'The Key is to Propose Nice Things': Fabric Vendor on American and Italian Style

Tessitura Attilio Bottinelli is one of the most historic fabric mills in Italy, founded in 1931. For the past few years, we’ve been working with them to bring high-quality fabrics, designs, and textures to our line of neckties.

Frederico Brenna had worked with the Como-based mill for over 10 years and regularly comes to our Chicago office to develop our next collection with our merchandising team.

We sat down with Frederico to discuss his own sense of style and the inspiration behind our new Made in Italy Collection.

Conversation with Frederico

The Tie Bar: Who you are and what you do?

Frederico Brenna: I am Federico, and I work for Tessitura Bottinelli, which is an Italian mill. We are a weavers and printing mill and we produce fabric since 1931. I’ve been working there since the last 10 years.

What I’m doing is kind of a mix of sales and research — traveling and seeing stuff. I’ve been working all around the world for the past year, basically the main European markets and the U.S. market.

We produce everything — all the product that you can see, all the fabrics, all the qualities are studied and developed internally in our mill.

The final collection, for instance — what you see today — is the results of months and months and months of studying, because each time we try to propose something, aside from the classical collection and the basic style, we try to propose something new and seasonal.

Everything that you see is completely made in Italy. Made by us, internally, in our mills. We have 20 looms that go each day and produce all the fabrics that you see.

TTB: How did you get into this position in the first place? Did you study fashion?

FB: I studied languages in Italy. I had no precise idea of what to do. It’s something that is always useful. I started with an internship over at my mill, 10 years ago, and basically after one year, I started with the sales and I was kinda good, I presume, and they promoted me to go on.

It’s something that I learned and developed, especially the fabrics, the quality, the different processes.

TTB: When you come to America, do you notice a difference in the style compared to Italy?

FB: Of course. And not just in America. It’s like that in each country. Each market is its own. In the U.S., we would otherwise say it’s like our product, because there is a trend to follow Italian colors, and Italian palette. In our culture, there is thing to create color combination and good style, which is a lot appreciated in the U.S.

But in general, each country — to make you an example — the U.K. is a one-hour flight from my place, and they have a completely other way to approach the colors and the collection.

The difficult part of our job is to create a collection and a lineup that allows me to go to the customer and say, “Look, this is the initial proposal. Maybe in the line you can find something that is good for you or something that is totally different for you but maybe you like the design and we just have to change the colors.”

The key is to propose nice things. Maybe I don’t have exactly the right things that you’re looking for but maybe the quality is good, the combination of colors is good.

TTB: How do you incorporate ties into your own wardrobe on a daily basis?

FB: I think a lot of this is a generational thing. Let’s say, for instance, I think that if I look at my father — he has ties that, for us, you’d never wear something like this. I think that during the years, it just changes — the taste.

The owner of my mill is 80 years old. Of course, each day he’s at the mill with a tie,

I’m 32. For me, I always search for something that matches with the jacket. I’m not a lot into medallions or paisleys. It depends on the occasion. If I have to go to a wedding, then yes.

I prefer it like mine. Maybe plain ties, different kinds of qualities. Something that is tonal, with color on color. Something that is a little bit more special.

Our New Collection

The Tie Bar’s merchandise team works with Frederico months in advance of a new collection. Our new Spring 2026 Collection is “kind of the result of thousands of combinations,” Frederico said.

According to Frederico, the thirteen new ties in our new collection follow a “very Italian” color palette. He said Italians always try to be very neutral, so our selection features sage greens, muted oranges, and soft blues to create a soft harmony.

Our new Sorrento Stripe ties — in Sage Green and Classic Blue — are Tessitura Bottinelli’s “classic Repp stripe,” and provide a traditional look with everyday versatility.

Our Affinato Herringbone and Como Solid ties are handmade with Silk Shantung — a “slubby,” lightweight weave of silk.

“It’s exactly the same yarn,” Frederico said. “The difference is that this is recycled yarn. Basically, when you weave the fabrics on the loom, there is always some part of the yarn that is wasted. And then what we do is take the wasted yarn and twist the waste of the silk yarn and they create this kind of silk.”

Also new to our assortment are our Ferraro Floral and Acero Geo neckties, which feature a repeated, hand-stitched geometric motif. The Acero Geo can also be found on printed silk pocket squares.

Explore the full collection of accessories with rich texture, refined patterns, and timeless colors.

MADE IN ITALY COLLECTION