The newlyweds Giovanni and Alice Testa-Bazzi arrive in Engadin via the newly opened Albula Tunnel. The young family and their two-month-old son Giovanni Jr. want a new home. Giovanni seeks a livelihood as a saddler near the pass road. They settle in Silvaplana, at the foot of the Julierpass.
Testa family saddlers, ca. 1870
Giovanni Testa Jr. and Irene Caretoni with their two children Plinio and Irene (Cicci)
1906
The family relocates from Silvaplana to St. Moritz. Giovanni Testa Senior is a highly respected saddler at Conrad and Mathis wage-drawn carriages. There is no shortage of work for the saddle maker during the great era of wage-drawn carriages in St. Moritz with hundreds of horses. People and goods are transported along the pass roads; dishes, saddles and leather goods are repaired and produced. Elegant carriages are fitted out with leather and bear witness to the saddler’s great craftsmanship. The rise of sports tourism brings more sectors including golf, alpinism, skiing, tobogganing and the need for backpacks, golf bags, ski poles and many more things.
Giovanni Testa Jr. completes his training as an upholsterer at Robert Kaufmann in St. Moritz and is hired by the Luzi Lamm company as an upholsterer and decorator. This is an important step towards founding an own business.
1926/1927
Giovanni Testa Jr. weds Irene Caretoni. The trained seamstress, who also hails from St. Moritz, is the perfect companion to work in the planned enterprise. The young couple are blessed with three children named Plinio, Renato and Irene.
A dream comes true. The couple open their own upholstering-decorating business in St. Moritz.
1928
During the winter, Giovanni, who is meanwhile a fully certified ski instructor, teaches guests in St. Moritz. To be able to offer his pupils hot tea or soup after tiring lessons, he buys land in Salastrains and builds a small blockhouse from his first savings. It is the first restaurant in Salastrains. Giovanni and Irene work here tirelessly and passionately as well.
1928 Giovanni competes in the Winter Olympics.
1929
St. Moritz Tourist Board instructs Giovanni to open the first ski school in St. Moritz.
1948
Giovanni Testa buys the Du Nord property in St. Moritz Bad. The interior decorating business with salesroom, upholstery workshop and sewing studio finds a new home on the spacious ground floor.
1952
Irene Vaucher-Testa (Cicci) joins her parents’ business and manages it successfully for 50 years.
2012
Karin Testa becomes the third generation of the family to manage the traditional business.