STYLE Edit: Get ready for summer beach and yacht parties with Tod’s Island, a new capsule collection featuring Andrea Tarella’s bright artworks inspired by the Italian coast
If we were dressing up for a summer on the Amalfi coast – if only that were an option! – Tod’s would have to make the cut.
For one, they’re as Italian as they come, established by one Filippo Della Valle in 1920 and headquartered in the Le Marche region.
Two, anything other than Tod’s Gommino loafers for a yacht charter on the Italian coast should be considered sacrilege.
And three, Tod’s has just presented us with a very special collection this summer, featuring the playful and dreamy illustrations of another famous Italian, Andrea Tarella. A capsule collection, spotlighting the artist’s works, focuses on a selection of women’s accessories for beach days ahead.
The exclusive collection, called Tod’s Island, includes bags, shoes and charms created in leather, canvas or embroidered cotton. Tarella’s illustrations breathe new life into the products, in a colour palette one might liken to Cinque Terre, on the opposite coast from Le Marche, or the iridescent hues of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The surrealist aspects of Tarella’s work include mermaids and other dreamlike sea creatures – all rendered with the skilful, elegant brushwork of an artist truly in his element. The illustrator, based in Milan, is reportedly passionate about fashion, having already collaborated with Tod’s in the past.
The idea of an Italian summer getaway inspires products in the full summer collection too. Natural or organic materials, like leather, suede and raffia, are manipulated with the Italian know-how of the Tod’s brand. From raffia-made footwear to bags with macramé detailing, the pieces are still elegant and refined in classically neutral colours.
Alternatively, for Tod’s Island, the story is a little more striking, with pastel lilac, red and moss green colour blocks on shopping totes, as well as a full colour wheel of macramé on a bucket bag. Vivid summery colours are also seen on the Tod’s Island exclusive sandals, with the inside of the soles featuring more of Tarella’s whimsical illustrations.
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- The brand, established by Filippo Della Valle in 1920 and headquartered in the Le Marche region of northern Italy, is especially noted for its Gommino loafers
- Tarella follows the latest fashions from Milan, but his surrealist works feature timeless musings on mermaids and other fantasy creatures