An antique form of decoration which had its heyday in the Royal Courts of Europe.
A mark of luxury, passementerie expressed its heritage in line with the trends, by always transferring to each single clothing item or room to which it is applied the symbolic value which brings with it: distinction, privilege, boldness.
Thanks to its features, today, passementerie can be held as an art, i.e. the ability to offer products that take a visionary place in the present. And the Massia family is well aware of this;
Antique recipes passed down through 6 generations, which make possible the creation, but also the restoration, of one-of-a-kind accessories.
A TRADITION HANDED DOWN
FROM ONE GENERATION TO ANOTHER
– VITTORIO E MASSIMILIANO MASSIA –
OUR SIGNATURE, IN VIOLET.
A certain tradition followed by weavers requires that everybody has his own signature. High standing fabrics display, on their long side, the information on their origin; a warping note of distinction.
Somebody uses his own name, somebody has distinctive colours or any sign which makes that patch of fabric recognizable. Thus, also Massia passementerie has a distinctive sign, which can be found on any passamenterie item, hidden but present….the violet thread.
The choice of violet dates back to the end of the nineteenth century.
Family story goes that Vittorio was in love with Antonietta and treated her like a princess, but, because he could not give her little crowns, fans, shawls and umbrellas embellished with amethyst, because that was a royal colour and only a member of the court had the privilege to use it, in spring, he always went on the shores of river Po, and picked many fresh violets for his beloved in the undergrowth of the hill. She kept them for the whole year and sometimes turned them into delicate bonbons.
STORE
VIA BARBAROUX 20, 10122 TURIN (TO)
The palace of Earls Giriodi di Pannissera where Silvio Pellico wrote “Le mie prigioni” after returning from the Spielberg prison, hosts the historical headquarters of Antica Fabbrica Passamanerie Massia Vittorio. The store is in Turin, via Barbaroux 20, in the hearth of the old city, and, with its solid rosewood furniture with brass finish, it represents one of the few examples of period craft shop which is, for this reason, protected by Sovrintendenza dei Beni Culturali (Superintendency for Cultural Heritage). Today, it is part of cultural tours and it is the location for TV and Movie shootings; its shelves hold a number of passementerie items and which have been produced during three centuries.