Jessica Alba enveloped in a gray cashmere coat and Xiao Zhan in head-to-toe fall-brown sitting front row at the Tod’s show embodied the brand’s ideal customer — polished, understated, sleek and, in a nutshell, well put together.
Matteo Tamburini, named creative director in December, will surely cater to those customers and they will find plenty to choose from in his debut collection. Indeed, being named lead designer at Tod’s after his experience as number two to Matthieu Blazy at Bottega Veneta, he proved to be up to the task with a lineup that was edited, focused and with a strong point of view that did not stray from the brand’s luxury image and artisanal tradition, evolving that of his predecessor, Walter Chiapponi, without entirely overturning it.
Tamburini chose Milan’s tram depot dating back to 1912 as his stage, which was in sync with a collection that exuded timeless luxury but was at the same time practical. It would be as easy to wear hopping on a tram wearing a beautiful leather trench, an oversized field jacket or a cocooning cloak trimmed in leather as it would getting out of a private plane or car. In fact, the designer’s outerwear was a standout — cue the dramatic double leather and wool masculine coat in a faded blue hue worn by Irina Shayk. Tamburini said he was attracted to the “bourgeois and industrial mix” of Milan and the “dynamism of the 1980s and 1990s.”
Knitwear was also a focus, as he renewed the classic twin set by layering cashmere or wool and silk knits over cardigans and offered vests in pastel colors made of boiled cashmere. Pants were characterized by large turn-ups and worn under a series of doubled-up men’s shirts or single-breasted tailored jackets that had a faintly Western vibe.
Tamburini played with Tod’s signature gommino pebble-soled loafers, embellishing some styles with thin leather fringe, and presented a plethora of brushed leather equestrian boots that reflected the brand’s expertise with hides. Ditto for his reinterpretation of the Di Bag with inverted handles on either side and shown in supersized volumes. A small geometric metal band reminiscent of a car’s radiator grille and a discreet T were new logos the designer discreetly introduced.
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