Sartori’s sartorial sorcery

Could you picture yourself in a skinny tailored suit post Covid? The pandemic and its cruel aftermath altered the way we engage with clothing as comfort takes precedence over being on trend

Could you picture yourself in a skinny tailored suit post Covid? The pandemic and its cruel aftermath altered the way we engage with clothing as comfort takes precedence over being on trend. After battling the lockdown and working from home in our trusty tracksuits and PJs, it’s hard to picture ourselves in snug-fit jeans or body-con suiting. Addressing this evolved need to embrace comfort wear, but with a chic and elegant touch, Artistic Director Alessandro Sartori watered down the rigid codes of menswear tailoring for the brand’s Winter 21 outing. Enters an array of chore coats in luxe cashmere, wrapped as a robe and the OMG-epiphany inducing hybrid suits in double cashmere.

Models in Alessandro Sartori’s creations (Photo: Instagram/Zegna)

In this outing, cozy knitwear replaced shirts, jumpers crafted out of felted cashmere and knit or knitted out of leather evoked intrigue and instant desirability. Precise, exacting yet languid and free-moving - the line-up saw Sartori reimagining the suit - reconciling deconstruction with comfort, ease with an individualistic flair. Looks like the post-Covid man in 2021 is all set to embrace supple dropped shoulders and voluminous trousers and snuggle up in comfy turtlenecks while ditching the shirt.

“We all are experiencing a new reality concerned with new needs, which lead us to previously unseen lifestyles and attitudes. It is precisely at a time like this, when everything is under discussion, that we have decided to (Re)set. We have looked at our roots to (Re)interpret our style codes and (Re)tailor the modern man. Outdoor and indoor come together and a new way of dressing takes hold, where comfort and style blend to create a new aesthetic”, says Sartori.

The show opened with a beige twin set consisting of separates followed by the hybrid suits, chunky knits and trench coats realised in a delicious palette of cappuccino, biscotti and caramel. A push on deconstruction techniques, an interplay of knit textures and a clash of bold graphics lent the line up a sharp, sleek edge. The opening foliage beige ensembles paved the way for pieces realised in felce green, smokey grey followed by stark black with a sudden appearance of vibrant orange.

The top coats layered tonally with inner separates conveyed a cinematic vibe of vintage films so did the nubby knits. Some of the drop shouldered jackets and shirt jackets which came with matching trousers were accessorised with nifty man clutches. Functional, comfort-driven and radiating a mix and match appeal - these ensembles struck a fine balance between work-from-home comfort without compromising on the professional aspect.

Showcased in the form of a film, the dramatic camera movements captured a multi-sensory carnival punctuated with surprises - from visuals of a metropolis to the insides of a building as models swaggered across rooms and paths.

manish.mishra1@hindustantimes.com