A mini theme is coming to the forefront here. While Italian designers have always been big on working a Hollywood or London music reference into their collections, the pandemic has left most designers at home and hence the inspirations are strictly Azzuro. Walter Chiapponi is at the helm of the archy Italian lifestyle brand Tod’s and is subtly modernizing the codes with clothes that take cues from being under the Tuscan sun. Kean Etro dedicated his show to the late Franco Battiato, a composer of operas and political intellectual who marked Italian leftist culture.

Etro

What’s happening at the house?

Etro has been taking huge steps forward in terms of precise fashion direction lately. While in the past, the collections generally stuck to the company’s Paisley roots but would veer all over the pop cultural radar, the recent runway outings of Kean or Veronica Etro have zeroed in on a clearly defined bohemian nomad aesthetic. Clothes for people who like to travel and have the money to do so. Happy, cheerful uniforms anchored in fun tailoring and sophisticated outerwear. It speaks volumes that the house had the courage with few others in Milan to put on a live runway show held outdoor at the abandoned railway area Scalo Farini.

The clothes?

Open silk shirts, neon dyed leather pants, lots of sweater vests and color faded tailoring ramped up the joyful spirit inherent to Kean Etro’s work beautifully framed by Franco Battiato’s musical masterpiece “L’Era del Cinghiale Bianco”.

Tod’s

A brand under construction?

Chiapponi is the creative director the house never had before. Generally, Tod’s designers are supposed to make products – speak shoes or garments – which are completely in line with owner Diego Della Valle’s vision of the sophisticated Italian lifestyle. After all, Della Valle summers on Capri, keeps a yacht, collects art, used to own a football club and does a lot of things moneyed Italians do. Chiapponi made an impact by not only radically reducing the quantity of the offerings but focusing on updating the house’s classics with his eye for modern craftsmanship and a knack for 70’s shapes. It has to be said that Chiapponi has one of the best CV’s the fashion industry can offer with stints at Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Valentino and Givenchy with Tisci. Stopping by the brand’s Via Montenapoleone store, we noticed of large offering of great sneakers in cool colors, sturdy tailoring and stiff outerwear.

Making retro look fresh?

Chiapponi has great taste and a sure hand to bring back items like big pleated chinos with an 80’s vibe combined with windbreakers or going 70’s with a tailored chambray safari suit. He even works leather gommino pads on the elbows of his jackets to stay within the car shoe parameters.