For Lorenzo Cifonelli, the iconic French bespoke tailor, to express that the autumn/winter collection in partnership with The Rake is his most personal to date, is quite something to comprehend. This is a genius, a man whose French couture detailing has in-the-know clientele awe-struck when they collect their commissions. There is the Cifonelli chest, the leanest in bespoke tailoring, the Cifonelli armhole, the highest in the business, and there’s Le Cigarette, the technique of shaping the sleevehead to create a soft, natural shoulder with very little padding. The precision and technical magic required to execute these tailoring idiosyncrasies is limited only to Cifonelli, which is why their impressive roster of clients has included men’s style icons Lina Ventura, Marcello Mastroianni, and Cary Grant. Having reached the zenith of bespoke tailoring, one may wonder why Lorenzo feels that a ready-to-wear collaboration is his most personal. Firstly, it goes back to Lorenzo’s urge to bring an accessibility to his signature style to the younger generation. With garments made from Loro Piana fabrics with bespoke detailing and sold at an unheard-of price point, Lorenzo’s dream was realised in this respect in the spring/summer collection. However, Lorenzo has decided to chronicle a narrative in a way that blends his love for the city of Paris with his own personal taste. By imagining a client visiting, who needs a different outfit each day, with the design onus solely on him, it has given Lorenzo the full set of ingredients to create in the way he feels. And a very large part of this inspiration comes from the romantic city of Paris, and its revered landmarks and institutions, which are very much worth exploring to give us a more intimate feel of the collection.
