Very often, when we talk about the Emilia Romagna region, we hear the word “excellence” repeated with some frequency. That it refers to food, wines, nice singing, traditions, in reality it changes little; what distinguishes the exceptional nature of the "final product" has a common feature: the Passion, the one with a capital letter.
Mauro Schedoni with his son Simone.
It was the Passion that pushed Mauro Schedoni, a native of Modena, heir to a small artisan company of great tradition (the Schedoni company, an artisan shoemaking, was founded in 1880), inherited from his father Giuseppe, to bond himself with one of his "neighbors" as a supplier.
It was 1976 and his brother-in-law Franco, once he bought a Ferrari 308 GTB, found it difficult to place luggage in the berlinetta. Mauro then created a custom-made suitcase, expressly made to occupy the available space and with the quality and prestige of the GTB, to give it to his brother-in-law. Modena is an important city but it still retains that dimension of "province" that makes every place a country, where everyone gets to know each other a little.
The rumor of the "suitcase for Ferrari" passes from mouth to mouth until it reaches the ear of Amerigo Manicardi, who was in charge of the overseas sales of Maranello cars in those years. Intrigued, Manicardi receives the 308 suitcase and is amazed by the quality of the same. The idea was born but it takes courage and a pinch of recklessness, an ingredient that is not lacking in those parts. With a small but very well-trained group of collaborators, Mauro Schedoni, master in leather processing, feels secure: he takes his courage in both hands and asks for a meeting with the Commendatore Enzo Ferrari. We are in the difficult years of the energy crises and there are still no extreme customizations we have reached in recent years and the time does not yet seem ripe for a business of this kind; however, there's no harm in trying. Manicardi introduces the young Mauro Schedoni to Ferrari who immediately has a great intuition: to be able to sell to customers from all over the “Ferrari world” products created exclusively for their “Made in Maranello” cars.
The agreement is quickly reached and "Cuoio Designer" is born, a new idea linked to the Ferrari brand capable of declining objects from the Prancing Horse company in the most diverse forms and solutions: in addition to bags and suitcases, Schedoni begins to produce special objects such as document holders and diaries, objects, knick-knacks and trophies by combining leather with “pieces” from the production line such as connecting rods and pistons, grids and gear levers or other mechanical parts such as crankshafts, exhausts or steering wheels.
The collaboration immediately proves to be a success, also because the agreement provides for the supply of sets of suitcases in a limited number, corresponding to what is indicated by Ferrari, in any case less than the number of cars produced, with the Maranello manufacturer indicating the period of realization of the suitcases connected to that of the cars, with the binding clause of not making a single other "piece" once production has ceased. The sets themselves become collector's items and are difficult to find.
In 1983, another turning point: Schedoni extends his collaboration to the Gestione Sportiva, covering the seats of Ferrari single-seaters. After a few Grands Prix, the leather must be replaced and the “used” ones are peeled off and transform themselves into real memorabilia, so much so that some of these are exhibited in the Modena headquarters of Schedoni. A note: the collaboration with the Gestione Sportiva will continue until 2006 when, for regulatory reasons, the seats can no longer be made with leather covers.
In that same year, that is 1983, the brand, if you allow me to play on words, changes its skin and becomes “Cuoio Schedoni”, thus acquiring an even better and more identifying visibility. The advice comes from Enzo Ferrari himself, who, out of gratitude to Mauro Schedoni and for the loyalty and professionalism shown over the years, offers to sponsor him free of charge. The Schedoni brand and name immediately become internationally famous.
Success is immediate and commercial feedback is not long in coming: requests for specific products for their cars come from the most prestigious brands around the world.
Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Pagani commission Mauro Schedoni and his collaborators to carry out all kinds of customization for their customers, often in unique creations for type of leather, color and finish; from kangaroo to snakes, if legally permitted, everything is achievable and nothing is impossible.
Of course, Rolls Royce could not be missing among the customers. The British manufacturer asked for and obtained some exclusive details for its “accessories” such as, for example, the trolley wheels which have a system whereby the RR brand always remains vertical, aligned and legible. For the record, a set of suitcases of this level costs the same as a small car...
For several years, Schedoni has also been involved in restoration interventions for the Ferrari Classiche department for the restoration of the interiors of the cars of the Cavallino.
On January 14 of this year, 2021, Mauro Schedoni ended his life due to an incurable disease. I wanted to talk about it in the present for several reasons. I was lucky enough to meet him during a visit to the company's headquarters, in via Gandhi 44 in Modena two years ago and the strength and energy that that place expresses won’t run out.
Now his place has been taken by his son Simone. The tradition linked to innovation will continue to be one of the strengths of the company, witness and protagonist of our times, worthy heir of a small-large reality and of a family that has its roots in the tradition and in the truest values of the Italian province.
Alberto Galassi
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