Iter Hominis heralds a new movement in menswear

Hong Kong-based brand Iter Hominis is located at the end of Hollywood Road in an edgy boutique with wood floors, patched-up walls, and spotlights shining on the clothes. Part of Hong Kong's new menswear movement, the brand is popular with hipsters and local sartorial mavens.

Italian founder and director Marco Vedovato recently launched the autumn-winter 2013 collection with a party in the space, and says he wants to create clothes that are different to anything else in the city.

"I like having my own collection, but I don't consider myself a designer," says the rather shy Vedovato.

"The term doesn't mean anything anymore. I think I still have a way to go. If I say I'm a designer, I feel it's too arrogant, that I'm already there. But this is a project.

"The big names have one big investor. But these days, it's very collaborative."

The 34-year-old designer shows a pair of herringbone trousers from his latest collection. They are sprayed with a darker shade to create a vintage look. There's an indigo denim jacket which has the edge of the collar hand painted a lighter shade, to look like a trim. A cashmere jacket is bonded with polyurethane to make it windproof.

Vedovato is from Treviso, a Venetian town in northern Italy, home of such fashion brands as Benetton, Sisley and Stefanel Diadora. He studied design, and then earned a master's degree in fashion design before starting his career in fashion consulting.

"When you're consulting, you offer designs for your clients, but you don't know the fabrics and production. That's why I wanted to work for Armani's research office," Vedovato says. "You learn how to touch fabrics, and how they are washed."

At Armani, Vedovato spent two years in Italy and two more in Hong Kong, where he carried out design research in fabric and style for the company's collections.

He opened his own office three years ago, doing similar consulting work for brands produced in Asia. One of his suppliers suggested Vedovato do his own collection and became the sole investor in Iter Hominis, which was born last October.

The name of the brand means "the travel of mankind", he says, noting that the collection is focused around men like himself, who travel often, and need stylish clothes that pack well. "We want to create easy-to-wear and easy-to-match clothes," he adds, saying the brand also aims to merge Italian and Japanese styles.

Mainly using Japanese denim, wool and nylon, the range covers T-shirts, jackets, trousers, and suits. Prices go from HK$4,000-HK$6,000 for blazers, while suits are usually HK$7,000-HK$8,000.

More whimsical additions include cheerful scarves and hats hand-knitted by Italian grandmothers, as well as vintage-style scarves and casual canvas bags that have been treated to have a worn look.

"The design is more about the details of the clothing. It needs to be comfortable and low maintenance, with natural fabrics," Vedovato says, pointing to an army green jacket that has a wrinkled look.

"When we explain the quality of the materials and how the item is made, our customers appreciate it," he says. Iter Hominis clients range from 25 to 50 years old, and mainly come from fields such as architecture and interior design.

Vedovato has taken Iter Hominis to trade shows in Milan and Florence, and has ambitious plans to gain further exposure for the brand. "We hope to open another shop in Milan by the end of the year," he says. "We're just taking it step-by-step."

bernice.chan@scmp.com