Tod’s menswear presentation was held at Milan’s Pavilion of Contemporary Art, which served as a fitting frame for creative director Matteo Tamburini’s first menswear outing. It was a clear indication of the direction he wants the label to take—streamlined yet light-handed design, supple but precise construction, “a balance between tradition and modernity,” as he said.
Offset by a subdued palette of earth tones and the variety of rich fabrications (like the newly introduced Pashmy suede silky as cashmere), the casual-chic allure of the collection made the case for a restrained, modern approach to the relaxed dressing the label stands for. On the moodboard, between Basquiat and Alain Delon, photos of the dapper eccentricity of designer Stefano Pilati stood out, indicating that a flair for the not obviously conventional is within Tamburini’s otherwise minimalist design range. However, being pragmatic, as he was keen to underline, he understands that Tod’s identity is firmly planted in elegant casual wear territory and he isn’t straining from that path. What he’s after is to keep it grounded in modernity, stripped of any excessive fashion information, while giving it character and a fresh appeal.
Summer formal tailoring had a fluid deconstructed edge; linen was heat-sealed and bonded with a protective membrane that made it fit to be cut into activewear; the classic field jacket, one of the label’s staples, was offered in featherweight nappa. “Going back to the essentials,” as Tamburini noted, the collection conveyed the smart ease required for men’s wardrobes today.