Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XVIII

2 5 7 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I F or spring/summer 2015, Brioni invites you on a trip to LA – sartorially speaking, of course. This season, a retro imagery of Los Angeles is fused with the city’s modern, multi-cultural buzz to create the relaxed sophistication of the SS 2015 collection and present a softer side of the Brioni man. Founded in Rome in 1945, Brioni is recognised as the most prestigious Italian luxury menswear couture house − an authority on masculine elegance. Throughout its history Brioni has been, and remains today, a point of reference for the entertainment, institutional and business worlds in Italy and abroad, followed by a loyal clientele of Hollywood personalities, heads of state and business leaders. For gentlemen everywhere, Brioni is the true essence of style. The house’s rich archives continue to inspire Creative Director Brendan Mullane, whose collection takes its cue from Brioni’s American style conquests in the 1950s. Old photos of Hollywood icons such as Richard Burton, Henry FondaandCaryGrant,snappedduringBrionifittings,sparked the connection with Los Angeles, the pulsating heart of the entertainment industry and a fertile hub for art, culture and media. At the time, Brioni made headlines with its ‘columnar look – a statuesquely elongated silhouette featuring tapered trousers thatwentagainstthemainstreammen’sfashionoftheday.It’s alookthathasbeenreinventedthisseasontoprecisely-tailored modern effect, counterpointed by a new silhouette featuring clean boxy tops or jackets over soft wide pants, a sensual elegance that is constructed but never constrictive. Los Angeles, a city that from dawn to dusk is soaked in a saturated warm light, casts its rays over Brioni’s sartorial tradition and Italian heritage, setting off an exuberant yet sophisticated colour palette of beetroot red, ocean and Capri blues,palmandmintgreens,carnationred,turquoiseandlight blue. Shades blossom to artistic glory thanks to the collaboration between Brioni and LA-based artist James Welling, whose signaturefloralpatternswereelaboratelyrevisited,studiedand meticulously transposed onto Brioni cashmere/silk suits, tissue-thin silk shirts and zipped blousons, in both bright accents or painterly nuances. True bespoke artworks that furtherdisplayBrioni’sandBrendanMullane’slong-standing quest to innovate and experiment. Sportsjackets,varsity-inspiredstyles,fittedknittedpoloshirts, cropped pants and Bermuda shorts are mixed-and-matched to create strong combinations of contrasting patterns. Super lightweightparachutesilks,traditionalPrince-of-Waleschecks, houndstooth plaids and herringbone weaves are either over- dyed with bold colours or feature hand overstitched chequeredmotifs that add a 3D texture. The looks are rounded out by an array of roomy bags in combinationsofhand-wovendoublesilkjacquards,suedeand calfskin where the added value is once again a houndstooth overstitch, while the footwear front is ruled by cross-over sandals, fringed or tasselled loafers and light-weight double- monkshoeswithaGoodyearconstructionandwedgedhand- sculptedmicrofibre inner sole. At the presentation, the American artist Collier Schorr captured the stolenmoments of the Brioni man’s life, which servedasanetherealbackdropforthefloatingreallifemodels. More than a mere backdrop, Schorr’s montage captured the spiritofBrioni’sappealtoitscustomer.ItwastheLosAngeles dreamcome to life – an enthrallingmixture of moody 1950s filmnoir and exuberant modern-day LA. Andwiththisunabashedlyretroyetutterlymoderncollection, Mullane proves he canprovide a fresh take onBrioni’s fabled history.