mara.