Tod's sees Matteo Tamburini's successful debut

Newly appointed designer Matteo Tamburini made his exciting debut at the revamped Tod’s fashion show in Milan, offering a powerful interpretation of modern Italian sportswear. This all took place amidst constant rainfall at the city’s central tram depot, which served as the unique backdrop for the event. The location, filled with shiny trams dating back to the 19th century, conveyed the sense of motion that echoed throughout the collection. Of note is that this show marked the first since last week's significant business deal wherein L Catterton and LVMH bought a 46% share of Tod’s.

The fashion show revealed Tamburini’s impressive and confident display of sophisticated Italian fashion. His showcase highlighted the strong suits of the brand, with a focus on certain classics such as chic leather shirt jackets, elegant double-breasted lambskin gunners coats, distinguished great coats, and fashionable deerskin redingotes. All the pieces possessed a fresh and slick appearance, as if each leather item had been neatly ironed.

A notable feature of the show was its co-ed setup where Tamburini presented wide, long-cut pants with substantial turnups, beautifully combined with snug leather tunics, surgeon’s smocks and thick woolen tank-tops. Leather straps and back belts served as staple accessories on these outfits and the wool cardigans. There was an emphasis on voluminous silhouettes, with oversized spy coats and trench coats, designed with the mobile urban consumer in mind.

The primary ideology behind the collection was to offer a fresh, youthful perspective to Tod’s iconic brand. Tamburini explained his vision as a portrayal of the Italian lifestyle - the craftsmanship, the luxury materials - in a new, dynamic way. The fashion event also highlighted an innovative range of accessory pieces such as trendy gomminos with wedged soles, long belts with grilled oval buckles, and precise boots sporting side buckles and rectangular heels.

Prior to joining Tod’s, Tamburini had a successful seven-year stint at Bottega Veneta, under the leadership of creative directors Tomas Maier, Daniel Lee, and most recently Matthieu Blazy. Tamburini’s work has garnered him high praise, and his previous design director, Matthieu Blazy, is confident that he is destined for success at Tod’s.

Tamburini succeeded Walter Chiapponi and brings with him a personal connection to the brand, having grown up in the same region as Tod’s and with his parents being long-time customers of the brand. The debut was a silent celebration of his beginning at Tod’s, and brought a sense of pride to Italian fashion and its capital, Milan, regardless of the ongoing downpour.

One key element that seemed to embody the enduring virtues of Italy and Tod’s - hard work, reliability, longevity, and much-loved heritage - was the city’s tram system, which has been a staple of Milan since 1881 and served as the backdrop to the show.