SS18 Favourites: Berluti
Spring/Summer 2018
I have decided to focus on my individual favourites from the Paris shows rather trying to fit them all into a singular post - starting with Berluti…
I was actually more interested in Haider Ackermann’s second Berluti collection this season than his own eponymous menswear show. Given free reign I think that he is capable of producing amazingly beautiful clothes, but they do have a very narrow scope that can be difficult to incorporate into everyday life. Unless of course your life includes lots of lounging around artfully in old palaces while someone paints your portrait and exotic cats gambol around at your feet, in which case all power to you. Taken as individual pieces, small luxuries that add a sparkle to your wardrobe, it most certainly works well. However I find it difficult to imagine wearing head-to-toe Haider as daily garb without it veering into the territory of costume rather than dress. Admittedly he has been slowly broadening out his offerings, but even so, I have always liked the idea of a more toned down version of Ackermann’s design language and seeing what he is capable of achieving when given a more focused framework.
I enjoy seeing designers at historic fashion houses who already have their own label, because it is interesting to see how they attempt to translate their skills to interpret the house style. Of course it means a lot more work and pressure for the designer, especially with the larger houses, which can have the unfortunate side effect of their own label suffering. It is a challenge that can burn out a lot of designers, but with a supportive structure it can be incredibly successful (even so, there are reports of conglomerates leaving their star designers’ namesake labels to wither). It seems that with the musical chairs fashion has been experiencing as of late it could go either way, but I hope that Ackermann is able to stick around and really leave his mark on Berluti. I think that I liked this collection more in terms of the potential that it offers - that glimpse of where the house is headed that is quite interesting. While I think that this collection, just like his debut offering, was mature and well rounded, I am excited to see how he develops things further. There was a more relaxed sense of luxury in comparison to the previous designer Sartori’s work (who is now artistic designer across the board for Zegna), that I think was a welcome change.
What did you think of Haider's second outing at Berluti?
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