All in the Family With Ottocento
Passion—and more specifically a passion for denim—has been the driving force behind the success stories of brothers Marco and Alberto Ottocento. Whether working together or apart, the dynamic duo has always shared a great love for blue, and their careers have reflected that admiration. Extending to the next generation of the Ottocento family is Cecilia, Marco’s daughter, who is also following in the footsteps of her dad and uncle.
Marco began working with fabrics in 1985, when denim in Italy reigned supreme. In 1999, Alberto joined him at La Panamà, an Italian fabric company that specialized in ready-to-dye, where Marco was founder/general manager and Alberto worked as a sales manager.
Today, though their careers have taken them in different directions—Marco does sales and marketing for the Italian market for Diamond Fabrics and Diamond Denim, Sapphire companies, and Alberto is general manager at Destro Fabrics, which provides top-of-the-line Italian fabrics for denim and sportswear apparels—their lives and career are and always will be chiseled in blue.
Carved in Blue caught up with the Ottocento brothers and Cecilia over an amazing lunch in Italy to talk about their different approaches to the denim world, the benefits of treating the textile business like a family affair and the reason denim is looking to the web for future customization influences.
Carved in Blue: What was your first impression of the denim business when you started?
Marco: I started working in this world in 1985, when denim in Italy was at its maximum splendor. It was a dynamic, inspired and creative world, which brought us to translate its language in other textile expressions. First of all, in the ready-to-dye field, of we have been great leaders.
Alberto: I started working in textiles in 2000, followed my brother in this adventure. The reality was totally different. Denim was in turmoil in Italy. But it was changing into a new product looking for a new identity and a higher quality.
Carved in Blue: Did you always want to go into the denim business?
Marco: I never thought about working in textiles when I was younger. But I took the one opportunity that let me fall in love with the world, because of its ability to evolve and change every six months.
Alberto: I’ve always been fascinated by this world, which I have always faced with passion for the product and its ability to continuously renew itself.
Carved in Blue: What is it like working with your family?
Alberto: We worked together for just a few years in different roles. But even when our paths have split, the family has always been an opportunity to compare our experiences. We always have a different approach to textiles and to work in general, but this make us stronger and a perfect duo.
Carved in Blue: Do you want your children to follow in your footsteps?
Marco: For me this is an easy question. Two years ago, because of the necessity to improve my business with garments, I asked [my daughter] Cecilia to help me in this growth.
Alberto: I would like my children to live the job with the same passion with which I lived it. And if this will be in textiles, I’ll wait for them.
Carved in Blue: When did you realize you were a blueblood?
Alberto & Marco: Our blood is multicolor.
Alberto: For sure blue is a predominant color. Also, in Destro Fabrics, collection made with my partner Andrea Facchin, we always follow a blue yarn.
Marco: I always liked blue, but I didn’t know why. One day I was in Albi, France, and I saw a small shop full of just blue products. Entering it I discover the woad, which in France is called pastel. It immediately fascinated me. When I returned home, I began to rebuild its story.
In 1500, the woad was called gold blue. Now it’s people’s favorite color. For a few years, through the nonprofit brand Valemour, which deals with disabilities, I followed, in collaboration with Verona University, a study project of production and utilization of blue of woad, extracted from dyeing plants in textile and in craft activities.
Carved in Blue: What advice would you give to a family member looking to join the denim industry?
Alberto: Make everything with passion.
Marco: Take suggestion from the past, but think with your mind. I learned to never stop believing in what you are doing, and always find the power to reinvent your work to make your passion bigger and bigger.
Carved in Blue: What do you think the future of the denim industry will look like?
Alberto: In this moment the denim industry is thinking to product industrialization and to go to the web. The future for me will be to create escape spaces from the web and enhance the craftsmanship.
Marco: I agree with Alberto. The web network will have to be helpful to craftsmanship, giving space to customization and making textile as an art again.
Carved in Blue: What does Carved in Blue mean for you?
Alberto: My life carved me in different colors, but always with a blue chisel.
Marco: It’s a passion. It’s the opportunity to see in blue without disdaining other colors.