Luca Faloni’s latest campaign invokes the stylish spirit of Turin
The brand’s AW21 collection takes its inspiration from the abstract concept of ‘Torinese’. From fine-knit sweaters to chunky cardigans, we take a look…
Words: Jonathan Wells
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Torinese — it’s a word that rolls off the tongue like a creamy affogato, or a mid-afternoon aperitivo. It’s four syllables of passionate Italian craftsmanship, softly lilting style and cool ‘sprezzatura’. It means, if you hadn’t already guessed, ‘characteristic of Turin’. And it’s the theme of Luca Faloni’s autumn/winter campaign.
It also takes Luca Faloni home. The man behind the brand was born in the northern Italian city, and started his clothing company as a love letter to Turin; a postcard to ‘little Paris’ that addressed its time-honoured tradition for artisan tailoring. It was only when he moved out of Italy, Faloni previously revealed to Gentleman’s Journal, that he discovered how lucky he’d been to grow up with the fine fashions of the Piedmont region.
And that’s why the designer’s latest autumn/winter campaign, a homecoming of sorts, takes its inspiration from the city’s stylish streets.
The campaign is intended to invoke the brand’s regional roots; to stitch the local savoir-faire into every flawless seam. “Discover elegant tree-lined boulevards and baroque cafés with classic designs,” says the brand — revealing that the new pieces were made to step you from days on the continental café scene to slick evening events with elegance and ease.
It’s a transitional collection; across both seasons and dress codes. From the ‘Chunky Knit Cashmere Cardigan’ above to the ‘Pure Cashmere Polo’ below, these are layering pieces made for the modern man; crafted to last a lifetime whether you’re working behind your desk or standing in front of the bar.
Luca Faloni puts craftsmanship firmly first when creating his collections — and the ‘Torinese’ AW21 range is no different. Whether it’s utilising luxurious two-ply cashmere from Cariaggi, premium cloth from the renowned Albini mill or durable medium-weight ‘doppio ritorto’ fabric, every piece you pull over, button up or zip closed is created with a uniquely Italian eye for quality.
Which brings us back to Turin. The capital of the Piedmont region is often described as ‘esotérica, meaning rarefied or recherché. And there’s an element of that enigmatic approach to Luca Faloni’s designs. These are clothes clearly of the superior sort; but they never flash their fashion credentials or broadcast their cleverly engineered features.
Take the collars of brand’s simple, sophisticated shirts for example. The signature ‘paramontura’ pattern has become a hallmark of Luca Faloni’s button-ups; an innovative one-piece design where the interlining flows continuously from the collar points to the shirt’s body. It’s a beautiful bit of tailoring — but one deployed without any bravado or braggadocio.
The knitwear tells a similarly understated story. Despite offering some of the finest sweaters and cardigans on the modern menswear market — the ‘Chunky Cashmere Mock Neck’ above is impossibly soft, and rib-knitted throughout for a chunkier handle — the brand isn’t know for boasting about its superior credentials. Instead, to Luca Faloni, this is simply knitwear as it should be; created the ‘Torinese’ way.
Even the more detailed, distinctive pieces — such as the ‘Cashmere Cable Knit Sweater’ above — have restrained ‘sprezzatura’ stitched into their well-woven designs. Colours from ‘Nocciola Brown’ to ‘Dolomiti Grey’ are so neutral and versatile that they’ll pair with almost anything else in your autumn-winter wardrobe — while still appearing effortless and elegant.
And this is the overarching spirit of the brand’s range; very much in the ‘Torinese’ tradition. It’s a knack for nonchalance, and a talent for creating outfits that work well together without the need to try too hard. In autumn, we have the perfect opportunity to try mixing, matching and layering. And, in Luca Faloni’s timeless collection, we have the perfect clothes with which to do it.
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