The story of Confezioni Grazia begins in Castenedolo, in the province of Brescia, with Giulia Pilotti.
Born in 1946 into a family of ten brothers and sisters, Giulia encountered textile work from an early age. Her first experiences took place in the family home, where she and her sisters began embroidering, following the example of Gabriella, one of the first among them to work with needle and thread.
From the late 1950s through the 1960s, Giulia worked for several garment manufacturers in the area. At Confezioni Sampec, she developed her skills in hand sewing and cutting, building the technical knowledge that would become fundamental to her work. It was there that she met Orsola – known to everyone as Zia Orsola – who would become a central figure in the company’s story.
During the same period, Giulia also worked in a small workshop in Castenedolo producing bottle-green bomber jackets. She met Franco Ruffoni, who later became her husband, and in 1968 their first son, Ivan, was born.
That same year, Giulia and Orsola opened a small workshop in Orsola’s home called Confezioni Lidia. Around fifteen women worked there, producing shirts, skirts and other garments mainly for women working in the industrial area of Via Orzinuovi in Brescia.
In 1971, Giulia and Franco’s second child, Elena, was born. Today, she leads Confezioni Grazia.
A decisive change came in 1976, when Giulia, Franco and Orsola acquired a manufacturing building with an adjoining house on Via Goffredo Mameli, at the time still surrounded by agricultural land. Confezioni Grazia was founded there in August of that year.
The original group of fifteen people soon grew to thirty. Giulia took responsibility for production, Orsola managed the accounts, and Franco oversaw the business side of the company. Alongside parkas, the factory gradually began producing more complex and refined garments, including women’s tailoring. During these years, Confezioni Grazia began working with companies such as Gabor and La Rinascente in Milan.
In 1993, Zia Orsola passed away. She had been a fundamental presence for both the family and the company.
In 1998, Elena joined the management of Confezioni Grazia together with her husband Mauro Varini, who became responsible for the cutting department. Around the same time, the company began working with Blumarine, marking its entry into high-end fashion and the beginning of collaborations with leading Italian and international fashion houses.
Today, Confezioni Grazia brings together around sixty people. The house and factory acquired in 1976 remain at the center of its story: Giulia still lives next to the company she helped build and continues to be part of its everyday life.