Canali marks 90 years of tailoring with a heritage-inspired capsule collection
Giacomo and Giovanni
Canali was founded in 1934 by brothers Giovanni and Giacomo Canali, each bringing their expertise to the table – Giovanni as a fabric magnate and Giacomo as a master tailor. By the 1950s, the brand’s ownership transitioned to the second generation of the Canali family, cementing its reputation as a cornerstone of Italian menswear. In the 1970s, Canali became the first Italian tailoring brand to introduce mechanised cutting machines, marrying tradition with innovation. By the 1980s, its reach was global, with half of its sales coming from international markets.
Now with 90 years under its belt, Canali is in its third generation and has continued as a pioneer of Italian luxury for men, bringing tailor-made craft, artisanal techniques and comfort to the modern wearer. The design and manufacturing group has five production locations in Italy and more than 1,500 employees over the world. What’s more is there are 190 boutiques and the brand can be found in 1000 retail stores in more than 100 countries worldwide. “Good manners and kindness are two words that occupy a special place in Canali’s history. They have always reflected an essential trait of our family, an unostentatious way of showing interest and passion for what we do and the story we tell,” writes Stefano Canali, president & CEO of Canali, on the brand’s website.
To say that Canali has a rich heritage would be an understatement. The brand’s distinct aesthetic is immediately recognisable: sharp tailoring and luxurious fabrics are easily spotted amongst the masses. Not to mention the soft-shouldered jackets, perfectly balanced proportions and classy blend of formal and contemporary garments that it has become well-known and loved for. Canali’s collections often feature neutral palettes and patterns like pintrips and checks, excluding a quiet confidence that speaks to the brand’s Italian heritage and focus on the future.
In celebration of nearly a century in the business, Canali has launched its anniversary capsule collection featuring two of its most cherished garments: the overcoat – i.e. the piece that’s at the core of the company – and the suit. The brand has also updated its logo to feature a swan, which is better known as a ‘waterproof animal’ due to the fact its feathers remain dry while going for a swim. The swan is fittingly pictured holding a waterproof overcoat in its beak, which represents the themes of “grace, loyalty, spiritual growth and transformation”, as stated in the brands press release about the launch. The team have placed the swan logo on the custom labels inside the garments, as a nod to “inner beauty”, which guides the ethos of Canali.
Among the overcoats and suits are knit cardigans, cashmere zip-up hoodies and drawstring trousers. All of which encompass the signature silhouette of Canali, where soft lines meet artisanal tailoring. Internal shoulder straps and detachable linings also bring an element of functionality to an otherwise sharp and formal aesthetic, while the footwear in the collection feature snazzy removable fringes and leather accessories with textile inserts. The colour scheme features a typical medley of greys alongside Brianza green, which is a quintessential shade from Canali’s history – and also nods back to the timeless style of the 1930s. The Prince of Wales check is also reworked into the Canali aesthetic, while a chevron pinstripe gives a tactility and texture to the garments.
The materials have long played a key character in the tale of Canali and the garments it produces. For this collection, worsted wools and lighter versions of archive materials have been applied to each piece, from the suits to the waterproof membrane of the overcoats, as well as the bags and footwear. Meanwhile, the hoodies are all composed of cashmere or cashmere-silk blends. The pièce de résistance, however, is a subtle but poignant detail inside each garment: a Cimosa (selvedge) inscribed with “Canali 90th,” like a penned signature – a subtle reminder of Canali’s enduring legacy.
From a well-used Ercol chair to her daily wake-up call with a Braun alarm clock, the British designer talks to Port about the ten things that inspire her
Illustrations by Pablo Delcan
1. Ercol Chair, designed by Lucian Ercolani, 1956
Lucian Ercolani set up the Ercol factory in 1920 in Britain’s traditional furniture-making district near High Wycombe. He designed a number of chairs in the 1950s that are still in production. “This was the first chair I owned. It’s very special to me. My mother gave it to me when I was a student. When I started making shirts in my flat, Doris my machinist used it while she was sewing buttons on. It still has the marks made by the ties she used to secure the cushion that she made for it.”
2. Anglepoise 1227 Desk Lamp, designed by George Carwardine, 1931
“I have always lived with an Anglepoise. My parents had one, and I have still got it, with the original square base.”
3. LC4 Chaise Longue, designed by Le Corbusier, Charlotte Perriand, and Pierre Jeanneret for Le Corbusier, 1928
“I would love to have met Charlotte Perriand. I know I’d have liked her. There is a famous photograph of her in the mountains and snow, with her back to the camera, her arms high in the air, wearing only a pair of trousers and a necklace. It’s the kind of feeling I get when I am at my house in Suffolk and enter the North Sea. It’s where I have my chaise lounge. I sit on it last thing at night.”
4. Leonardo Table, manufactured by Zanotta, designed by Achille Castiglioni, 1969
“After I left Goldsmiths, it became clear that I wasn’t going to be a painter, and I started to make shirts at home. I sold them in Joseph Ettedgui’s shop, who was a designer and retailer. He was very instrumental and generous, and he allowed me to put my label on the shirts. I had the Zanotta table at home and used it for pattern cutting. It was so useful because you could raise and lower it as needed. Now we have lots of them in the design studio.”
5. E-1027 House at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, designed by Eileen Gray for her own use, completed in 1929
“I loved the house when I went to see it. The guide showed our group a side table Eileen Gray had designed and asked us why we thought the surface was made of cork. I knew immediately that it was so it wouldn’t make a loud noise when she put a glass down on it. Her designs are so practical.”
6. S33 Tubular Steel Cantilever Chair, designed by Mart Stam, 1926
After a protracted lawsuit over copyright to decide if it was Stam or Marcel Breuer who originated the Cantilever Chair, the court decided in Stam’s favour. “I have this at home. It sits in the corner, but it often goes out on photoshoots for models to sit on.”
7. Church of Santa Maria Assunta, Riola di Vergato, near Bologna, designed by Alvar Aalto, 1965
Construction began in 1975, the year of Aalto’s death. The campanile was completed in 1993. “I went to see this church, designed by Alvar Aalto, with my daughter. It was a kind of pilgrimage. The church is wonderful; instead of a spire, it has a tower made of concrete blocks. Inside, all of the light comes through the roof; it’s so bright and lovely. At the end of our visit, the heavens opened and it teemed with rain, with water gushing down over the church. We were lucky; somebody took pity on us and drove us back to the station to catch our train.”
8. Braun AB1 Alarm Clock, designed by Dietrich Lubs and Dieter Rams, 1987
“It wakes me up every morning.”
9. Polyprop Chair, manufactured by Hille, designed by Robin Day, 1963
Britain’s universal low-cost chair, with an estimated 50 million sold. “Mine is a tan colour with chrome legs. Because it’s light, I take it into the garden.”
10. Alveston Stainless Steel Cutlery, designed by Robert Welch, 196. Made in Sheffield by Harrison Fisher and Co, distributed by Old Hall Tableware “If things are made well, and the materials are good, they work for you. I like holding this cutlery, even when I am washing up.”
Charting his rise from a rebellious dreamer to a global trendsetter, a new retrospective at Triennale Milano presents the life and impact of Elio Fiorucci, featuring archival objects, neon-lit installations, innovative clothing and collaborations with icons like Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Madonna
Elio Fiorucci alla sua scrivania, 1995. Foto Marco Maria Lussoso. Courtesy of Love Therapy Archive
Everyone has a memory of Fiorucci. It could be the clothes – the spandex leotards, leopard print, infamous cherub logo tee or stretchy denim jeans so tight they’re like a second pair of skin. It could also be the quirky gadgets, makeup, furniture, books or iconography; the pop art posters, gnome stools, angel tins and pencil cases. All of which were (and still are) sold in the infamous store in Galleria Passarella, Milan, where the thumping baseline of disco music and neon lights teased those passing by to take a peak, the unmissable scent of perfume luring them in like a spell.
It was more than just shop, it was an experience – a cultural mecca where people could come together to revel in the rebellious energy that its founder Elio Fiorucci brought to Italy, and then the world.
Elio Fiorucci opened his flagship store in Milan after a trip to London during the mid-60s, in which he became inspired by British designers such as Mary Quant, an instrumental figure in Mod and youth movements, as well as Swinging Sixties culture. Upon his return to Milan, he was determined to inject the same energy into Italian fashion, setting up what would be the antithesis to the political upheaval of the time (there was a wave of far-left and far-right political terrorism and violent clashes).
His knack for curating trends quickly evolved into a hub for those looking for something daringly different. He was a ‘trend setter’ before the term was even coined, bringing tight-fitting denim and graphic t-shirts into the mainstream, and ultimately turning his customers into walking pieces of art.
Grafica Fiorucci, Courtesy Fiorucci / Fiorucci graphic, Courtesy of Fiorucci
By the late-70s, Fiorucci had become a global hit, with stores opening in London, Tokyo and New York – the US scene often describing the East 59th Street post as a “daytime Studio 54” for the same rebellious buzz that it brought, most notably in the parties and clientele that it attracted – Madonna and Cher to name a few. He collaborated with artists like Andy Warhol and Keith Haring, and his reputation as both an innovator and a brand quickly solidified. And despite financial challenges and changing tastes in the late 80s, which ultimately led to the closure of US locations, Fiorucci pushed through and evolved into the brand that we all know and love today, setting pace for a globalised fashion scene and the introduction of underground trends to the market: thongs from Brazil, Afghan coats, camouflage prints and the invention of the famed stretch jeans. Even after Fiorucci’s passing in 2015, the brand continued his legacy with a new store opening in London’s Brewer Street in 2017, and a Rizzoli published book celebrating 50 years of Fiorucci.
The energy of Fiorucci – the lively, often outrageous and contagious spirit – is mirrored in the most extensive retrospective of Fiorucci to date, held at Milan’s Triennale Milano and running until 16 March 2025. Curated by Judith Clark and with exhibition design by Fabio Cherstich, the exhibition surveys his life, vision and influence through his personal archives, as well as a series of never-heard-before audio recordings, graphics and suitably bright neon light fittings. As Stefano Boeri, president of Triennale Milano, says: “We wanted to fill, right here, where the Fiorucci phenomenon was born and exploded, the void of a formidable amnesia. Milan, thanks to Fiorucci, has in fact been for at least two decades one of the magnets of the most advanced ideas in international youth culture and the cradle of the most fertile and daring contaminations not only between fashion, design, visual art and advertising, but also between culture and commerce. By invading the dark Milan of the 1970s with colours and shapes and then exporting his chromatic comet to the world, Elio Fiorucci gave his city the gift of primacy in international creativity.”
Chronological in sequence, the exhibition recounts a biographical tale of how Fiorucci became the indomitable Fiorucci – “You enter into his brain,” says Marco Sammicheli, director of Museo del Design Italiano, and curator of design, fashion and crafts at Triennale Milano. “It’s a movie.” Upon entering the space, the show opens up with a replica of the classroom, where a window cut-out provides a peephole view to the rest of the exhibition. It’s known that, during Fiorucci’s childhood, he was a rebellious daydreamer, often peering out the window at school. As Cherstich says, “Fiorucci was a distracted child who was looking out the window. My choice was to stage a school room with a window that looks outside; Fiorucci is looking out to his entire life of shop windows, travel, the world.”
The exhibition continues to unravel in various layers, revealing stories about Fiorucci’s journey to becoming a retail giant and trendsetter of a generation – and more. Cherstich worked closely with Clark to create “an order” out of the “plethora of items” on display, which becomes particularly rife in the second chapter of the show. The third segment is devoured in graphic details and objects from the flagship shop, “to create a playful and happy atmosphere”, just like the store would have done for many of its visitors over the years. Peppered throughout the exhibition are archival pieces such as polaroids from Maripol – depicting figures like Warhol at various parties – and life-sized installations, videos, architectural models, various works of art and, of course, clothing. A large-scale sculpture by Alessandro Mendini is also seen alongside a pair of glittery gold cowboy boots, and texts from key figures in his life and press snippets that revive personal narratives and tales of the brand.
One such story is from Gian Luigi Paracchini, who recounted the historical store launch in Corriere della Sera (21 July 2015): “It is rare for a store opening to become a memorable event. However, a lot of people can remember Wednesday, 31 May 1967, when Fiorucci opened his first shop in Galleria Passarella in the heart of Milan. And not just because, at one point, Adriano Celentano showed up in the young crowd with the ‘kids’ from his gang, in a pastel pink Cadillac straight out of Hollywood, from Sunset Boulevard. But also because, from that day on, under the Fiorucci banner, Milan embarked upon a new technicolour life and style experience. […] ‘Let’s meet in front of Fiorucci!’ It became the trendy spot for teenagers to hang out, and not just to shop: music blasting at full volume, light shows, special effects, and almost three-dimensional neon installations, previously only found in nightclubs or at Pink Floyd concerts.”
It’s these very memories that make the Fiorucci exhibition so vital in the preservation of his legacy. “Memory is a central theme in this exhibition,” says Clark. “We’re in Milan, a city that remembers Fiorucci for transforming shops, expanding and evolving spaces, and changing how people connected. His shop was a city landmark; people met there at various times. Even if they didn’t necessarily wear his clothes or his tight jeans, they still knew about the shop. Curating an exhibition in a city that holds so many memories of the person on display is challenging.
The other memory is Elio Fiorucci himself, remembering his own life. The soundtrack of that is in the space and part of the show. It’s also him as an 80 year old man looking back at his own life.
Then there are my memories as a child, buying the pencil case and having the t-shirt. There’s an immediacy of the responsibility of exhibiting someone who was a giant figure growing up. When he was at the peak of Fiorucci, I was a teenager and coming of age. So that is really important in terms of responsibility. And the other thing is to not take away from an exhibition that aims to be didactic; to not take away the fun, given that fun was one of his key attributes. We were always balancing out what we could do that was so-called scientific, and what was actually putting back some of the energy and the attitude into the show with this responsibility.”
Head here to read the full interview with Clark on our sister magazine, Anima, where she shares her own personal stories of Fiorucci, the key pieces to look out for in the exhibition, and the influence the brand will have on generations to come.
Mercedes-Benz, Moncler and NIGO reimagine the iconic G-Class
The Mercedes-Benz x Moncler by NIGO collaboration presents the art piece “Project Mercedes-Benz G-Class Past II Future”. Image by Thibaut Grevet for Mercedes-Benz
Since its inception in 1979, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, also known as the G-Wagen (short for Geländewagen, or “terrain vehicle” in German), has become a recognisable name in the automotive world. It was originally designed as a rugged, military-grade off-roader, with a noticeably boxy, utilitarian design that reflected its origins in German military and government use.
Yet despite its successful evolution in the contemporary luxury space over the years, the G-Class has managed to retain its signature off-road aesthetic and technicalities. Such is the case with a new collaboration between Mercedes-Benz and Moncler – an Italian brand known for its jackets, clothing and quilting – who has partnered with NIGO, artistic director of Kenzo and creative director of Human Made. The result of such a partnership is Project G-Class Past II Future, which features a new brand campaign and art piece, a limited-edition G-Class and capsule fashion collection, which debuted at the City of Genius event in Shanghai.
The Mercedes-Benz x Moncler by NIGO collaboration presents the art piece “Project Mercedes-Benz G-Class Past II Future”. Image by Thibaut Grevet for Mercedes-Benz
The art piece – titled Project G-Class Past II Future – is based on the iconic 1990s G-Class model, yet its previously aesthetic has been sprinkled with new design elements created by NIGO. One key detail is in the pairing of Moncler’s signature padded textures and Mercedes-Benz’s rugged, angular design cues, fusing a retro-futuristic aesthetic with the gritty energy of 90s street culture. Following in the footsteps of PROJECT MONGO G, launched at Moncler’s The Art of Genius show in London February 2023, this is the second art piece created by NIGO for Mercedes-Benz and Moncler.
Additionally, the release features a refreshed new model with a limited run of 20 cars inspired by the art piece. The G-Class is renowned for its robust ladder frame, three locking differentials and impressive ground clearance, meaning it’s extremely capable in handling off-road duties and extreme conditions, from rocky mountain trails to deep snow. Now, the G-Class has been updated with Mercedes-Benz’s latest technology, including advanced suspension and safety features, allowing it to keep up with more modern SUVs when it comes to performance and adhering to the luxury market.
The Mercedes-Benz x Moncler by NIGO collaboration presents the art piece “Project Mercedes-Benz G-Class Past II Future”. Image by Thibaut Grevet for Mercedes-Benz
This new G-Class model retains iconic G-Class elements – such as the rear-mounted spare wheel and foldable windscreen – and has been peppered with additional touches like black steel wheels and a bold gold-coloured fuel can. Devon Turnbull, who’s known for immersive audio installations, has created a custom sound system, incorporating “boom boxes” which are mounted on the convertible (and removable) top linkage.
The gender-neutral fashion collection incorporates 90s influences with street style elements. Following the City of Genius show preview, a capsule collection will be available for purchase starting in April 2025. Image by Thibaut Grevet for Mercedes-Benz
In parallel, Moncler and Mercedes-Benz presented a capsule fashion collection in Shanghai as part of the release, which is set for a global launch in April 2025. This gender-neutral collection incorporates 90s essentials like souvenir jackets, hoodies and checked shirts, all of which feature the signature puffed design from Moncler and Mercedes-Benz’s modern brand motifs, in a colour palette of classic blacks, greens and blues with pops of orange. What’s more, the campaign’s ‘Past Forward’ theme, captured by photographer Thibaut Grevet, imagines a cityscape where the aesthetics of past and future coexist, represented through the metallic backdrops and industrial tones.
The gender-neutral fashion collection incorporates 90s influences with street style elements. Following the City of Genius show preview, a capsule collection will be available for purchase starting in April 2025
In short, this Moncler-Mercedes-Benz-NIGO collaboration signals a broader movement in luxury automotive design – one that cherishes the past without losing sight of innovation.
“NIGO’s immense creative talent and our co-creation with Moncler are taking us into an exciting urban setting,” says Bettina Fetzer, vice president communications and marketing Mercedes-Benz AG. “The Mercedes-Benz G-Class Past II Future is a very special new ‘twist’ on our icon. This limited edition is a fresh take on 90s style and the character that’s made the G-Class a timeless favourite. Going from inspiring art to engaging products marks an important step in our creative cooperation and offers a new brand experience captured by the zeitgeist.”
The Mercedes-Benz x Moncler by NIGO collaboration presents the art piece “Project Mercedes-Benz G-Class Past II Future”. Image by Thibaut Grevet for Mercedes-BenzThe Mercedes-Benz x Moncler by NIGO collaboration presents the art piece “Project Mercedes-Benz G-Class Past II Future”. Image by Thibaut Grevet for Mercedes-BenzThe Mercedes-Benz x Moncler by NIGO collaboration presents the art piece “Project Mercedes-Benz G-Class Past II Future”. Image by Thibaut Grevet for Mercedes-Benz
The Mercedes-Benz x Moncler by NIGO collaboration presents the art piece “Project Mercedes-Benz G-Class Past II Future”. Image by Thibaut Grevet for Mercedes-Benz
The Mercedes-Benz x Moncler by NIGO collaboration presents the art piece “Project Mercedes-Benz G-Class Past II Future”. Image by Thibaut Grevet for Mercedes-BenzThe gender-neutral fashion collection incorporates 90s influences with street style elements. Following the City of Genius show preview, a capsule collection will be available for purchase starting in April 2025. Image by Thibaut Grevet for Mercedes-BenzThe gender-neutral fashion collection incorporates 90s influences with street style elements. Following the City of Genius show preview, a capsule collection will be available for purchase starting in April 2025. Image by Thibaut Grevet for Mercedes-Benz
Top vintage Prada from Bajo Bajo, trousers Emporio Armani, socks Givenchy, shoes & earrings stylist’s ownBlazer Paul Smith, top Pillow Prince, trousers Tod’s, shoes Tod’s, bangle stylist’s ownLeather smock, Emporio Armani, shirt Saint Laurent, tie Saint Laurent, trousers CanaliJacket Brioni, shirt stylist’s own, tie Giorgio Armani, trousers Brioni, fabric stylist’s ownShirt Tod’s, tank top Tod’s, trousers Loewe, shoes DiorShirt Tod’s, suit Kiko KostadinovJumper Loro Piana, trousers Loro Piana, neck piece Pietro Fiori, belt Kiko Kostadinov, shoes Saint LaurentDress Miu Miu, boots Hon Konthorn, earrings Bottega VenetaTop & Shorts Dior, belt Givenchy, socks Dior, shoes Hamish Small customised with Emporio Armani leather strapSuit Giorgio Armani, shirt Givenchy, shoes Emporio ArmaniJacket Hermes, dress Stefan Cooke, trousers Hermes, shoes Loro Piana, hat Loro LianaJacket Givenchy, shorts & jewellery stylist’s ownJacket Kate & Alison, trousers Hamish Small, shoes Loro Piana, socks stylist’s own
Photography and styling Myles Mansfield, all clothing Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani Aw24 La Prima BagGiorgio Armani Fall 2010 Shoes and BagGiorgio Armani square sunglasses, Giorgio Armani Fall 2010 hatGiorgio Armani AW24 velvet hat, Giorgio Armani AW24 double-breasted waistcoat in velvetGiorgio Armani Fall 2010 jacketGiorgio Armani AW24 zipped cardigan in cashmere Giorgio Armani round sunglassesGiorgio Armani AW24 suede blazer Giorgio Armani sunglassesGiorgio Armani AW24 Nappa-leather gloves, woven webbing and leather beltGiorgio Armani sunglassesGiorgio Armani AW24 single-breasted jacket in cotton velvet
DRESS MICHELLE DEL RIO
BRACELET CELINE BRETON
SHOES AND SOCKS STYLIST’S OWN
In Murcia, Spain, somewhere between 80 and 60 years ago, Mar Ribaudí’s grandfather needed a new pair of shoes. “His family was super poor,” the designer and eponymous founder of Maribaudi tells me, calling over the internet from her Barcelona studio. “He had to learn to make esparto shoes in order to have shoes,” she says, “which is crazy to me!”
Growing up, Ribaudí would often watch her grandfather shaping and weaving the grey-green esparto fibre, “and I wanted to learn, so he taught me”. Esparto grass and its derivatives are commonly used materials in southern Spain due to their strength and flexibility, making sandals, baskets, mats and more. “I have a hard time saying I’m a brand because for me are art pieces. Everything has research and a strong meaning and concept behind it.” A few weeks ago, she finished crafting a pair of thonged esparto shoes, the thick woven grass sole resting on a peach-toned layer of leather atop a short, stacked heel.
TOP AND HAIR CLIPS MARIBAUDI SKIRT AND JEANS STYLIST’S OWNTOP CELINE BRETON BELTS AND CERAMIC ANKLET MARIBAUDI JEANS AND SHOES STYLIST’S OWNBELT MICHELLE DEL RIO JEANS STYLIST’S OWNTOP AND JEANS MARIBAUDI
“I like to approach things in a deeply personal, sustainable way. It makes it hard to be commercial, or doable, even. But I like to use unconventional materials,” she explains, naming ceramic, wood, leather and thread as those within her current repertoire. “I like to make functional clothes too, but I really value experimentation and novelty.” Many of her materials “are just the things I find, from living my life, travelling, or things someone gives to me. Then I edit them in some way and make something new.”
I ask about how an ongoing series, titled ‘Dirty Buttons’, came to be. As it happens, Ribaudí was sourcing materials near where she lives in Igualada. “They let me go into a storeroom where they had all these buttons and zippers and things. That’s where I found all these antique buttons that had been used for a collection maybe 20 years ago. So I called the series ‘Dirty Buttons’ because that’s how I found them. And I just wanted to use them – buttons are so beautiful! They’re usually used as a functional thing but they’re also just a great embellishment.”
DRESS MICHELLE DEL RIODRESS AND BELT MARIBAUDITOP MICHELLE DEL RIO TIGHTS STYLIST’S OWNTOP MARIBAUDI SKIRT CELINE BRETON JEANS STYLIST’S OWN
Ribaudi’s emphasis on “creating things rather than selling ” is shared by French designer Céline Breton, who is equally hesitant to classify her work as that of a fashion brand. Instead, it is a “knitting investigation”, her primary interaction with labels (like the Barcelonian Paloma Wool, the London-based Yuzefi, or NYC’s Interior) being as a freelance consultant. “I call it an investigation because it’s more than just experimentation for me. I’m trying to change our conception of knitwear – it’s seen as this boring thing. That’s absolutely not the case in my opinion, because there are so many possibilities with it. There are so many material fibres you can use in knitwear that you’re not really supposed to, but that’s what makes it interesting.”
Breton, who has lived in Paris for the past year and a half, is only a little jaded about the current state of affairs in the scene. “I think it’s always very confusing for anyone who’s living in Paris: you hate it and you love it. I’m always struggling with fashion a bit. It’s the same as with Paris: I love and I hate it. But fashion for me is mostly a way to create a new philosophy, or a new way of being yourself.” While she began working in “a more fashion-y field”, she quickly moved into textiles, and was always more interested in “the texture rather than the shape” and “how the fabric interacts with the body”. With a note of mischief, she adds, “I love taking a really stretchy fibre like elastic and mixing it with something really rigid like raffia or nylon.”
BELT MICHELLE DEL RIO JEANS STYLIST’S OWNDRESS MICHELLE DEL RIOBELTS MARIBAUDI TOP CELINE BRETONTOP AND JEANS MARIBAUDI
What’s important to Breton – who primarily works with deadstock yarn sourced from Italy – is to be “surprised by the fabric, and what’s going on with the machine”. “I try not to be too one track-minded about what I want to do. I’m working in a really naive, sensitive way,” she says, “it’s all exploring and reacting depending on the results. I’m not really thinking about the market.” Perhaps it is wisest to embark on sartorial ventures in this manner, with the scorched earth of a briefly-functional economy kept firmly in hindsight. For California-born designer Michelle Del Rio, even the most cursory interactions with commercial fashion can prove toxic. “I don’t look at what’s trending or on the runway because I don’t want to populate my mind with these things. There is this constant newness, and that’s not fashion to me, because something that has longevity. Something that’s well-made and takes time to make.”
Del Rio is currently based in Ireland, in the middle of a cross-continental move from New York to Paris. Though she’d felt a desire to make clothes for as long as she can remember, she says, “I only learned how to sew four years ago.” Del Rio began her career working at an AllSaints store. This was where she encountered local fashion students: people who “knew what Celine was and who Phoebe Philo is! I had no idea; I was like 21 and I didn’t grow up in that world. But it inspired me to do more research and go back to school to do a fashion degree. Other than that, I’m pretty much self-taught. I don’t have a background in advanced pattern making or anything.”
DRESS AND BELT MARIBAUDIBELT MICHELLE DEL RIO JEANS STYLIST’S OWNTOP MARIBAUDI JEANS AND SKIRT STYLIST’S OWNDRESS AND BELT MARIBAUDI
She confesses: “I’m not really that invested in the world of fashion at all – I just like to make clothes. I don’t understand how other independent designers can make 10- or 12-piece collections every six months. That’s so much money. I’m a self-funded brand, so it might be different for others, and not to disrespect anyone, but I just feel like that’s such a waste of clothes. It just seems like too much.”
Drawing on her heritage in Colombia, Mexico, and Spain, Del Rio’s work begins with cultural references: “Right now, it’s Wayuu pom-poms, but I’m still very into tassels. There’s this fringe cape you see in Spain right now, and you wrap it around with the fringe coming out – it’s also very prominent in Mexico and Colombia. So I’m looking at a lot of capes and hoods, like the kind my grandmother would wear to church to cover her head.”
Often, music will provide the greatest inspiration. “Tango, bolero, flamenco, bulerías: I listen to that and I can automatically see garments,” she says. “I don’t sketch. I listen to music and I just drape. Fabric comes later. It’s always shape first, and movement.” There are numerous lessons to take away from the new vanguard of slow fashion designers – about couched expectations, creative audacity, and working at pace – but perhaps this is the most important: Don’t overthink it.
