This week the S/S 2021 womenswear shows kick off in Milan, in a fashion showing season set to be different to any other. This season sees the introduction of small physical shows that align with social distancing and the prominence of digital screenings. While the world’s fashion press, buyers and street style stars won’t get to see fashion items up close, or marvel at the sleeve of a jacket or the embellishment of an accessory, one thing remains true in Milan: Italian craftsmanship will still be world class.
It’s the impeccable nature of Italian craftsmanship that has inspired ‘Italian Masters’, Mr Porter’s latest country-celebrating capsule collection featuring a roster of its artisan-championing labels, including Valextra, Aspesi, Lardini and Rubinacci. ‘There’s no doubt that “Made in Italy” is hailed one of the most desired attributes a product can proclaim. It stands for the best in craft, the finest materials, and time-honoured manufacturing techniques, which together represent the epitome of luxury and the roots of long-lasting menswear,’ says buying director Sam Kershaw. Previous capsule collections, Made in California, Vive La France and The Japan Edit also celebrated fashion from different areas of the globe.
Jacket by Valstar, suit jacket and trousers by Lardini, t-shirt by Altea, for Mr Porter’s Italian Masters collection
Italian Masters boasts over 250 distinct products across clothing, footwear, accessories and homeware, including sleek suede jackets by Valstar, colourful woollen throws by Missoni Home and richly embroidered suiting by Etro. ‘We’ve worked with each partner to create an exclusive offering that both honoured each brands’ DNA and celebrated their unique craft and offering,’ Kershaw adds.
In celebration of the launch, Mr Porter has also partnered with the Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d'Arte to support the Foundation’s annual ‘A School, A Job. Training to Excellence' apprenticeship programme, which matches 25 Italian graduates from a selection of the best schools and universities of Arts and Crafts with 25 Italian artisanal ateliers or businesses.
Jacket, shirt and trousers by Lardini, for Mr Porter's Italian Masters collection
Cocktail set by Lorenzi Milano, for Mr Porter's Italian Masters collection
Jacket, shirt and trousers by Etro for Mr Porter's Italian Masters collection
Bag, tote bag and card holders by Valextra for Mr Porter's Italian Masters collection
INFORMATION
-
Must-visit cinemas with award-worthy designCreativity leaps the screen at these design-led cinemas, from Busan Cinema Centre’s record-flying roof to The Gem Cinema Jaipur’s art deco allure
-
The modernist home of musician Imogen Holst gets Grade II listingThe daughter of the composer Gustav Holst lived here from 1964 until her death, during which time the home served a locus for her own composition work, which included assisting Benjamin Britten
-
This fun and free-spirited photography exhibition offers a chromatic view on the world‘Chromotherapia’ at Villa Medici in Rome, explores how we view colour as a way of therapy, and how it has shaped photography over the last century (until 9 June 2025)
-
‘He made something not merely popular, but the rage’: unpacking Elio Fiorucci’s fabulous fashion legacyAn expansive new retrospective at Triennale Milano explores the colourful life and work of Elio Fiorucci, who is synonymous with 1970s hedonism and glamour
-
‘What does a Luca Faloni jacket look like?’: this suede bomber marks the brand’s first foray into outerwear‘Made for years to come’, this lightweight bomber marks Luca Faloni’s entry into outerwear and encapsulates the label’s provenance-focused approach
-
Rovi Lucca is the Milanese label creating ‘elevated workwear for garden lovers’Rooted in Italian craft, Bradley Seymour and Fabrizio Taliani’s horticulturally inspired Rovi Lucca finds inspiration in the gardens of Lucca, Tuscany
-
Luca Magliano takes Wallpaper* on a tour Bologna, the home of his non-conformist fashion labelLuca Magliano gives Wallpaper* an insider’s guide to Bologna, Italy, the lifeblood of his on-the-rise label – from a museum of queer history to a mystical cemetery (and plenty of gelato)
-
This season’s menswear collections capture a brighter moodThe shape of things to come with the best of the S/S 2024 menswear collections, an enlivening amalgam of colour and play
-
Obayaty is a new design-led brand creating make-up for menThe Obayaty founders discuss their elevated vision for the brand’s debut range make-up for men
-
Paul & Shark hits the slopes with a Cortina ski resort takeover‘Paul & Shark takes Cortina’ sees the label take over the Italian ski resort, kitting out the town’s ski club and Scoiattoli chalet
-
Jonathan Anderson on his new store in Milan, an ode to the city’s design codesFor his second JW Anderson store – and first outside of London – Jonathan Anderson has set up shop in Milan with a space that pays homage to the city’s stylistic codes. Here, he tells Wallpaper* the story behind the opening
