This story originally appeared on the Gents Cafe Newsletter. You can subscribe here.
Who doesn’t love cashmere and merino knitwear? A soft and warm sweater, made from the world’s finest fibres, is something every man loves to keep in his wardrobe and cherishes like a treasure. However, if those same materials are used to craft socks, the finished product somehow receives less consideration.
Michele Lazzari, co-founder of Italian socks brand ANT45, wants to change this; in this Brand Talks interview he shares the story of the brand, which traces its roots back to 1945, and explains what makes these premium socks so special.
Could you share your personal background and what led you to founding ANT45?
My path began with humanistic studies: I attended the faculty of literature, and what I learnt there shaped my vision of life: I love everything that’s beautiful, well made and especially well crafted. This also reflects on my interests, which I like to sum up in my “Four F’s”: food, fashion, football and family.
In 1991, after also attending management classes, I embarked on my professional career in textiles and fashion. It’s been a long path: I started from the low ranks, and gradually made my way up to becoming a commercial manager.
What’s the story behind the creation of ANT45?
ANT45 was born in 2020 as a “spin off” of Calzificio Bonadei, a company founded in 1945, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year – we’re planning a special event for the next Pitti to mark this milestone and narrate the history of the business.
Bonadei has always been a family-run socks maker that mostly worked for luxury brands like Zegna, Ferragamo, Jimmy Choo, and other big names in fashion. For decades, it operated as a subcontractor for the most important fashion houses, establishing a reputation for its quality. At one point, however, the company decided to invest in its own brand, transitioning from supplier to independent brand: that’s how ANT45 was born, which I run together with my partners Elena Cerroni and Aisha Salam.
The name ANT45 reflects two key elements: the number 45 refers to the year Bonadei was founded, while “ANT” symbolizes our approach to work: methodical, consistent, and informed by a great attention and dedication, much like the work of ants.
Made in Italy is a pillar of your brand. What does it mean for you, and what are the challenges and advantages of producing exclusively in Italy?
For us, Made in Italy is of the foremost importance; we consider it truly authentic only when 100% of the production takes place in Italy. Of course, the raw materials have to come from different parts of the world: cotton from Egypt, merino wool from Australia, cashmere from Mongolia, alpaca from Peru… However, the entire processing is done exclusively with yarns produced by selected Italian mills, ensuring the highest quality.
From the moment the yarns arrive at our warehouse, every step happens in-house: we produce with our own machines, wash the socks within our facilities using the heat recovered from our ironing machines, and manually pack each piece. Our process is fully verticalized, meaning we control every stage of production.
We don’t look to cut costs: our goal is not to automate or outsource, but to guarantee an excellent product. That’s why we treat every sock with the utmost care, passing it through the skilled hands of our artisans multiple times to ensure strict quality control at every stage.
What are the distinctive traits that set ANT45 socks apart?
One thing I always say, and would love to do more often, is inviting people to see our factory with their own eyes. Sometimes, witnessing the process with your own eyes is the only way to truly understand the difference.
In our company, we keep a historical archive that, combined with the warehouse, covers over a thousand square meters. All the materials we use, starting from the yarns, are on display, and a visitor can witness the production process live and in real time. A sock is created right before your eyes: from the thread to the processing, from washing to ironing, from stitching to packaging, all the way to shipping.
This changes the perception of anyone who steps into our world: whether they are a retailer, a partner, or a brand we collaborate with, seeing with their own eyes the work behind a sock gives it a completely different value. Often, people think it’s a simple product, but the process behind a sock is the same as that of a sweater, with the difference that sweaters are treated with care, hand-washed, respected. So why should a cashmere sock, for example, be given any less attention than a sweater made from the same material? It’s a cultural issue that we need to work on.
What’s the creative process behind a new model of socks?
At the Bonadei workshop, besides working on ANT45, we handle prototyping for about fifty brands. This means we’re constantly operating in a creative and dynamic environment, where interaction with other projects and shared experiences generate countless new ideas and inspirations.
What makes our creative process unique is the involvement of the entire team in every stage of the project. Those who create the product don’t just design a collection – they actively participate in its promotion and sale. Our designer joins us in Paris, Milan, Florence, not just to present new proposals, but also to understand what works and what can be improved. Likewise, our marketing team is present at fairs and trade shows to test the reception of new products in different markets.
This way, the creative process is never disconnected from market reality. The feedback we gather from buyers, retailers and clients informs the design – and not just of the product, but of everything that revolves around it: packaging, unboxing, storytelling are as crucial as the yarn or the manufacturing process. A sock is not just a sock; it’s a combination of details that makes it special.
Are there any relevant moments in the history of ANT45 that you would like to share with us?
Certainly the collaboration with SACAI. Six months ago, the Japanese brand – one of the most significant style references in our industry – asked us to develop a sock model inspired by our designs. It wasn’t a simple supply request; it was a genuine tribute to our design and technology. To create this exclusive model, we used a latest generation machine that works inside-out with a sponge effect. When a brand of this caliber recognizes your work and sets it as a reference point, it means you’re doing something special.
Sustainability has a growing relevance in the fashion industry. How does ANT45 approach this theme?
For us, sustainability is not just a concept to communicate – it’s a concrete commitment that influences every aspect of our products, starting from the packaging.
At first, we chose single-use packaging made from recycled plastic, as we believed it to be the most sustainable solution. However, thanks to feedback from our customers, we realized something crucial: even if recycled, plastic is still plastic, and its disposal still is problematic.
Therefore, we decided to cut plastic from our packaging entirely. Today, every pair of socks comes in recycled, compostable paper, which, if accidentally dispersed in the environment, degrades without leaving a trace. Our shipping boxes follow the same principle: they’re made from recycled paper, featuring a minimal, carefully designed aesthetic that reflects our attention to detail.
But for us, sustainability isn’t just about materials: it’s also about responsible sourcing and production. That’s why we chose to produce everything in Italy, as close to us as possible. Our boxes are made by a local manufacturer, our labels by a nearby printer, and our decals by another trusted supplier. This approach not only reduces the environmental impact of logistics but also supports the local economy and allows us to maintain direct control over quality.
Naturally, sustainability extends beyond packaging to the socks themselves. One of our greatest advantages is our proximity to yarn suppliers located right in our area. Generally, the best suppliers are the ones closest to us—not just for the quality of their products but also for the level of service they provide. This is no coincidence: we are in an area that has historically been a hub of sock production, with a fully developed industrial network. This includes machine and yarn manufacturers as well as processers. Our main yarn suppliers are in Brescia and Palazzolo, we source silk from Como, wool from Biella, and specific yarns from Carpi. Our entire production network is within a radius of about 100 km.
Being based in this area allows us to work with the best partners, minimizing waste and unnecessary transportation. This is why we’ve always prioritized local suppliers: because quality, sustainability, and innovation are often found close to home.
Besides your position at ANT45, do you have any personal passions or hobbies? How do they influence your work in the brand?
Besides my work in the fashion world, my brother and I run a restaurant. Every Saturday and Sunday, I transform into a restaurateur and waiter: I’m literally in the dining room serving customers; we’re not just investors who own a restaurant.
My biggest passions are food, fashion, and football. And food, to me, isn’t just about eating; it’s about making sure others eat well too. Our restaurant is called Tami Trattoria, and it’s been listed in the Slow Food guide to Osterie d’Italia since the very beginning of our journey. Slow Food is a movement that values authentic and sustainable dining, and its “snail” seal is somewhat like a Michelin star, but for sustainable cuisine; it’s a recognition we’re very proud of.
Our restaurant is located in a rather secluded mountain area, in the family home that we renovated. You can feel our history here: it was my great-grandparents’ house, then my grandparents’, and later my father’s. Our approach is simple: we only serve authentic, seasonal products, with no compromises.
To me, this is true authenticity, and it’s the same philosophy that drives all my projects, whether in dining or fashion.
