Settefili means "seven threads." The brand name was chosen by Michele himself. Why did he include the number "7" in the brand name? The answer was surprising.

"Seven is my lucky number. I was born on July 27th, and I've always felt that things related to seven have been very good for me. There are seven days in a week, and seven is an important number in the Bible. I thought that by including this mysterious number seven in the brand name, a mysterious power would emerge. We also started the brand with seven employees."


The Settefili Cashmere brand quickly gained recognition for its high quality from its inception. It is sold not only in Milan but also in high-end shops around the world, including Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building . This is unusual in the fashion industry, where brand name often precedes quality. "Italians and Japanese are both superstitious, I suppose (laughs)," he says, but Italian entrepreneurs like Michele, who have established such a strong brand in a single generation, are rare cases.

"I believe the Japanese have a discerning eye for quality, rather than brand names. Perhaps it's because they have a keen eye for the essence of things, but they are better at incorporating Italian fashion than people from any other country or region. While the sartorial culture of tailoring clothes is rapidly declining in Italy, I hear that personalized bespoke tailoring is actually popular in Japan. The fact that skilled craftsmen are valued here shows that they have an eye for authenticity. It's reminiscent of old Italy, and I'm very happy about that."


Michele is a regular in Italian fashion street style photos, but he's a passionate, determined man with an unusually reserved attitude for an Italian. Apparently, he doesn't have much overseas experience; he spent his first 16 years in his hometown of Bologna and only studied abroad in England for about a month during high school. His respectful way of speaking is even unusual for me, who has interacted with many assertive Italians who always say "Me, me, me!" According to his Japanese agent, Michele's sensibilities are closer to those of a Japanese person than an Italian. Despite being a business owner, he is said to be the one who willingly cleans the factory and office more than anyone else.

"Italians take a month-long vacation in the summer, but we only take a week off in August. I guess passion brings work." This is also very Japanese.

Michele has changed since he started doing business with Japan and began visiting the country more frequently. "I've come to like tennis and baseball more than soccer. And I prefer beer to wine. My favorite snack is dried squid. When I go back home, I always pack a lot of dried squid in my suitcase (laughs)."

Related articles

[Event Information] Settefili Cashmere | More Models Available - The popular knitwear brand known for its high-quality knitting is holding an order event.

Settefili Cashmere Pattern Order Event □ October 11th (Wed) - 17th (Tue)
*Owner Michele Pagliero will be visiting on October 14th (Sat) and 15th (Sun) (11:00 AM - 6:00 PM).
□ Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 5th Floor = Business Clothing ■Price: Knit vest from 54,000 yen, low-gauge turtleneck sweater 113,400 yen, low-gauge shawl cardigan 183,600 yen, high-gauge crewneck sweater 73,440 yen, high-gauge V-neck sweater 73,440 yen, high-gauge turtleneck 75,600 yen, high-gauge cardigan sweater 86,400 yen, stole 48,600 yen ■Delivery: Approximately 2.5 months later
*Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances, your scheduled visit may be canceled or changed. We may also be unavailable at certain times. Thank you for your understanding.

*All prices include tax.

Text: Takegawa Keiji
Photo: Ozawa Tatsuya

inquiry
Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 5th Floor = Business Clothing
03-3352-1111 (main representative)