The walls of the Masseria "Le Fogge" speak of the story of Tessitura Giaquinto.
They tell of the strength of mamma Francesca and her courageous spirit, the same that led her, back in the 1930s, to purchase her first loom. And as I look around, I feel as though I can still see her—small in stature, yet full of strength—with that fierce determination that continues to sustain me even through the hardest times.

And then her voice comes to mind, encouraging us when we were just kids, pushing us forward in our work. That's why I love this place. The sounds you hear are the same as back then, as if time had stopped, and the years had never passed.

Today, though, it's me—Cosimo—who opens the door and welcomes customers who choose to visit us and purchase our handcrafted pieces. Beside me is Francesco, who inherited from his grandmother the same passion for this work—work that fills his life. And there is my other daughter, Katiuscia.

"The rhythm of weaving marks the rhythm of our family."
Francesco says this often during our talks, and it fills me with pride. Those words explain just how deeply the art of weaving is intertwined with our very soul.

With patient dedication, the Giaquinto family transformed limited means into a true point of reference—known throughout Italy. But above all, the heirs of nonna Francesca have refined and elevated what began as one of the first examples of female entrepreneurship in Salento.

All those sacrifices have been fully rewarded, thanks to the passion that has always been stronger than the fatigue—strong enough to skip a Sunday of rest, or to keep working long into the night.

The quality and uniqueness of Giaquinto's handcrafted textiles are revealed through a century-long story, one that begins with the slow and careful preparation of yarn for the loom—using the same time, the same rhythm, that nonna Francesca followed when weaving was part of everyday life, when it was done to prepare a daughter's dowry.

The story of Tessitura Giaquinto is also the story of Salento—of its women, silent and tireless workers, who would gather in the courtyard to weave or embroider, like one big extended family.