Luca Poddi of luxury DMC Abercrombie & Kent recounts the San Leucio silk heritage: a social experiment dreamt up by royalty.
Tell us about the local hidden treasure.
The complex of San Leucio rises on Belvedere Hill, from which King Ferdinando IV, House of Bourbon, could gaze at his beautiful lands near the Royal Palace of Caserta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During his rule in the mid-18th Century, King Ferdinando IV was considered a revolutionary man. Indeed, he dreamt of an equal society in his special village of San Leucio inside his royal palace. He involved all the citizens in the creation and art of silk in a democratic life, where men and women were considered peers and lived in a meritocracy.
In San Leucio, every inhabitant had a proper house with running water and toilets: an element considered to be an extraordinary feat at the time. This also contributed to the social and industrial importance of the colony. From the maintenance of silkworms to the very final touch of a garment’s construction, San Leucio’s artisans did and still do an incredible job using the original looms and twisting machines, which were renovated in 2006 and are powered by hydro energy.
Have these silks gained wide recognition?
In past centuries, many nobles were festooned with the brocades and damasks from this little town, and royal palaces around the world were decorated with carpets and upholstery of these looms. Additionally, the original flags of the United States and Great Britain were made of Silk from San Leucio – a great honor for our artisans! Nowadays, these luxury fabrics can be spotted at White House and in the Vatican, to mention a few notable locations.
How can visitors best experience the village?
Visitors can explore the monumental weaving complex, the Silk Museum, and the Belvedere Palace’s royal apartments and casino in San Leucio. If your timing is right, you may even bear witness to a historical parade featuring drummers, fanfare, and folk dancers bedecked with period costumes – and of course, silk!
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