What Altea is known for

Milanese accessories and knitwear house founded 1892 by Giuseppe Sartori as a necktie shop near Via Montenapoleone; the Altea trademark was formalized in 1946, known for brushed-wool knitwear made in Umbria and Marche.

Altea began in 1892 as a necktie shop in Milan, opened by Giuseppe Sartori near what is now Via Montenapoleone. The Altea trademark itself was formally established in 1946. In the 1970s a fourth generation, brothers Michele and Luca Sartori, expanded the line into scarves and other accessories; by the 1990s Altea had grown into a full men's and women's 'total look' brand. It is best known today for colorful brushed-wool knitwear, alongside shirting, soft tailoring and accessories, with most pieces made in Umbria and Marche, Italy's traditional knitwear-producing regions.