Reviews

Men’s – Zaddy. Brioni AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

With the sudden rise of Jeff Goldblum and Daniel Day Lewis as the new style mavericks, it’s inevitable that zaddy (read: ‘stylish daddy’) style will hit top menswear brands this season. Brioni‘s autumn-winter 2019 look-book is the best evidence for this phenomenon, starring two mature models (who as well might not be models at all) and impressively good clothes. Well, it’s Brioni – quality and tailoring are the brand’s top priorities, so it would be quite disturbing if the Italian house didn’t do garments that make your jaw actually drop. Still, the label seemed to have an identity crisis for a moment: it had three different designers in the last three years (Justin O’Shea, Brendan Mullane, Nina-Maria Nitsche) and none of them got it entirely right. Norbert Stumpfl, who used to work at Haider Ackermann’s Berluti, Kim Jones’ Louis Vuitton and Lucas Ossendrijver’s Lanvin, can’t be a wrong choice with such major stints. Problem with a house like Brioni is that it’s small in the fashion world, but big in the world of money. The designer wants to do something intriguing, noteworthy, but then, he has to deliver fifty or more classical suits and dozens of crisp white shirts per season. In his debut, Stumpfl clearly highlights that he will be loyal to Brioni’s customer base, but won’t be scared of giving the brand a twist. His elegance isn’t stiff, but comfortable and warm. Just look at all the velvets, cashmeres, suedes, and Astrakhan furs appearing in the collection. The guys look incredible wearing Norbert’s dark-brown woollen coats and leather pants. It’s not like, you’re 50 looks in and you see the same damn thing. In 33 outfits, the designer serves looks from morning till evening, straight from a zaddy‘s wardrobe. Very rich zaddy, I guess.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki. 

Men’s- So Good. Marni AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

If I had to (or rather, could!) choose one brand to wear on the daily, forever, I would instantly pick Francesco Risso‘s Marni. Maybe it’s the designer’s exquisite skill of creating the most wild colour palettes and print clashes. Or, it’s all because of the distinct silhouette the Marni boy likes to wear: XXL moleskin blazers, floor-sweeping wool pants, equally long, fringed scarves… OR, it’s Risso’s personal, arty aura that oozes in his poetic descriptions of the collections, in his way of dressing and even on his Instagram. I really don’t know. But somehow, no other menswear designer resonates to me as much as him (except for Haider Ackermann, but I’m afraid his slim-fit trousers and rockabilly vests aren’t really my sizing…). For autumn-winter 2019, the designer does wonders with knitwear, having a sweater worn underneath a cardigan, or a chunky jumper thrown over a loosely fit suit. The outerwear, kept in bold colours, is impressive too – want that leopard coat and red anorak so badly. While Marni seems to be off-the-radar with magazine editorials and, thanks God, #influencers, it’s visible that Risso’s stuff keeps selling well: new boutiques keep on opening, and all the on-line stores are stocking up with the brand every season, from the commercial pieces to the most eccentric ensembles. Glad to see Francesco being in the right place, working in his way and with his energy.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Men’s – Fire at Pitti Uomo. Y/Project AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

It’s just the beginning of 2019, and we’re already talking about a fashion week. While men’s London fashion week simply seemed to be there, somewhere in the background – with such exceptions as Charles Jeffrey Loverboy’s phenomenal spectacle – the new season takes a more interesting path in Italy, in Florence specifically. Pitti Uomo invited Y/Project, the Paris-based label nailing modern-day nonchalance, to present its collection in Tuscany’s magical capital. Glenn Martens took his guests to the Cloister Grade of Santa Maria Novella, and the result was… fire. Indeed, Martens mastered his distinct touches, like distorted proportions, too-short-here-too-long-there volumes and texture clashes to a perfection of its kind, and we know it looking at his previous collections. But the autumn-winter 2019 outing for guys (and pre-fall 2019 for women) goes darker than usual, even slightly dramatic I would say. And we’re not speaking about couture-ish embroideries and ball-gowns. No. But the way the designer tailors a trench-coat, shapes a velvet jacket or elongates a chunky knit is extremely vivid. Those garments leave and breathe! And Glenn evidently experiments with that feeling of clothes in motion. I also loved how Martens injected this flea-market edginess to his new season offering: (faux) fur stoles and floor-sweeping coats looked like stolen from your grandma, while hand-picked Persian rugs were worn as belts and scarves. The vocabulary of Y/Project grows, but  you’re well aware that it’s the same soul. Whether it’s in a off-beat, Parisian location or in one of Florence’s most exquisite churches.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Distinct. Gucci Pre-Fall 2019

| Design & Culture by Ed

While we all got used to Gucci‘s extravaganza surrounding each collection, whether it’s a cementary on fire or Jane Birkin singing mid-show, Alessandro Michele‘s pre-fall 2019 look-book is just… there. Photographed by Harmony Korine, the collection is distinctly Gucci, in a very Michele’s over-the-top manner. We’ve got floral kaftans, babooshka headscarves (thanks, Asap Rocky), richly embellished eveningwear, eccentric-chic faux-fur coats, geeky sandals, a bit of power dressing in bold fuchsia, logomania, zebra prints and lots, lots more. Shortly speaking, it’s a regular Gucci line-up.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

New Start. Bottega Veneta Pre-Fall 2019

| Design & Culture by Ed

 

So, I haven’t written about Bottega Veneta for ages. Here’s why. Tomas Maier’s vision for the brand was proper, classy. Sometimes comfy, sometimes lady-like. You always knew what to expect from him: very well-crafted, safe outings with occasional, special appearances. It seemed he’s at Bottega forever. Clearly, at one point the brand needed a stir. And here we are with Daniel Lee, British designer you surely never heard of a year ago. The moment Maier exited Bottega Veneta was just a few months after Phoebe Philo’s departure from Céline – and with a sudden gap to fill for Philophiles, Lee appeared in the right place, right time. He’s the guy who was at helm of ready-to-wear at Philo’s Céline. It seems to be clear that he should know how to design clothes suited for the Philo-loving women (and men). His debut, pre-fall 2019 presentation eventually feels very familiar to Phoebe’s presence. The collection orbited around leather (the brand is a heritage leather house) and the question of how it can be translated in a chic, modern way. The signature intrecciato technique appeared in coats and dresses, while the bags received an XXL treatment (so, so good!). Contrasting colour palette; minimal jewellery; sensual neck-lines; over-sized outerwear – it’s a stylish, elegant, yet comfortable wardrobe that’s absolutely seasonless and ageless. Menswear is impressive as well. One might say that there’s nothing overly innovative about it – but then, when was the last time you saw such a gorgoues, camel suit? I just hope that while everyone’s putting Lee into the ‘new Philo’ shelf, this won’t become a sort of curse for him. His design is close to Phoebe’s Céline, yes. But look again. It’s completely different. It’s rawer, it’s more modest, slightly Helmut Lang-ish (just see some of the 90s collections to get what I mean). I’m really, really can’t wait to see Daniel’s first runway collection – coming in March, I bet.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.