Pitti Uomo 91: Brunello Cucinelli
Brunello Cucinelli, the eponymous head of the Italian luxury ready-to-wear label, is a master when it comes to creating collections that bridge the gap, and blend between, the acceptable style limitations of sartorial and uber-luxe casual. Irrespective of different seasons and seldom conforming to mundane trends and fads, Brunello Cucinelli is a brand that time and again delivers collections that are impressively easy to wear. In a day and age when show seasons are filled with designers who create garments which often create clothes which are avant garde to say the least (simply Google ‘London Fashion Week Men’s AW17’, and pour a large drink), it’s always a huge relief when Brunello Cucinelli unveils his latest creations.
I would go as far as to compare Brunello Cucinelli’s collections to ‘Operation-Dynamo’. For those who aren’t erudite war historians, in June 1940 thousands of Allied troops were rescued from the beach in Dunkirk, and Brunello Cucinelli is the flotilla of rescue boats. And on that note, dynamism is also what Brunello Cucinelli’s Autumn/Winter ’17 collection is all about. Brunello Cucinelli evidently improves each season, so it should come as no surprise that we are incredibly excited about the presentation that kicks off later this morning at Pitti Uomo. We spoke to the designer’s team who revealed a few exclusive snippets ahead of the show, which offers up garments that are suitable for everyday, anytime and — depending on climate — any where.
What can we expect from your upcoming AW17 collection?
For our Autumn/Winter ’17 collection we are presenting a collection that bridges the gap between casual and sartorial. All aspects have been carefully thought out and selected to create a collection that is suitable for everyday situations; clothing that’s suitable from the work place to leisure. We like to call it the ‘Smooth Fit’ whereby comfort and elegance are perfectly combined and characterised by slightly softer and more relaxed lines. You will see a young and contemporary silhouette that has in turn, influenced the outerwear, down jackets and above all, trousers.
What has been your main source of inspiration?
We’ve been inspired by a wardrobe that is usable every single day, one which is flexible and versatile.
Have you sought out any new fabrics, incorporated any new processes of garment construction or utilised any new factories or cloth merchants?
Well, in terms of fabrics, with this collection we have paid a lot of attention to developing even finer cashmere. We have also refined our wool and have incorporated extremely soft baby cashmere. Overall, the collection offers extreme warmth, protection and of course, comfort. Our denim this collection too is a revelation - we’ve sourced it from an established Japanese manufacturer.
What element or part of the collection are you most proud of?
Definitely the tailored jacket, which we see as the protagonist of the collection. It melts the sartorial details with a modern masculine fitting. We have created a tight-fitting bust and paired it with slightly more prominent shoulders, which results in a casual and contemporary fitting. It’s a modern cut, yet it’s still very sartorial and classical at the same time.
How would you summarise the collection’s aesthetic?
We would like to define the style of this collection like “The Art of Blend”, as it mixes casual and sartorial styles.
