MILAN, ITALY — Tod’s chief creative officer Matteo Tamburini knows a thing or two about flattering the ins and outs of a man’s figure with winsome cutting, although he sometimes spreads a modest infusion of ideas across a whole gamut of clothes. But in a season full of me-too collections – seemingly telegraphed to a teenage constituency – his strong sense of (artsy) self was refreshing.
And who else but an Italian designer would be so comfortable making slouchy separates with a focus on newness to please a clientele accustomed to tradition? Tamburini can normally be relied upon to deliver chic, accessible clothes with an understated edge.
This season, however, the designer aimed for a slightly wackier look, with decidedly mixed results. Individual pieces worked just fine: a couple of streamlined jackets spoke of casual cool, while a shirt with slender lines and lightweight fabrications looked great when worn. For added focus, there were subtle layers and little-to-no provocation, which delivered a pleasing statement for next spring.
“There’s a general direction toward everyday clothing, especially a return to things and images that accompany you in daily life,” Tamburini told reporters during a preview. “There’s a focus on lightness, softness, and on something that accompanies you. The idea was to work on a typical Italian wardrobe, and what gave us the cue to start working on the collection was a project curated by Luigi Ghirri in 1984, titled Viaggio in Italia (Journey in Italy).”
It was an exhibition in which Ghirri gathered some of the greatest photographers of the moment, asking them to represent Italy – not the postcard version, but the real Italy, linked to everyday life. The entire project later became a book bearing the same title as the exhibition.
“This was the key takeaway of the collection: translating the idea of a wardrobe based on a specific style while at the same time trying to avoid a nostalgic approach.”
Now, with fashion’s mood swinging in distinctly different directions—and because the label’s timeless classics have become overly familiar amid the wave of Italian designers—several of Tamburini’s pieces had verve to spare. Chief among them were ultra-light, double-layered wool garments, all hand-stitched and typically used for more classic pieces such as coats.
“In this case, instead, we wanted to translate it into objects more closely linked to sportswear,” Tamburini explained. Rounding out the equation were pullovers and zipped hoodies, which epitomised a strong nod to form.
“Cashmere is a topic that returns season after season,” said Tamburini. “In this case, we wanted to work with shapes that are very classic and iconic, but translate them into something lighter, bringing them closer to the body, which becomes the pinnacle of this collection.”
by Chidozie Obasi