Caterina Fabrizio leads Dedar fabric house into an authentic future

Nicola and Elda Fabrizio founded the fabled Italian fabric house Dedar 46 years ago in Milan when the city was establishing itself as the epicenter of fashion, art and design. A year before, Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani had also selected Milan to launch his namesake company.

The Fabrizios, who each came from families with fabric experience, started their artisan textile company with a team of 12. Dedar grew by producing contemporary textiles for curtains, upholstery and wall coverings, and by advancing the process, materials and patterns that influence world trends.

To be closer to textile production facilities, the company relocated about 30 miles north of Milan to the manufacturing districts near Como. Here, craftspeople and fabric specialists mix techniques by working with specialized mills and creating a network of experts.

Over time, the small, passion-driven, family-run enterprise has evolved into an international company, earning relationships with some of the world’s best designers and brands such as Hermès.

The Italian fabric house Dedar not only creates quality fabrics, but advances the process and designs that influence world trends.Damon Johnstun

Currently, there are 197 employees and the founders’ daughter Caterina Fabrizio is the CEO. She handles the business and marketing side while her brother, Raffaele Fabrizio, is the creative director.

“We discuss everything,” said Caterina Fabrizio. “Each of us has the latitude to do things we feel convinced about. We leave room for expression.”

When they see their fabrics in a tony Paris hotel or a high-end New York restaurant, she says they feel right at home and know it represents a piece of them. “It’s the fulfillment of high quality, innovation, creativity and sharing of a passionate love of curiosity, belonging and technical aspects,” explained Fabrizio.

“Because fabric is not a finished product, we sometimes find our fabrics are used in ways that are surprisingly different than what we imagined,” she said. “This is part of our dialog with the rest of the world.”

Every year, the company selects a location or architectural structure to inspire a new collection. “Some of the new fabrics fit in that place but some of them don’t,” she said. “There can be two personalities and they both give value.”

She added that a creative path leads to exploration and mistakes, and the mistakes are interesting.

“Clearly, we want to be authentic to ourselves. We were one of the first companies and the first in Europe to use technical fibers,” she said, explaining that Dedar also gained respect by creating weaves on extra wide looms typically used for sheers and by breaking other industry norms.

Dedar’s fabric makers enhanced the function and practical aspects of silks by weaving with quality polyester yarn. “Everyone thought this could only be natural fibers,” Fabrizio said. “We saw something that could accomplish different technical requirements and allow more freedom of use. We want to enlarge our vision.”

Over the past five years, boucle fabrics, popularized in the 1930s and 1940s, have experienced renewed interest.

Boucle is created by having tight tension on one of two yarn loops, creating a nubby surface reminiscent of a lamb. This construction is well suited to upholstering curvaceous furniture such as the designs of Jean Royere.

Today’s shapely neotenic design trends combined with an irregular feel have created a huge demand for the fabric’s technical qualities as well as its tactile ones.

Dedar amplified the revival of boucle with the introduction of its soft-to-the-touch and durable Karakorum fabric. An outdoor version is made of polypropylene or solution-dyed acrylic. Pet and ice cream safe, it opens a new world of specifying opportunities.

According to Fabrizio, about 75 percent of Dedar’s production is made in Italy. A small percentage is from France.

When the fabric has irregular yarns, they source old artisanal looms and the expert craftspeople needed. For handwoven work, they look to India. Screen printing on wallpapers is performed in Italy.

“We have understood since we were young the pleasure of touching something beautiful,” said Caterina Fabrizio. “We love textures for walls because they have a depth that can’t be found on paper. We want people to be surrounded by this warmth.”

Dedar’s new venture, Papier Francais wallpapers, can restore and reproduce archival wallpaper designs on a variety of high-quality grounds. The made-to-order model reduces waste while still being able to be produced quickly. If the pattern has already been restored, it can be sent in two weeks.

Not only are there hundreds of existing patterns, but more can be created in a customized color palette.

Dedar is known for its extensive color offerings. Nicola Fabrizio often teased his daughter that “you will ruin me with all these colors.”

“Color is pure emotion,” said Caterina Fabrizio. “When we think about linens, we think about lightness or something a little dusted or muted. Silk is a material where you can express best the luminosity and sheen. You can have the brightest colors and they will always be extremely elegant. We love velvets because the color is very deep.”

— Damon Johnstun

@damonjohnstun

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