Simply Abu Dhabi XXIX

MEN’S FASHION Vibrant and striking, men’s Spring/Summer collections combine Italian craftsmanship with contemporary visions of the world. DUCA SARTORIA M ax Girombelli, founder of Duca Sartoria, and part of the third generation of a family of talented tailors, recently launched his new collection of jackets called, “International Jackets”, that celebrate the personality and culture of some of the most beautiful cities around the world. Girombelli’s tour around the world starts with Dubai. “Dubai is the centre and hub of the new world. I fell in love with this dynamic and beautiful city ever since I landed there the first time eight years ago. It is my pleasure and honour to make the ‘Dubai Jacket’ as a tribute to the place that I’m proud to call my second home,” Girombelli says. This jacket is characterised by the warm sand tone that reminds one of the Arabian desert. Inside there are four pockets closed by buttons and enriched by a lining that depicts the world’s map, something typical of all the Duca Sartoria jackets. On the back of the Dubai jacket there is an embroidery of the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai skyline, while #mydubai, the most used hashtag in the city, can be read on the under-collar. The jackets are rigorously custom-made, meaning each piece is unique. In fact, the jacket is created on the client’s silhouette and shape preferences, and subsequently hand-stitched. Special requests for the customisable elements include the personal choice of buttons, embroidery and features, plus bespoke interior pockets based on individual needs are also possible— because made to measure has no limits! ERMENEGILDOZEGNACOUTURE A few months ago, Alessandro Sartori, former Creative Director of Berluti, was named Artistic Director of Ermenegildo Zegna Couture and Z Zegna. His debut collection is Spring/Summer 2018. Sartori has been inspired by the contrasts between innocence and sensual masculinity, exploring conscious and subconscious fantasies. To express these feelings, Sartori has imagined and reproduced the historic courtyards of the Università Statale in Milan—a futuristic garden in which a labyrinth of aesthetic compositions is recreated in a fanciful space. “To design a forward-looking men’s fashion wardrobe built around fluidity, freshness and colour, but enriched by the possibility of adding your own hint of personality and style, I couldn’t imagine a better place than this courtyard, where I often spent time in my youth reading, writing and sketching,” Sartori says. Fluid fabrics and delicate silhouettes are signatures of this collection, in which tailored couture suit constructions give blazers and suits a carefree spirit. Classic shirts are matched with deconstructed tops in various volumes, giving to the men’s silhouettes a new proportion. Joggers and tailored trousers are paired with tank tops and neck sweaters, while sport-inspired clothing is enhanced by hoods that recall the hunting world. The triple-stitch logos, synonymous with couture, embellish jackets and blazers. Washed silks, century cashmere and pure mohair give a sense of lightness to the collection. The colour palette is composed by the natural shades of walnut, vicuna, geranium, freesia, lotus, cypress, aqua and optical whites. The collection’s accessories include technical triple-stitch sandals, elasticated leather boots, the Tiziano sneakers and bags, baseball hats and visors made of Pelle Tesutta™. SALVATORE FERRAGAMO G uillaume Meilland, Salvatore Ferragamo men’s Creative Director, devoted the new Spring/Summer collection of the brand to the leisurely lifestyle and understated elegance typical of the Italian Riviera. Images of Alain Delon, MarcelloMastroianni and 50s style icons are the style inspirations and references for this collection, that deploys a soft colour palette composed of earthy tones, with ivory, pinks, light blues and hazy blues. Soft and gentle silhouettes, deconstructed and versatile, define the Ferragamo man that wants to be formal yet casual. Formal items like double-breasted jackets and suits are in the collection but the mood and their fitting is relaxed, as if they were conceived to be worn only on the seaside. The marine world is subtly emphasised by patterns featuring corals and seahorses, that adorn lightweight Bermuda shorts, tailored coats and deconstructed jackets. Leather jackets and coats are also central in this collection, treated to look casual and full of details because they are unlined and stripped of any superfluous element. Fisherman knits and zipped cardigans complete the look of the Ferragamo man. Highlights of the collection are definitively the rubber-soled penny loafers and booties adorned with the “Gancino” logo in wood and horn. Clean lace-ups and slip-on suede moccasins are, of course, a perfect daily alternative too. Bags are made to be structured yet practical, with combinations of canvas and leather in contrasting shades. The entire collection is an ode to elegance in a soft yet confident form.