Stories of Italy

What Stories of Italy does

Stories of Italy is a Milan-based, privately held luxury home décor retailer that sells handmade Italian artisanal products — primarily Murano glass vases, bowls, carafes, tumblers, candles, lamps, ceramics, marble tableware, and textiles — through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront built on Shopify. The company is legally structured as STORIES OF ITALY S.R.L., operates from a headquarters in Milan (Via San Francesco D'Assisi 15, 20124 Milano), and fulfills orders from a Milan warehouse via DHL, shipping to more than 50 countries with full-value insurance. The brand's signature is the Macchia su Macchia technique, a registered trademark method of overlapping fusions of colored glass granules that produces a glossy, speckled surface; complementary in-house techniques include Nougat (colored shards on an ivory base) and Opaline (opaline flakes fused onto Muranese crystal). Products are mouth-blown and hand-finished by Master Glassmakers (Maestros) on Murano island, with documented craft intensity — for example, a single Opaline Olla vase requires one maestro and three assistants.

The commercial model is unit-priced DTC retail with no wholesale or marketplace distribution. SKUs range from approximately $85 for ceramic plates to over $2,266 for high-end vases and $1,780 for lamps, with Klarna installment payments available on select orders. The customer base spans affluent individual luxury décor buyers, interior designers and hospitality professionals (served via a dedicated Special Projects channel offering bespoke commissions for hotels, restaurants, and design projects), and art collectors (served through a Collectible category). The company is founder-led by Dario Buratto (creative director and co-founder), with Francesco Meda (son of designer Alberto Meda) involved in product collaborations, and operates without any disclosed external institutional investment. Marketing is digital-first and content-driven, relying on Instagram, Pinterest, an email newsletter with a 10% first-order incentive, and editorial storytelling around Italian craftsmanship and heritage collaborations such as the 2024 revival of Alberto Branzi's Amethyst Variopinto Vases collection.

Name

Stories of Italy

Legal name

STORIES OF ITALY S.R.L.

Website

https://storiesofitaly.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stories of Italy is a Milan-based luxury home décor DTC retailer selling handmade Murano glass, ceramics, textiles, and fragrances globally via Shopify e-commerce. It serves affluent consumers, interior designers, and hospitality buyers through unit-priced artisanal products and bespoke commissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury handmade home décor (Murano glass and Italian artisanal goods)

NAICS

Other Pressed and Blown Glass and Glassware Manufacturing (327212), Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing (3272)

SIC

Glass & Glassware, Pressed Or Blown (3220), Pottery & Related Products (3260)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Decorative Glass Packaging (Custom Shapes, Embossed, Premium) (IMALAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cosmetics & Perfumery Glass Packaging (Fragrance Bottles, Cosmetic Jars) (IMALAEAC)

Keywords

• Handmade Murano glass
• Luxury home décor
• Artisanal tableware
• Scented candles
• Italian interior design

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer online sales of handmade Italian artisanal home décor products including Murano glass vases, bowls, tumblers, carafes, scented candles, lamps, ceramics, and table linens. Products are sold at unit prices ranging from approximately $85 to over $2,200, with a mix of ready-to-ship and made-to-order items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stories of Italy designs, sources, and sells handmade Italian artisanal home décor, tableware, and fragrances through its Shopify e-commerce store, with Murano glass as its signature offering. Products include vases, tumblers, carafes, plates, lamps, scented candles, ceramics, marble pieces, and textiles, produced by Master Glassmakers using proprietary techniques such as the Macchia su Macchia registered trademark. The company ships directly from its Milan warehouse to customers in 50+ countries via DHL, and also accepts custom/bespoke commissions through a Special Projects service.

Product overview

Stories of Italy is an Italian e-commerce retailer specializing in handmade luxury home décor, tableware, and fragrances crafted in Italy. The company operates as a single unified e-commerce platform offering products across four main categories: HOMEWARE (vases, trays, bowls, cushions, candle holders), TABLEWARE (tumblers, carafes, plates, table linens, accessories), FRAGRANCES (scented candles and diffuser vessels), and LAMPS. Their signature offering is Murano Glass crafted using traditional techniques including the proprietary Macchia su Macchia registered trademark method. The product portfolio also includes CERAMIC & MARBLE pieces (Bramante collection, dessert/dinner plates) and TEXTILE items (table linens, cushions). Products are handmade and mouth-blown by skilled artisans in Murano, Italy, with most items shipped internationally to over 50 countries. The company also offers COLLECTIBLE limited editions and SPECIAL PROJECTS for bespoke commissions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Macchia su Macchia®: The company's registered trademark technique featuring glossy, speckled patterns created through multiple overlapping fusions of colored glass granules. This method reinterprets a traditional Venetian glassmaking technique and has been iconic to Stories of Italy, helping shape contemporary Italian glass over the last 10 years.

Products and services

• Homeware Collection Handmade Italian home décor items including vases, trays, bowls, cushions, and candle holders crafted using Murano glass techniques, sold direct-to-consumer online.
• Tableware Collection Handcrafted table essentials including table linens, tumblers, carafes, plates, and accessories for dining and entertaining.
• Fragrances Collection Scented candles and diffuser vessels housed in Murano glass containers, featuring Italian-inspired fragrances such as spring flowers, Milanese panettone, and incense.
• Lamps Collection Murano glass table lamps featuring the signature Macchia su Macchia technique, combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design.
• Macchia su Macchia Signature Collection Stories of Italy's registered trademark Murano glass collection featuring glossy, speckled patterns created through overlapping fusions of colored glass granules; includes vases, carafes, tumblers, and candles in various color combinations.
• Murano Glass Collection Handmade and mouth-blown Murano glassware including vases, bowls, tumblers, and carafes featuring techniques such as Macchia su Macchia, Nougat, and Opaline across various shapes, sizes, and colors.
• Ceramic & Marble Collection Bold ceramic and marble home décor and tableware including the Bramante collection in various colors and dessert and dinner plates featuring artistic designs such as Ladybug, Eclipse, Arcimboldo, Venus, Willow, and L&G, crafted in Italy.
• Textile Collection Bold table linens and cushions featuring vibrant Italian-inspired patterns and colors for home décor and dining.
• Collectible Pieces Limited edition and collectible Murano glass pieces for collectors and special projects, including collaborations with notable designers.
• Special Projects (Bespoke Commissions) Custom and bespoke Murano glass commissions for hotels, restaurants, and special projects, with quote-based pricing for special projects and collectible pieces.
• Black & White Pillar Lamp / Linen Murano glass table lamp with Macchia su Macchia technique base shaped like a classical column, white linen lampshade with removable cover, brass details, and champagne-colored fabric cord; priced at $1,780.
• Aquamarine Flower Bucket Vase Mouth-blown Murano glass vase shaped like a blooming flower with aquamarine glass shards on an ivory base; height 22.5 cm, diameter 13 cm.
• Aquamarine Large Vase Murano blown glass vase crafted using the Nougat technique with colored glass shards on an ivory base; height 24 cm, diameter 18 cm.
• Opaline Olla Vase

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Alberto Branzi (Designer)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Alberto Branzi, a renowned Italian designer, collaborated with Stories of Italy to revive his Amethyst Variopinto Vases collection originally designed in 2010 for Borek Sipek's Bohemian glass factory. The collection was presented at Spazio Krizia Milano in April 2011. Francesco, the founder's son, revived these pieces with Stories of Italy using contemporary techniques with a sustainability theme of reuse and recovery from pieces of waste glass. This represents a prestigious design collaboration bringing heritage pieces to a modern audience.
• Shopify Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationStories of Italy's online store is built and hosted on Shopify's e-commerce platform. Shopify provides the online infrastructure enabling product listings, shopping cart, checkout, customer accounts, and order management.
• DHLcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDHL is the exclusive logistics partner for Stories of Italy, handling all international shipping directly from the company's Milan warehouse to customers worldwide. All shipments are insured for the full product value.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Venini: Iconic Murano glassmaker producing decorative vases, lighting, and art glass under a historic brand. Most direct competitor to Stories of Italy's Murano glass homeware and lamps, sharing the same artisan production model and luxury positioning.
• Barovier & Toso: One of the oldest Murano glassworks, producing decorative vases, chandeliers, and lighting in hand-blown crystal. Overlaps directly with Stories of Italy across vases, bowls, and lamps in the premium decorative glass category.
• Nason Moretti: Contemporary Murano glassmaker producing decorative tumblers, vases, and tableware with a modern aesthetic comparable to Stories of Italy's Macchia su Macchia and Nougat collections.
• Salviati: Venetian/Murano glass brand producing decorative vases, lighting, and tableware for the luxury home market. Direct overlap with Stories of Italy on Murano glass vases, carafes, and tumblers.
• Fornasetti: Italian luxury home decor brand combining artisanal production (ceramics, furniture) with a distinctive artistic identity. Comparable to Stories of Italy on made-in-Italy luxury homeware positioning and designer collaborations.

Emerging players

• Bitossi Home: Italian artisanal ceramics and homeware brand with a strong Tuscan craft heritage. Adjacent peer given Stories of Italy's Ceramic & Marble Bramante collection and similar luxury home positioning.
• Marimekko: Finnish design house producing pattern-driven textiles, tableware, and home decor at a global DTC scale. Adjacent peer on direct-to-consumer premium homeware distribution and design-led storytelling.
• IVV (Industria Vetraria Valdagnese): Italian hand-blown glassmaker producing decorative tumblers, vases, and tableware. Comparable to Stories of Italy on artisanal mouth-blown Italian glass tableware, particularly tumblers and carafes.

Broad incumbents

• Lalique: French luxury crystal and glass brand with a broader portfolio spanning decorative vases, lighting, fragrance bottles, and jewelry. Comparable on premium decorative glass positioning though with a much larger global distribution footprint.
• Baccarat: Historic French crystal maker producing decorative vases, lamps, chandeliers, and tabletop barware. Overlaps with Stories of Italy on premium decorative glass and lamps, but at far greater scale with global retail and hospitality reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/stories_of_italy
• Xx.com/storiesofitaly
• Facebookfacebook.com/storiesofitaly
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stories-of-italy-s.r.l.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stories of Italy