MILAN — “I want to celebrate Apulian craftsmanship while upholding the highest standards of manufacturing identity,” Chiara Giulia Micoccio told WWD, describing the creative process behind the debut collection of CGM Atelier del Borgo, the brand she founded and designs.
The story of her brand began with an encounter with Cavalier Sergio Filograna, founder and chief executive officer of Workness House Milano. Established in 2017, Workness is a multifunctional concept that brings together entrepreneurs and professional networks across diverse sectors, including hospitality, wellness, art and culture.
In 2025, he launched Borgo Filograna, marking the territorial expansion of his Milan project with an exclusive multifunctional estate set within Palazzo Filograna, a historic residence dating back to 1623 in Spongano, in the Salento area in the Apulia region.
This led to the name of Micoccio’s brand, CGM Atelier del Borgo, where “borgo” translates into a storied hamlet. For her first collection, bowing for resort, she was inspired by Borgo Filograna and its surrounding landscapes.
“The entire production took place here in Salento, and as creative director I oversaw every aspect of production, design and visual identity,” Micoccio explained. The collection is called “Trame in movimento [Threads in motion],” with the colors and shapes from Southern Italy as central elements.
A strong focus was placed on enhancing Apulian craftsmanship, through the use of natural loom-woven fabrics that work on raw materials. “For example, from a 100 percent cotton fabric we can obtain poplin, and percale. All are loom-made textiles that maintain high standards of manufacturing identity.” The collection also revives traditional handcrafted techniques such as crochet, lace and tatting, used to create durable and intricate lace by constructing a series of knots and loops.
The collection was divided into five capsules, including “Terre arse [Burnt lands],” conceived with the warm tones of earth and Mediterranean vegetation in mind; “Calce viva [Quicklime]” inspired by Southern architecture, featuring oversize shirts and sets in gauze linen in shades of ivory, écru and neutral tones, enriched with crochet inserts, and “La Vesta,” which recalls ancient Apulian tunics and sacerdotal vestments through fluid silhouettes and geometric cuts. “Meridiana” takes its inspiration from the shape of ancient sundials located on the facades of churches, palazzi and masserie across Apulia, reproduced in an exclusive loom-woven fabric in shades of ivory, gold and bronze. Finally, “Pietra [Stone]” is dedicated to occasionwear, with minimalist, geometric silhouettes inspired by the volumes of the stone in the region’s city of Lecce. The palette also included sage and olive green, with gold and bronze hues.
Alongside apparel, CGM Atelier del Borgo developed sculptural accessories, including three-dimensional necklaces and textured bracelets.