The new Gianfranco Ferré collection for men for autumn/winter 2011, designed by Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi,is based on the essence of finedressing.
The palette focuses on navy, dark green and Bordeaux, in monochrome inflection as well as in revisitations of classic checks, macro pinstripes and twill designs.
Graphic pattern and plain tone contrasts and combinations, inside/out or top/bottom mode, underscore theversatility and mix and match appeal of the various items in the wardrobe. Knits play with bright colours – yellow, red, green – along with mélange takes in soft blue and beige shades.
The traditional fabrics of men’s tailoring come in a totally today key: Prince of Wales, check and diagonal wools feature an unusual high-impact colour twist giving new meaning to the male suit.
Jackets favour double cashmere with contrast lining, while pants include a silk/cotton velvet option. For evening, the three-piece tuxedo comes in luxurious velvet or classic wool and mohair.
The principle of perfect fit underpins sartorial jackets, paired with pants both soft and slim, as in the new jeans finding inspiration from the formal trouser but with a quiet sport flair. The overall image is distinguished in a spontaneous manner: the roomy coats and pea jackets work equally well over urban business suits and more casual leisure outfits.
Sporty jackets in soft plongé leather or chamois suede present raw-edge hand-dyed contrast ribs. From trenchcoats to merino shearlings, all the way to buckskins, outdoor items have simple cuts and full volumes.
The knitwear is mostly informal: garment-dyed pieces, edged cashwool sweaters, bulky pullovers where mixes of basket and stockinette stitches create maxi stripe patterns.
Lace-up shoes, in distressed hand-stained leather, have a thick sole and a round toe. The bags spark images of old trunks: in cylindrical shapes of varying size, they serve different purposes (day, evening, business, sport, travel) and come in different leathers (moose or calf) with adjust-able signature pin logo buckle closure.