Maurizio Baldassari’s childhood memories were the bombings, food shortage, American tanks in his beloved Lerici and its rebirth into the slow and quiet rhythm of a seaside village.

The pleasure of a life outdoors in that particularly mild climate, the breath-taking views of a crystal sea on the Gulf of Poets and sport practiced at competitive level, above all basketball and water polo, mark the years which forged the philosophy that was to become the keystone of Maurizio Baldassari’s life and his brand. The daily life with the people of a small village where all know each other, the passion for Nature and the unique quality and taste of its products thanks to the local climate all contributed to the development of his open character and of an extraordinary sensitivity towards beauty and uniqueness.

During his high school years Maurizio showed a particular interest and a distinctive and original taste in the clothing fashion thanks also to his mother Cirene who steered him towards the most appropriate choices.

In 1957 he was offered a job in Milan at “La Rinascente” department store and he immediately grasped the opportunity to begin an exciting adventure which went hand in hand with his views on fashion, creativity and beauty.

Those were the years of experience, knowledge and contacts. Driven by a lively curiosity and vibrant passion Maurizio acquired a wealth of know-how as a buyer in all areas of the fashion industry, from spinning techniques to textiles, knitwear and clothing.

During his time at La Rinascente in the 60’s and 70’s he was in contact with important fashion firms and met people such as Giorgio Armani with whom he worked side by side for about ten years since “king Giorgio” was at that time the top fashion designer at La Rinascente and worked in close contact with buyers in the menswear department. He also met the well-known architect Vico Magistretti, the store designer Nando Miglio, who worked for Gianni Versace, Nino Cerruti, an international buyer for prestigious department stores such as Takashimaya, Bloomingdales, Printemps, La Fayette and C&A, and immersed himself into the new international climate which was transforming Milan into a lively trade centre and a source of new ideas and inspirations. Meeting the French fashion designer Ted Lapidus was an important moment in Maurizio’s life – in fact, in the 1970s La Rinascente signed a license agreement for the exclusive production and sale of the ”Ted Lapidus” menswear collection. He became responsible for the relations with the French designer and the numerous visits to the Paris atelier inspired him to become a stylist and start his own business. His experience in department store marketing, shops, visual merchandising and consumer research was very useful when he left La Rinascente in 1975 to become a Fashion Designer.

Life in 1960s Milan was rich of events and opportunities and Maurizio was at the centre of the most important activities dedicated to foreign markets such as Japan, England and the USA – these were Milan’s first steps to becoming the top fashion pole worldwide.

Moreover, the mission accomplished in 1973 for La Rinascente to find new sourcing in the Far East markets (Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan) which lasted 40 days gave him the chance to become familiar with new situations which would become of paramount importance for his future business as a Fashion Designer.

Always curious about passions and interests regarding the male world, Maurizio decided to take the road which would lead him to create his own brand.

The first Maurizio Baldassari collection was presented in Milan in the 1980’s and since then he has been operating from the historic showroom in Via Solferino in the heart of Brera. First in Italy and then in the rest of the world he has upheld the values of elegance, quality and creativity which have made great the Italian fashion in the whole world.

His constant inspiration over the years has been the quest for top quality materials, the “well done” and the made in Italy.

His almost manic research for materials while working with designers and commercial managers of the Italian textile manufacturing industries, world leader for creativity, quality, design and colour matching, immediately became a symbol of a new mix between Italian elegance and the modern, personal and unique Milanese style.

Themes and trends change every season but the brand’s overall image remains always the same – Maurizio Baldassari aims at catering for the requirements of a strong and confident man and for modern elegance in every occasion.

Today, after almost 50 years, the adventure continues along the original inspiring principles. Maurizio’s sons Renato and Roberto have joined the firm and are contributing with their know-how and solid professional skills in keeping the Maurizio Baldassari brand a true Italian family concern. Renato and Roberto have separate responsibilities. Renato is responsible for customer relations and for the British and American markets. He has taken after his father for his bohemian elegance, he is very welcoming and has an almost sartorial attention to customers’ requirements. Roberto is in charge of textile research, production and the “Rising Sun” markets as well as those of the “Middle Empire” – Japan and China and other Asian countries. He also instils innovative ideas into the inspiring guidelines of his father’s business. They can both be found in the Brera showroom, the family haunt where one can breathe the air of the small village where quality and taste are indissoluble and intertwined with the Maurizio Baldassari collections.