Hasta La Ideas

A historic look at Italy’s fashion industry curated by two of its most prominent visionaries

In celebration of Italy’s 150th anniversary as a unified country, the marvelous Reggia di Venaria is hosting the exhibition “Fashion in Italy: 150 Years of Elegance” in the recently restored and equally ornate “Italian Versailles,” a few miles outside of Turin.

The long journey through the history of Italian fashion is divided in two parts. The first is curated by Academy Award winning customer designer Gabriella Pescucci and covers the years 1861-1970. The second section was conceived by Vogue Italia’s editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani, which illustrates the birth of Italian prêt-a-porter and the contemporary fashion industry.

The exhibition not only covers the recent history of Italy’s transformation in taste, but it also analyzes the constant change in the social condition of women. The 200 garments on display span Risorgimento to the years of Italian Reign, as well as the Fascist era and World War II, continuing to the birth of a truly national style in the ’50s and the rise of contemporary designers such like Capucci, Albini, Valentino, Armani, Versace, Prada, Dolce&Gabbana.

Most of the historic clothes come from the foundation for the celebrated costume atelier Tirelli Trappetti. Some are original items, meant for daily use or special occasions, while others are famous costumes from classics films like Luchino Viscont’s Il Gattopardo.

Architect Michele De Lucchi handled the overall display and settings, which are based entirely on mirrors. A symbol of vanity, mirrors also allow patrons to enjoy the clothes from every point of view and feel immersed in the the evolution of style.

To further enhance the experience, Laura Tonatto custom designed four different fragrances to underline the spirit of the different eras, used in the different room throughout the exhibit.

“Fashion in Italy: 150 Years of Elegance” runs through 8 January 2012 at Le Venaria Reale. See more images in the gallery.

A new collection of handcrafted menswear combines style, art and sophistication

If designer Jonathan Meizler had his way, subtle elements of couture would be a part of every man’s wardrobe. In Title of Work—Meizler’s new menswear label—opulent beadwork, Swarovski crystals and black diamonds embellish English wool crepe, Italian cashmere and silk twill ties and bowties.

After studying art and design in Vienna and London, the Massachusetts native returned to the States where he co-founded JonValdi to industry acclaim. Expanding from hand-painted ties to a fully developed sportswear collection for both men and women, he later created a women’s evening wear line exclusively sold at Bergdorf Goodman. Now the NYC-based designer has returned to his menswear roots with the line of luxurious ties, showcasing his background in couture and a talent for understated flair.

The Title of Work collection is now available online and at Neiman Marcus, hitting select retailers in the United States, Canada and Japan later this fall. Read below to learn more about where Meizler draws his inspiration from and the future of his new line.

You call Title of Work “architectural jewelry.” Can you elaborate?

Architecture is a constant inspiration on both a personal and work-related level—from the Egyptian pyramids to Italy’s basilicas, the humor and function of Gaudi, the fluidity of Noguchi and Zaha Hadid, and Gehry’s postmodernist vibe. I am drawn toward symmetry in the asymmetrical. I feel the most successful of my collection incorporates this structure while integrating jeweled elements, achieving simplicity in the ornate.

What couture techniques do you apply to the ties?

I created Title of Work to explore the craftsmanship of a well-made product, similar to that of a couturier, where each piece is hand finished. Hand-beaded techniques—primarily used in women’s clothing and accessories—are rarely employed in menswear. With this first Title of Work collection, I wanted to establish that beading for men could be modern and accessible, while pushing the boundaries of masculinity.

The collection looks labor intensive, tell us about the process of fabrication.

It is. For example, one of the signature pieces in the collection is a hand-cast sterling silver grommet with Swarovski crystals, attached by a jeweler who hand welds each sterling grommet around the crystal. There is little room for error. All of the collection is handmade and beaded, so no two ties are completely the same.

What’s missing from the menswear market that your line fulfills?

When creating a collection, I think it is important to be as specific as possible, especially in defining one’s point of view in an overly saturated market. I saw an untapped niche in neckwear and felt it was the ideal foundation to build from. As a designer, I take pleasure in the challenge of straddling the line of art and commerce, and I have hopefully created an approachable collection that is subtly sophisticated, modern, sexy and refined.

What do future Title of Work projects entail?

I currently have bowties in the collection, and for spring, I am expanding on that and creating sterling and black diamond cufflinks based on the amulets you see across the line. I am also in the midst of designing a bag collection. A bit raw and deconstructed, but, of course, beautifully finished with hand-cast hardware. On the other side, I am creating furniture, made from reconstructed wood, glass, metals and dead animals. I am obsessed with grommets, ventilators and industrial elements, so this should be interesting.

Ten finely-crafted boots to keep you kicking through rain and snow

When searching for rugged footwear, we’ve always turned to tried and true brands that have passed the test of time to see us through fall and beyond. Turning to companies that provide loggers, soldiers, hikers and other hard-workers with dependable boots, we took a close look at the technical cred that makes these true heritage brands. With the addition of a few labels that are newer to the game too, here’s a total of ten picks all sharing the common thread of proven craftsmanship—whether for surviving the mines of Minnesota or the rainy Vancouver streets.

Rider and Need Supply Co.’s Ottawa Hiker

American heritage craftsmanship and rich Italian leather comes together in the Ottawa Hiker for a tough mountaineering aesthetic with a Vibram sole. Rider Boot Company makes each pair to order exclusively for fellow Virginians Need Supply Co. Get your order in by 15 September 2011 to cop these hand-stitched beauties for $645.

Danner and Tanner Goods’ Mountain Light Lownsdale

As the company that outfitted a generation of loggers who built the Pacific Northwest, few know weatherproof workwear like Danner. The recent collaboration with fellow Oregonians Tanner Goods resulted in the new Lownsdale. This limited-edition, made from Chromexcel (a special type of Horween leather) in Portland, Oregon, comes complete with a Gore-Tex liner for superior waterproofing. Grab a pair while you still can for $375 directly from Tanner.

Chippewa Apache

Founded in 1901 to outfit loggers in Wisconsin and adapted for WWII paratroopers, Chippewa Boots are as rough and tumble as they come. The Apache steel-toe is built for comfort and protection. Made in America, the Apache sells at various outfitters including Amazon for around $135.

Red Wing Iron Ranger

The Iron Ranger, designed to protect the feet of iron miners in northern Minnesota, is guaranteed to get you through the toughest conditions. Triple-stitched with double-layered premium leather on the toe and heel, the Iron Ranger sells for $280 from authorized retailers worldwide.

Quoddy Grizzly Boot Vibram

Made using the same techniques as with their traditional moccasins, the Grizzly is a six-eyelet boot lined with glove-grade leather and sealed with a deerskin bellows tongue to keep the heat in and the cold out. American-made and supported by a slender Vibram sole custom-designed for Quoddy, the Grizzly boot is available in multiple colors from their webshop for $425.

Yuketen Maine Guide Quilt

Made with the highest quality American leather, a patchworked plaid-and-herringbone wool panel makes
Yuketen’s Maine Guide Quilt the most fashion-forward of the bunch. They’re also hand stitched by a small group of craftsman that’ve been working together for over 25 years, if the finest American-made, boating-inspired boot is what you’re after. Head to Nitty Gritty where they hold the hefty price tag of €610.

Opening Ceremony and Timberland 7-Eye Moccasin

The 7-Eye Moccasin Boot keeps it simple with a burnished leather upper that will get you through inclement weather without weighing you down. The boots come in green as well as more traditional tan color, and sell online and at Opening Ceremony stores for $195.

Palladium Baggy Leather Gusset

With a sole crafted from a single, solid piece of rubber, Palladium’s Baggy Leather Gusset boots are another lightweight option with a streamlined design makes them a great alternative to clunky rain boots. Waterproof nubuck leather, sealed seams and waterproof stitching thread enhance its ability to fight the elements. Pick them up for $120 from Palladium.

Dr. Martens Drury

The most recent addition to the company born from an air-cushioned sole designed to nurse a ski injury, the Drury’s slimmer, slightly atypical look is more styled for the streets. Available in the Dr.’s iconic oxblood with an updated sole silhouette, they’re still heavy-duty and built for a beating. Order them from Dr. Martens directly for $120.

Vasque Sundowner GTX

With a Gore-Tex-lined body, the Sundowner GTX offers the best in waterproofing and durability. The old-school model dates back to Vasque’s founding in the early 1970s, designed to offer the best performance in the wild. Check Vasque’s store locater to get yourself a pair for $180.

Contributions by Karen Day, Graham Hiemstra, Ami Kealoha and Greg Stefano

The future arrives in the present with a charity auction of 1500 pairs of long-coveted sneakers

Twenty-two years ago a film about time travel gave us a glimpse of the now not-too-distant future. The 1989 Back to the Future sequel looked forward to 2015, capturing the imaginations of kids like us who dreamed of one day riding their own hover board in self-lacing sneakers like Marty McFly. Those sneakers, a concept created by Nike’s own design head Tinker Hatfield alongside the film’s production team, went on to provide fodder for millions of clicks worth of Internet speculation, a petition and even DIY mock-ups. Today, this past vision of the future becomes a reality as Nike launches the Mag. Continuing to push the boundaries of limited editions, auctions and charity, 1500 pairs of the shoes will be available by auction only with the potential to raise $100 million for The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research through a matching donation by Google’s Sergey Brin.

As Nike’s guest, I was present for the launch of this project in Los Angeles’ Universal Studios. A tour of the lot reminded us about the magic of movies, a point Hatfield reinforced by describing the original Mags’ oversized battery pack that bulged out of Fox’s back pocket—off camera, of course—to light up the LEDs in the shoes.

Nearly identical to the ones Fox work in the film, the shoes even include the LED panel in the sole and electroluminescent logo in the strap. Today’s version has a small internal battery hidden in each featherweight shoe. The glowing features last up to five hours per charge and the plug port neatly tucks away under the cuff.

Unfortunately, despite Nike filing the Automatic Lacing System patent back in 2009, the power laces detail from the film shoes didn’t make it to the production model. Given that feature shows a poetic respect for the needs of people suffering from the limited muscle control Parkinson’s Disease inflicts, Hatfield simply commented, “It’s not 2015 yet,” alluding to a future refresh of the Mag.

Back to the Future fans, sneaker-heads and philanthropists are invited to bid on the Mags in a series of one-day auctions that starts tonight at 11:30pm EST at nikemag.ebay.com and will run until 18 September 2011. To box out the typical reselling bonanza and ensure maximum dollars are contributed to to the cause, no pairs of shoes will be shipped until all 1500 pairs are sold. All proceeds will go to The Michael J. Fox Foundation and will be matched by Sergey Brin.

All photography by Josh Rubin

Update: 19 September 2011

It looks like the total raised on eBay alone was $5,695,190.53 (before live auctions and matching grants)!

We take the latest in zig-zagged sneakers for a spin on NYC streets

From their collection for Target to Marina, the puppet blogger,
Missoni’s playful spirit is hard to miss these days. But their collaboration with Converse, one of the earlier reinventions of the family-run Italian label, is the project that we still gravitate to most. This latest and fourth edition combines a raschel knit (a fabric with a texture almost like crochet) from Missoni’s Spring 2012 collection with a version of a Chuck Taylor All Star that was originally created for the U.S. Military in the ’60s.

With leather accents and a muted colorway of tans and greys, the limited-edition shoe is serious enough for the coming fall season. Missoni’s trademark zig-zags, along with bright blue accents (you can opt for blue laces too) and the luxurious softness of the material keep you cozy, and might just bring out a smile.

Debuting tonight, 8 September 2011, as part of Fashion’s Night Out, the shoes will be available at Missoni boutiques as well as Converse’s First String stores for $200.