Nature Makes the Heart Grow Fonder, Lardini’s Dose of Seasonal Direction
Exhibitors Spotlight focuses on a selection of brands exhibiting at this year's Pitti Uomo, showcasing their upcoming collections and special upcoming projects.
Italian fashion house Lardini combines masculine tailoring with refined silhouettes. Founded in 1978 by the then 18-year-old Luigi Lardini, the brand elevates tried and tested shapes, tweaking them with neat touches and textures, creating a sublime ‘expression of identity’. For its FW 21 collection, Lardini delves into nature and the familiar colors of Fall. A key influence for the collection, American naturalist and philosopher H. D. Thoreau describes the moment that ignited the flame for the collection:
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived…”
Inspired by H. D. Thoreau’s literary works and the art of naturalist painter Giuliano Mauri, the collection features an ongoing seasonal theme of warm hues. Developed as an “intimate relationship with nature”, the collection features inspired pieces that allow the wearer to “rediscover” themselves.
“We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us even in our soundest sleep’, says H. D. Thoreau. “I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor. It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look, which morally we can do. To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.”
Touching on nostalgic outdoor palettes - characteristic wood, the shaded foliage of leaves, pumpkin orange - the collection features elevated materials such as water-repellent yarn and exclusive carded fabrics.
With a strong outerwear showing, the range showcases classic silhouettes, such as trench coats, field jackets, and reversible pieces. Standouts include a versatile double-breasted coat with a micro-check exterior. The sublime piece blends tonal shades of beige with burnt tones, a contrast to the grey melange interior. Designed with a Harris Tweed jersey knit, the dual-function trench features technical, rainproof, and windproof fabric on one side and high-quality wool, cashmere, and silk drapery fabric on the other. Classically inclined and super-versatile, the weather-beating piece is both functional and modern.
A continued nod to form-fitting fabric and sleek function, the collection features suits made of light, comfortable wool. The fluid pieces are designed in a fusion of colors, including earth shades, beiges, greys, almost black, and the signature Lardini blue.
As the current climate calls for tailoring to move to more comfort-led pieces, the collection provides a versatile pivot in the form of relaxed, ready-to-wear designs. A must for lovers of ease, the beige and grey check suit features a light, soft feel, while the ‘Easy Wear’ line includes travel-ready wool jersey suits constructed from rainproof and crease-proof fabric.
The perfect reimagining of pieces once saved for business meetings and after-hour events. This season also introduces the ‘Dover’, a trouser that evokes the fit of a 1950s pant, thanks to its high waist and lower belt loops designed for thin belts that can be tied on the side and hang down at the hip.
Explore the collections, contact the brand, request an online appointment, and much more.
