Even amidst all the sound and fury that engulfs the global fashion industry between February and early March, Loro Piana stands as a beacon of stability in the couture-clad maelstrom.
The brand’s FW23 presentation – taking place in and around its boutique on Via Montenapoleone in Milan – forewent the spectacle of the runway for something a little less contrived. Namely: a café-slash-showroom set-up, inviting visitors to discover all of the sumptuously woven strands that, together, make up Loro Piana’s Kingdom of Heaven.
Freshly brewed coffee, sourced from some of Planet Earth’s most pristine landscapes (yes: that of course includes Australia) helped to highlight FW23’s bounty of world-class textiles: arguably the quality most keenly associated with the brand that has dominated ultra-luxe knitwear for well over a decade.
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In that respect, all of the ‘activated’ elements at Loro Piana FW23 merely serve to reinforce what discerning dressers with a 6-figure credit limit already know: TikTok trends and celebrity ambassadors come and go, but a $5,000 sweater – likely made from near-extinct vicuña – is forever.
In the habitual style of Italy’s favourite cashmere weaver, FW23 consists of both men’s and womenswear silhouettes, unified by timeless proportions and a fixation on stealthy luxury: all characteristics that have turned Loro Piana into an inescapable presence in the wardrobes of S-Class hopping, would-be Kendall Roy types.
On the men’s side of things, the brand’s latest adopts a far-ranging, almost palliative posture. Conceived for a target audience that spends most of its day with their head above the clouds (oftentimes literally) FW23 is laden with cashmere crewnecks, shearling-lined bombers and – in a move that is just so classically Loro Piana – various sets of trousers and overshirts fashioned from “The Gift Of Kings” – a proprietary performance fabric crafted using the world’s finest merino fleeces. Among other things it’s crease-resistant, breathable, and [cue mock surprise] fully waterproof. But of course.
The addition of a few choice Canadian tuxedos – which Loro Piana has put its own spin on, courtesy of the drolly named CashDenim – deepens the collection’s clear interest in elegantly informal clothing. Taken collectively, FW23 proposes a kind of capsule wardrobe for a life spent on the road: assuming of course, that “road” is paved with Courchevel chalets and the (occasional) trip to the family office.
In short, for the grandi maestri of stealth wealth, another Fall/Winter collection is “business as usual” – and business is booming.
