If it’s true that God is in the details, there was definitely something divine in the subtle tricks Brioni design director Norbert Stumpfl poured into Brioni Men’s Fall 2021 Paris.
In sync with his devotion for intimate luxury, Stumpfl turned complexity and technical challenges into understated elegance in a lineup defined by relaxed silhouettes, soft textures and a more casual attitude compared to the past.
Attention to comfort and craftsmanship were revealed in soft coats tailored in rounder shapes and light blazers crafted in cashmere and silk blends, as well as in cozy separates including a hand-spun and hand-knitted cashmere cardigan with a shawl collar and a sweater combining silk chenille and cashmere in a geometrical pattern. Deerskin and napa leather blousons and coats, as well as a crocodile leather and cashmere knit, had hand-painted raw edges for a lighter effect.
A luxury take on functional workwear came via double-wool shirts with pockets and revealing a pattern inside, while Japanese selvedge stretch denim added to the casual offering.
In keeping things no-fuss and easy to style, Stumpfl opted for tonal looks. For the color palette, he replicated the journey from darkness to light represented by a 1640 fresco depicting the Roman goddess of the dawn Aurora in action. As a result, the lineup transitioned from black and white, gray and brown to teal, beige and dusty pink. A look layering a beige coat over a pink shantung silk shirt and sage velvet pants stood out in its delicate simplicity.
Eveningwear had bolder effects via graphic silk fabrics inspired by the Roman brand’s archival pieces in the 1960s. The final coup de théâtre was a gold tuxedo, created with a special technique using electromagnetic rays to layer 24-karat gold on silk yarns.
Stumpfl revealed the fabric is exclusive only to Brioni and another institution close to Rome: the Vatican. It doesn’t get closer to God than that.
