Zipper and zipper manufacturing in Milan since 1938
Zippers and zips throughout Italy
Nardo Villa in Milan produces zippers and zipper pulls, selecting the finest components available on the market. Quality materials and artisanal craftsmanship allow for completely customized closures designed to last.
Nardo Villa is more than just a shop: it's a place where tradition and quality meet every day, a living fragment of Milan's history that continues to evolve without losing its identity.
Our story
1938
In the hidden courtyard of a central Milan building, behind the seventeenth-century doorway on Via Durini, a workshop has existed for over eighty years, a workshop that has shaped the history of the city and Italian fashion: Ditta Nardo Villa. Our business was founded on December 1, 1938, at Via Passerella 26, when Carlo Leonardo Villa—known to all as Nardo—understood the growing importance of zippers in a booming textile industry. Since then, through wars, reconstructions, and transformations in fashion, the company has never ceased to preserve and pass on its unique artisanal expertise.
After the war, the headquarters moved to Via Durini 24, in the Caproni building, which remains our home today. A young apprentice arrived here in the 1950s: Francesco Breda. He would become the beating heart of the company, working side by side with Nardo for nearly thirty years, until taking over his legacy in 1979. With him and his wife Armida, the company entered the golden age of Milanese fashion: among its clients were young designers destined to become icons, from Gianni Versace to Domenico Dolce.
Post-war and 70s
From the 2000s to today
In 2001, the baton was passed to Ranieri Cantù, who continued the journey with the same dedication and artisanal care. The new generation arrived in 2011 with Eleonora, bringing innovation and a contemporary vision without betraying the workshop's roots. Today, we are a small team, custodians of a one-of-a-kind warehouse and a workshop capable of creating custom zippers for individuals, designers, and companies. With hundreds of zipper types—some unobtainable elsewhere—we continue to offer experience, reliability, and the kind of craftsmanship that stands the test of time.
Production of zippers for clothing and fashion accessories
Coil zippers, metal zippers, fixed and divisible zippers, invisible zippers, and tent zippers: no matter the material, type, or size. Whether it's a zipper or a zip, Nardo Villa offers the utmost expertise, even for those who need just one piece.
By visiting the Milan store, you can appreciate the craftsmanship and quality of workmanship built over eighty years of experience. This is possible thanks to the highly qualified and constantly trained staff, who have made Nardo Villa a benchmark in the zipper industry.
The company's long history began way back in 1938 when, in a 17th-century building in the heart of Milan, they began producing zippers and fasteners of all types and sizes. That story continues today, and Nardo Villa's success stems from the knowledge passed down through generations of work, which allows them to maintain extremely high quality standards and produce products appreciated by professionals, companies, and fashion industry professionals.
