it | en
Torino, Master, Pastry
Alessandro Dalmasso
the cult of sweetness
Who we are
Publishing
News
April 2024
Doppia Firma 2024 at Villa Mozart in Milan
Milan, Exhibition, Ceramic, Textile, Glass
On the occasion of the 2024 edition of Salone del Mobile, Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d'Arte is pleased to present the eighth edition of "Doppia Firma. A dialogue between design and artisanal excellence"
April 2024
The Craft Shopping Guide “Napoli su misura” presented in Naples
Naples, Publishing, Ceramic, Jewelry, Craftsmanship
The Craft Shopping Guide "Napoli su misura", a project commissioned by the Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d'Arte and published by Gruppo Editoriale, is a poetic yet practical map of a selection of Neapolitan artisan excellence.
April 2024
The future of young artisans at the Made in Italy Festival
Milan, Festival, Craftsmanship
Milan hosted the first Made in Italy Festival: the new Eccellenza Artigiana initiative that connects students with the opportunities offered by the Italian economy of "high quality savoir-faire".
April 2024
A successful challenge: Starhotels Award nominations closed
Milan, Award, Ceramic, Glass
Nominations for the Starhotels Award, now in its third edition, closed on Friday, March 22, 2024. The chosen theme, “Souvenir of the Grand Tour”, has aroused great interest in the artisan world: many nominations were received from all over Italy, with very different types and often highly original interpretations.
February 2024
Until 22th March are nominations for the Starhotels “Souvenir del Grand Tour” Award
Award, Ceramic
Extended at the request of many master artisans the deadline for application for the "Souvenir del Grand Tour" Award, which slips from 1st March to 22th March 2024.
February 2024
“Una Scuola, un Lavoro”: young apprentices at work!
Italy, Apprenticeships, Ceramic, Luthiery
All the apprentices of "Una Scuola, un Lavoro. Percorsi di Eccellenza” – the historic Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d'Arte training internship project now in its 13th edition – are now at work! All over Italy, the photographer Peter Elovich, through his original shots, is collecting visual testimonies of the young protagonists at work, eager to "steal with their eyes and hands" the craft from their mentors and masters in this six-month apprenticeship.
Interviews
Alessandro Dalmasso
Torino, Master, Pastry

Alessandro Dalmasso is one of the best known and most successful pastry chefs in our country.
His adventure in the world of artisanal patisserie began at a very early age: he became fascinated by this trade thanks to his father, Giuseppe Dalmasso, owner of the confectionery shop of the same name since 1963 in Almese (Turin).
At only 15 years old, he graduated from the State Technical School for the Art of Confectionery in Turin. This was followed by several specialisation courses alongside the best masters, and then the participation in competitions and awards.
Among these, in 2022 he obtained the accolade “MAM - Maestro d'Arte e Mestiere” (Master of Arts and Crafts) by Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d'Arte. Today, in his pastry shop in Avigliana, he carries on an important confectionary tradition, with dedication and a spirit of innovation as well.

Anna Tosi
Verona, Master, Fashion, Textile

The Fashion Week has just ended: people often forget the creation of a great dress or accessory is not only the work of the designer or the stylist, but also the skilful hands of craftspeople who know how to transform the project into a magnificent object.
This is exactly what Anna Tosi, does: she is the third generation of Pagliani & Brasseur, a historic family-run artisan company specialising in the creation of fabric flowers and animals, refined and imaginative accessories made entirely by hand, which over the years have seen numerous and varied applications in fashion and interior design.
Over time, the company has grown enormously, collaborating with major fashion houses such as Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Christian Dior, Gucci, Giorgio Armani and many others.
In 2020 Anna Tosi was awarded the MAM - Maestro d'Arte e Mestiere (Master of Arts and Crafts) accolade, recognised by the Cologni Foundation for the Métiers d’Art.

Andrea Celestino
Aosta, Master, Sculpture, Wood

Andrea Celestino is a skilled sculptor and woodcarver. Born in Aosta in 1993, he became passionate about woodworking as a child, watching his grandfather carving and sculpting in his garage in Valle d'Aosta. He thus discovered that he had a strong propensity for art and craftsmanship, great manual skills and a talent for sculpture. He then attended a “bottega-scuola” (a workshop whose skilled owner also teaches the craft to younger artisans) in his region, and continued his training in Ortisei, in Val Gardena, the home of wooden sculpture. Today, in his workshop in Saint-Pierre, he creates works of art and sculptures with a contemporary style: his female figures exude serenity, grace and freedom, but at the same time a powerful and vibrant energy. The creative process starts from a careful search for harmony in lines and shapes, which depends also on the type of wood he uses, while the inspiration comes from nature, and its shapes and colours.

Enza Fasano
Grottaglie, Master, Ceramic

Enza Fasano's workshop is the true spearhead of Grottaglie ceramic art. The master in fact grew up among terracottas, and having practiced this art all her life has allowed her to develop a refined and recognizable taste. Today, in her historic atelier, she creates artefacts inspired by local tradition, but also reinvented with originality and enriched by shapes and chromatic plays; pieces that know how to surprise, the result of years in the workshop, family school and improvement, and suitable to satisfy a cosmopolitan and demanding clientele. The large showroom presents hundreds of objects of great beauty: from the typical Apulian tradition to the more functional elements for the table and for the home. In 2020, Enza Fasano gained the title “MAM – Master of Art and Craft”, bestowed by the Cologni Foundation.

William Bertoia
Pordenone, Master, Mosaic

Friul Mosaic is a family-run craft company of artistic mosaics, founded by William Bertoia in 1987.
The atelier draws on an important tradition, with an eye towards contemporary design: starting from the concept, for which innovative motifs and original compositions are sought, each mosaic is made by hand, tile after tile, respecting the traditional techniques. Wall mosaic decorations, floor coverings, artistic and architectural solutions are all rigorously made to measure, with mastery, rigor and accuracy, without forgetting creativity and innovation. In fact, alongside classic motifs, original and modern textures are proposed, inspired by nature, works of art and myth, but also by modern mosaic as an interior design element. In 2020, William Bertoia gained the “MAM – Master of Art and Crafts” title, bestowed by the Cologni Foundation.

Orsola Clerici
Milan, Master, Decoration

PictaLab is an interior decoration workshop created in Milan over fifteen years. It was founded in 2007 by Orsola Clerici, in collaboration with Chiara Troglio. In this elegant atelier, hand-painted wallpaper and wall decorations are created, with many different techniques: from fresco to trompe l'oeil, from coating to lacquering. Here, skilled craftspeople masterfully carry out each project, which always arises from a direct confrontation with the clients to understand their needs and expectations, and take care of the execution, rigorously made-to-measure. Every creation always takes into account the architectural space and the context in which the idea is shaped, to offer creative and personalized solutions. In addition to wall decorations, the workshop also offers a customization service for furniture and interior design objects. Orsola Clerici, co-owner and co-founder of the studio, obtained in 2020 the title "MAM – Maestro d’Arte e Mestiere" by Cologni Foundation for the Métiers d’Art.

Events