Growing out of a small Italian family-owned shoemaking workshop, Tod’s has expanded to become one of the most recognisable luxury goods companies in the world. The enterprise, that reported a revenue of €916 million (US$1 billion) in 2019 and €940 million (US$1.1 billion) in 2018, is led by chairman and majority shareholder Diego Della Valle, the founder’s grandson. In recent years, the Italian businessman has acquired other luxury houses including French shoe brand Roger Vivier and trainer label Hogan , hinting at the intention to become a luxury conglomerate like LVMH and Kering. For the growing mother ship, the group’s namesake label Tod’s – a brand known for its ultimate comfort, finest materials and made-in-Italy craftsmanship – is still front and centre, contributing over half of revenue. Best of K-pop fashion: what was your fave celeb look this month? In 2019, following the exit of its womenswear and menswear creative directors, Diego tapped Walter Chiapponi as the first creative director to oversee both lines. The fashion veteran, formerly at Gucci and Valentino, is determined to bring a new Tod’s lifestyle to life. Lifestyle to me is about day-to-day time, and my idea is to build an entire perfect wardrobe, fluid but also very contemporary Walter Chiapponi, Tod’s creative director “Lifestyle to me is about day-to-day time, and my idea is to build an entire perfect wardrobe, fluid but also very contemporary for every kind of woman,” says Chiapponi. “A woman has many identities and it’s really fascinating for me; I keep trying to explore all these kinds of identities, from the more sensual one to the more masculine one.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tod's (@tods) His women and men’s spring/summer 2021 combined collection, dubbed The Song was a multisensory experience. The stay-at-home style video featured over a dozen models, moving about the rooms of Milan’s Villa Necchi Campiglio backed by a melody that starts as a simple instrumental and builds into a full-fledged song as a voice and other instruments are added. How Dior gave classic fairy tales a woke rewrite for Paris Fashion Week The collection conveys relaxation and nonchalance. Models are dressed in blousons, suede and denim; safari jackets are paired with wide silhouettes of flared pants and long skirts; all are dyed with a refreshing summer palette mixed with lilac, pink, yellow, camel and the house’s signature brown hues. Men were mostly outfitted with four-pocket jackets, shorts and polo shirts. In footwear, the bestselling gommino driving shoes are reinvented with oversized fringes, studs or fastened with calf-length laces, complemented by canvas boots and platform sandals. The soft leather totes appear much more youthful than previous versions. A new classic, the T Timeless, emerged as an emblem for handbags and shoes, all with clean lines. “I started designing the collection by making sure to find the right proportions of shoes, from loafers and high heels to boots; bags are also very important. But to make a big statement of new DNA of the brand, you really need to work 360 degrees on the entire wardrobe including ready-to-wear,” explains Chiapponi. For his first few collections for the house, updates were noticeable but subtle. Unlike the creative overhaul he masterminded at his previous employer Gucci, Chiapponi’s mission was to bring an evolution, not revolution to the 120-year brand. Grammy style: the best and worst dressed, from BTS to Beyoncé “I’m gonna do it step-by-step because I really care about the brand DNA. I want people to be very confident and like the changes. They should be slow but recognisable,” he says. What remained the same though is the sense of the house’s craftsmanship that has been sewn into its products for decades, embodied in the impeccable detailing of leatherwork, the new washed suede material and the oversized stitching. “I work very closely with artisans, which really teaches me a lot about craftsmanship,” notes Chiapponi. “I’m not someone who really likes to design collections by drawing, but to build stuff together with them. The process of working together with artisans makes a very classic technique modern and different because when you put your emotion and their emotions together in collaboration, everything will become extraordinary. In recent years the brand has introduced several new initiatives to engage with younger consumers. No_Code is a project that allows creative talents to be inventive under Tod’s umbrella, and T-Factory has collaborated with the likes of designer Alber Elbaz and Japanese designer Mame Kurogouchi. How luxe womenswear brand Icicle is redefining ‘Made in China’ “I did this video in New York about trainers with a super young dancer. I like discussing with young people to know how they perceive my work, and those are very good conversations. I will conduct more of this kind of work in a younger way, by changing proportions and materials, creating a edgy wardrobe, and suit the new millennial generation, but the code is always classic, chic and elegant.” Chiapponi made his formal debut in February 2020 with the brand’s autumn/winter 2020 women’s collection at Milan Fashion Week , right before the pandemic hit and halted in-person fashion weeks. “I like really being very concentrated on my work and to be creative,” says the designer about his lockdown life from his library-style home. “Fashion is not about depression. I’m optimistic about the future and believe everything is gonna be back. Before that, I’ll just being a dreamer.” Want more stories like this? Sign up here. 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