"A great flame
follows a little spark," wrote the great Italian poet Dante Alighieri. His
country has proven over and over again that intimate, passion-driven designers
and craftsmen can grow into robust enterprises whose business model remains true
to their original spark.
So it is with Spidi of Vicenza. Situated between Milan and
Venice, the town has produced its share of genius, including the great
16th Century architect Andrea Palladio (considered by some as the
most influential figure in Western architecture) and writer Luigi Da Porto, upon
whose original tale of Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare’s play was based. Thirty
years on, Spidi, revered in their day by legendary racers like Eddie Lawson and
Freddie Spencer for their exquisite gloves, has evolved into the complete
rider’s apparel manufacturer.
 Spidi premium apparel is an outstanding match
for the similarly named, but unaffiliated, Sidi boot company. Photograph by Cordero Studios/ www.corderostudios.com (Click image to enlarge)
With fewer than 50 employees, the company retains its ambiance
of passion and intimacy, focusing its philosophy on constant improvements in its
technology and esthetics, aiming for the discerning rider rather than mass
appeal.
"With everything we manufacture, our goal is to become a
leading light," says Alessandro Marcato, Spidi’s CEO. "Our objectives are based
on three principles: comfort, design, and safety. The collaboration between the
product manager and the designers, who are involved at every level of the
process, creates the mix between function and esthetic."
 Spidi Dynamite jacket launch. (Click image to enlarge)
Spidi, in fact, employs independent outside designers mandated
to push the envelope and bring a competitive edge to the product line. "In
Italy, to make a beautiful product is essential," he continues. "Motorcycling is
more than a hobby; it is part of what is often a daily lifestyle." Anyone who
has visited Italy will have noted the omnipresence of two-wheeled travelers and
marveled at a culture that celebrates motorcycling in all its forms. "Motorcycle
clothing must not only perform and be functional," Marcato says, "It must also
look fashionable, on and off the bike." Marcato and many of the employees at
Spidi are active motorcyclists, so this sensitivity is injected into everything
they make. "We are our most demanding customers," he comments.
As a result, Spidi’s range of leather and fabric suits and
gloves propose a uniquely cohesive system for the rider who appreciates superb
quality and exceptional multi-functionality. With a series of snap-in thermal
layers, integrated rain suits and waterproof fabrics, one can tour in a single
Spidi outfit while your riding companions are constantly climbing in and out of
their weather specific gear. And while the racing suits are prized—indeed,
tested—by today’s stars like MotoGP rider Colin Edwards and Marco Melandri,
Spidi does not rely on celebrity associations to communicate the value of its
brand.
Top: Spidi Day 08 Presentation. Bottom: MotoGP’s
Colin
Edwards. (Click images to enlarge)
Instead, each garment addresses a rider’s specific riding
habits and conditions. Varying grades and characteristics of leather answer the
particular requirements of the hardcore racer, sport, touring or casual
motorcyclist. Even the most demanding professional will recognize the rigorous
attention to detail, materials and construction. For those of us whose skill set
may relinquish us to being backmarkers on road and track, we can still lead in
terms of style.
Close examination of Spidi apparel is a satisfying experience.
The use of proprietary technologies such as Keramide, a fabric spun into the
thread which has remarkable strength under tension, is but one of many such
details. "Spidi has done exhaustive research on structural stress and points of
stress," Bill Berroth, President of Motonation, Spidi’s US distributor,
explains. "Keramide, for example, is superior to cotton thread. The company
determined that using a number of leather panels rather than a single piece,
provides superior performance and protection, and a Keramide thread allows us to
execute that concept."
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