Etro launches made-to-order campaign with animated film

Italian luxury label Etro’s recent move into made-to-order formalwear via Etro Unique is being supported with a short film by Virgilio Villoresi inspired by the new offer.

The brand recently opened its first retail space dedicated solely to men’s tailoring and personalisation services at Via Monte Napoleone 5.

The new film, called Magic Tailoring, “seamlessly blends Etro’s rich heritage and tradition with the whimsical charm of a cartoon tailoring workshop, brought to life by an animated team of zealous instruments and miniature characters”.

The company said it’s “a dreamlike and surreal realm where each jacket, a testament to uniqueness and individuality, emerges through a mesmerising and playful choreography. In this enchanting world, the art of tailoring intertwines with boundless imagination, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy”.

It’s instantly recognisable as Etro with the label’s signature patterns taking centre stage.

The company said that in making the film, Villoresi took “ an artisanal approach to cinematography. Each frame is meticulously crafted and captured, with the camera immortalising every intricate movement at a pace of 5/6 seconds per day, allowing for 15 movements per second – resulting in an immersive sequence of stop-motion animations reminiscent of the dreamlike world of classic cartoons”.

It’s an interesting — and slow — approach to film-making that underlines the craftsmanship involved in made-to-order.

That contrasts with its most recent seasonal campaign that launched in January. That one embraced the latest technology, making creative use of artificial intelligence.

Creative Director Marco De Vincenzo worked with digital artist and designer Silvia Badalotti on the campaign that has an other-worldly feel while also showing the brand’s patterns to good effect.