Zaddy

Remember my post on Brioni’s latest collection? The ‘zaddy’ is in fashion. And for real good, according to Junya Watanabe. Stylish daddies united in the designer’s autumn-winter 2019 collection shown during Paris fashion week. Aged 40 and up, those guys looked far cooler than today’s teen ‘influencers’ (ad that’s a 19-year-old’s honest opinion, by the way). Watanabe focused on reinterpreted workwear and everyday essentials, done in his signature patchwork style. There were those grown-up, day-blazers and not-too-formal shirts, but as well a lot of cropped silhouettes (like one of the corduroy pants) and, oh my, yes, Breton-stripe tops. All that topped with those very well-nurtured beards. Junya called the entire line-up ‘silver swagger’. Jokes aside, but ageism is a problem in modelling across all genders – so seeing an entire collection worn by mature men, who aren’t necessarily professional models, is refreshing. Into this.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

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.