Avant Toi is a family company with a true Made in Italy tradition. With its roots as a knitwear company founded in 1947 by matriarch Lia Gambetta, the team of sisters, brothers, cousins and friends has expanded its reach over the past three decades to cement Avant Toi’s footing as a global company.
For every collection, new techniques are used to create highly saturated and sumptuous garments. Because every garment is initially knit in white, the fibers are able to absorb a kaleidoscope of color. Paint rollers, paint brushes, airbrushes, color throwing and color dripping are just some of the many artistic methods used by Mirko Ghignone, who runs Avant Toi with his sister Fiorella.
Avant Toi’s hand painted silks radiate more like gemstones than textiles. These pieces, like all Avant Toi garments, are made in Genoa and then dyed in their nearby studio by artisans with decades of experience and intergenerational knitwear knowledge. The results are silk pieces unparalleled in softness and hue.
Some of the most beloved pieces in Avant Toi’s collection are the Cashmere and Silk sweaters and tops. The Avant Toi Barchetta Sweater, in particular, is adored for its drape, lightness of hand and insulation. It delivers warmth without the weight of heavy knit.
The Avant Toi Nuova Barchetta, exclusive to Santa Fe Dry Goods, is a tissue-weight version of the Barchetta, ideal for layering under a jacket, cardigan, or open-weave sweater. It has a more fitted body, a crew neckline and a more deeply saturated hue than its predecessor.
In Avant Toi’s one of a kind scarves, new life is breathed into vintage French and Italian foulards which are stamped into a buttery soft cashmere silk fabric. The frayed edge of the Avant Toi One-of-a-Kind Cashmere & Silk Quadrello Scarf in Titanium Blue Floral provides the perfect foil to the classical motif at its silk center. Hand dyed in tonal colorways, Avant Toi’s Cashmere and Silk scarves have become collectible favorites that add dimension to Avant Toi’s sweaters, tops and jackets.
Thanks to Mirko and Fiorella’s highly hands-on approach, our stores’ owner and buyer Shobhan is able to work collaboratively with the Avant Toi team to modify silhouettes to her specifications, and as a result, over 80% of our Avant Toi pieces are exclusive to our stores.
