IF ANYONE means business this season it’s Walter Chiapponi. Synonymous for his refined vision of Tod’s, the creative director has chosen to look deeper into his Italian aesthetic for autumn-winter 2022 through examining the roots of culture and tradition.
Titled Italian Beauty, the show looked at converging masculine tailoring with feminine staples, transforming classic pieces into updated, more contemporary versions of themselves echoing the Tod’s aesthetic.
Hints of sportswear are morphed into more high fashion forms of themselves, as volumes are increased and material combinations reflect the savoir-faire of the brand’s ateliers, with trench coats and bomber jackets returning with quilted nubuck, padded leather and shearling like jersey.
Off-the-body hand-knitted fringed thick wool capes uplift and elevate looks giving a subtle nod to his younger audience with this more Californian take – a definite purchase for those spending their winter evenings on breezy beaches abroad.
More casual offerings are seen this season with the creative director beginning to walk between the lines of fashion stereotypes with formal skirts becoming bermuda shorts and trousers arriving slouchier, and less form-fitted on the legs, promoting an interesting dialogue between the women’s and menswear side of the brand.
Looking beyond the more urban side to the AW22 collection, strict rigour is seen in the tailoring as a parade of Tod’s uniformed suits in a palette of blue, black and caramel instantly became symbols of where heritage and modern lifestyle meet.
As the collection continued to uncover, it is clear that Chiapponi’s vision of next season’s wardrobe is soaked in elegance and simplicity elongating the body and cinching the waist with his softly structured fits proving that there is a sensual side to tailoring.
Staying clear of any unnecessary gimmicks or accessories seems fitting for this designer, but against the backdrop of what is happening right now on the news, the lack of bells and whistles has never been more apt.
And though the future is unclear beyond the runway, what is for sure is that maybe next season is about refraining from the unnecessary and really looking at what we need.
by Imogen Clark