Walter Chiapponi, the creative director at Tod’s, is breathing new life into the label’s Italian heritage. With a vision inspired by a photo of Julia Roberts in a pinstriped suit, Chiapponi aimed to showcase a tomboy-inspired style that still retained a sense of sophistication and elegance. The Fall/Winter 2023 collection was held at Milan’s Pirelli Hangar Bicocca and featured a range of masculine and feminine pieces that blended together to create a hybrid style.
Chiapponi’s designs were informed by a minimal approach and a focus on tailoring, with manipulation being a key aspect of the shapes and proportions he explored. The collection featured masculine suits, floor-length coats with leather-covered buttons, and severe one-button jackets, as well as feminine dresses and pantsuits adorned with crystals.
The collection swung from super short to super long, showcasing Tod’s core shoe category with pebble-soled ballerinas and platform pumps with furry vamps in shearling. The bags were structured and small, reminiscent of vintage camera cases. The color palette ranged from warm tones of camel and cream to black and white, with a lack of prints contributing to the essential and minimal aesthetic Chiapponi was striving for.
Despite the minimalism of the designs, the collection had sensual touches, such as the long leather trench that could have been straight out of the 1967 film “Belle de Jour“. This film was cited by Chiapponi as a key influence, along with the “rigor of constructions” that he aimed to bring to the collection.
