Note from Benoit: Romain Rousseau, who has already distinguished himself with us with his file for choosing a leather jacket or that on the perfecto for men , takes up his pen again to write about his passion: luxury houses, particularly when they are Italian.
But let's be clear, Romain is passionate about the product , its manufacturing, the design, the materials and the influences, and not the posh evenings or the glitter of this industry. In addition, he demonstrates great lucidity (and virulence) against the current excesses of luxury : aberrant marketing, hypocritical communication, and margins totally disconnected from the product.
He therefore gives us here a real inventory of luxury houses. Passionate, but also very nuanced, and well aware that some houses no longer work in the client's favor...
For you the other parts of the guide:
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I offer you a small, non-exhaustive overview of the most influential Houses of the moment. I will have the opportunity very soon to be able to focus on some of them, going back to their history, their know-how and their products.
ACNE
Ambition to Create New Expression (Acne) was born from Jonny Johansson's passion for jeans, who began by launching unisex 5-pocket jeans. By making the latter his spearhead, he will quickly get noticed, and will quickly appear in brands like Colette or Barney's. Today, it is only on the catwalks that the brand is experimenting with new cuts/materials, this one relying more on the sale of well-cut, but very basic, casual clothes.
Problem: prices have completely skyrocketed on jeans, which reveals Acne's fierce desire to position itself as a true luxury house.
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
Now gone, Alexander McQueen left behind a House with a very strong identity and a unique style. He split his name into 2 distinct entities, both in terms of style and price!
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN LINE
British, and therefore offbeat, McQueen is aimed above all at those in the know: lovers of sartorial architecture and prints of all kinds (the skull is the brand's emblem). The quality/price ratio is really good for shoes and accessories. The ready-to-wear, on the other hand very expensive, is also of good quality: the virtuosity of certain cuts is astonishing. Today, it is Sarah Burton who brilliantly ensures the artistic direction of the brand.
MCQ LINE
Punk, rock and… random quality. The McQ collections adopt a different style from the first line, inspired by the cosmopolitan spirit of London. There are also some very nice shoes there, the quality of which is really good!
FRIEND
It's one of the hottest new brands at the moment. The designer offers “clothes for real life”, as he says himself. It thus offers a simple wardrobe (solid colors, comfortable cuts, etc.), with the aim of allowing the integration of its pieces into everyday outfits.
A fan of natural materials, which should be your best friends, this label is interesting for investing in a pillar piece of your wardrobe: a beautiful blazer, a coat... On the other hand, we can regret a design that plays too much on hype and prices which are not particularly attractive.
ANN DEMEULEMEESTER
A true instigator of a Belgian fashion culture (with other comrades, such as Dries Van Noten) and leading figure of the legendary "antifashion" movement, she spread a dark style on the catwalks; black and gothic influences are an integral part of her creative DNA.
Sometimes tortured, the silhouettes she offers are very recognizable for their advanced sense of construction (asymmetry, draping and yokes, in particular). That being said, many pieces remain perfectly acceptable for designing a stylish outfit despite very high prices!
ARMANI
Many say he is the “Maestro” of Milan fashion week. Let's say it's a point of view. In any case, at 80 years old (!), Giorgio Armani has risen to the head of a colossal empire of several brands, of which here are the main ones.
GIORGIO ARMANI LINE
In the pyramidal construction of the Armani name, this line is at the very top, just under haute couture (which only exists for women). Always playing on a certain sense of relaxation with his clean and light lines, the Italian also has a gift for evening wear, with perfectly made suits and luxurious materials. You will always find navy blue, because it is the favorite color of this timeless line.
ARMANI COLLEZIONI LINE
Second line (but without parade), its DNA is clearly the formal wardrobe, aimed at an older clientele. Suits, shirts, sweaters, everything is very sober and perfectly suited to work or social events. It has long been one of the best quality/price ratios on the market... before production was outsourced. Nowadays, it is more difficult to find a product whose price is really justified.
EMPORIO ARMANI LINE
A resolutely young and trendy line, it is a laboratory for Giorgio Armani. He experiments with asymmetrical cuts close to the body, innovative technical materials, and even complex sweater weaving. Here again, with democratization and offshoring, the pieces are very beautiful on paper, but can leave something to be desired in store. That said, you will still find pretty knitwear and shirts, with really original cuts.
ARMANI JEANS LINE
No concept here, the idea is simply to ride on the designer's name to sell overpriced low-end products. The jeans are not bad quality, but overpriced for what they are. Count on overly imposing logos on T-shirts and tops in general, and a plethora of stuck and poorly fitted shoes. To avoid.
ARMANI EXCHANGE LINE
To my knowledge, this line is only available in London (on Regent Street), for the old continent. This is a more affordable diffusion line than the others which, to be clear, is close to Zara in terms of quality...but more expensive! It's not really worth it, although you can find a T-shirt with a really nice design, for a price that shouldn't make you hesitate for very long.
BALENCIAGA
Founded by Cristobal Balenciaga, now owned by the Kering group, the Parisian brand experienced its golden age with designer Nicolas Ghesquière. Although initiated by designers like Gianfranco Ferré, he brought a totally innovative vision of fashion, relying on an architectural and very cerebral design. A style drawn with a scalpel, which translated into minimalist pieces in the men's collections, some of which were marked by structuring combinations of materials (leathers, technical fabrics, etc.).
Following Ghesquière's departure, it was Alexander Wang who took the reins of the House, which leaves one perplexed as to the direction that the Balenciaga Man could take...
BALLY
Having integrated red and ecru into its visual identity, Bally is a Swiss brand that clearly displays its origins. Ready-to-wear is quite recent for the brand, but does not arouse any particular enthusiasm. There are beautiful materials, particularly leathers, although the style ultimately appears very smooth.
On the other hand, the accessories are more interesting, especially in terms of the production and the skins used. For a pair of simple shoes, or an elegant wallet to keep for a long time, here is a perfectly appropriate brand!
BALMAIN
It was in this great House that Karl Lagerfeld began his career, but it is only in recent years that this name has once again become a fashion big name.
BALMAIN LINE
With the craziest prices on the market (jeans at €800 and more, among others), the Parisian Maison loves the exclusive and the spectacular. Fortunately, the build quality is often very good, even if the price remains what it is.
The archetype of the Balmain Man is a biker that is both modern and punk, with jeans full of topstitching and applications, a thin T-shirt with a wide neckline, and a destroyed leather perfecto.
With the recent arrival of Olivier Rousteing, the collections tend to move towards a more refined style, inspired in recent seasons by the kimono. Attention lovers of elaborate pieces, you will need to have a substantial purse to do more than just look!
PIERRE BALMAIN LINE
Managed by Ittiere SpA in Italy, this label clearly aims to recapture the rock spirit of Balmain - and ride on its reputation - to offer less expensive pieces.
Less well made, and less “strong” in terms of style than those of the first line, Pierre Balmain clothing and accessories will still make it easier to appropriate part of this very particular design.
BERLUTI
Unquestionably the most famous men's shoemaker in the world, Berluti is now owned by the LVMH group, and is launching into ready-to-wear. The refinement is remarkable, the shoes displaying quite exceptional colored patinas, and the costumes are adorned with luxurious materials without complexes. The prices are high, but the quality is particularly excellent, partly thanks to a distribution that still remains exclusive.
That said, Hugo from PG openly denounced an increase in prices and a drop in quality...
BOTTEGA VENETA
Owned by the Kering Group, here is a little-known, even secret House, whose trademark is “intrecciato”: leather woven using a very specific method, both sober and very refined. The skins are always fabulous, and the elegance of the ready-to-wear or accessories, such as shoes, will delight lovers of a luxurious Italian style.
Expensive, but without hesitation deserving to be considered a luxury brand, the Bottega Veneta label is definitely worth the detour! Ideal for investing in a pair of “original” shoes, or even in an accessory such as a wallet.
BRIONI
Also part of the Kering group, the Brioni brand is a benchmark in tailoring. Renowned for her immense know-how and the perfection of her products, the beautiful Italian woman remains difficult to access, with costumes costing more than €2,000.
It should be noted, however, that in recent seasons, the brand has undertaken a certain modernization of its designs, offering less classic collections, with more innovative materials and more “young” cuts, with consistent quality.
BURBERRY
Thomas Burberry founded his house in 1856, specializing in rainwear, with the famous black and red checks on a beige background (iconic check) as its emblem.
One thing led to another (that's fair to say), he came to create, for the British army, a raincoat adapted to life in the trenches. The trench coat was thus born, remaining the most emblematic piece of the illustrious brand, which reinterprets it as desired. But several entities make up the Burberry pyramid.
BURBERRY PRORSUM LINE
The brand's first line is the only one to present its collections on a podium, but it is the only one to be worthy of it! Christopher Bailey, the designer, plays perfectly on the codes of the House, bringing a touch of British madness that goes well.
Little heart prints, rubber and metallic silk: he transforms trench coats, classic sweaters, and other woolen pants, with undeniable talent. He has British and Italian manufacturers at his service, who will offer you impeccable pieces and splendid materials. Ideal for bringing an aristo touch to your style, in all respects.
Note from Benoit: this is by far Burberry's most beautiful line, with some fashion shows becoming legendary.
BURBERRY LONDON LINE
This line is inspired by Burberry classics, while giving them a young and trendy style: everything is quite fitted, with geometric prints, leather inserts, etc.
That said, this line remains classic. Pay attention to the quality, which is good on certain pieces made in Italy, but which can leave something to be desired on the rest, and especially at unjustified prices. If you're going to spend €1,000 on a cotton trench coat, at least make sure it has "Made in Italy" or "Made in England" on the label.
BURBERRY BRIT LINE
It is the most democratic and youngest line of the brand, which perfectly reproduces the giant check pattern on shirts, sweaters, etc. Too expensive for what it is, this line should be avoided, because the design and quality can disappoint (poorly fitted pockets, too fragile materials, etc.).
CALVIN KLEIN
The brand today (rightly) benefits from a fairly mediocre reputation, notably because of rather haphazard manufacturing. But originally, Calvin Klein is above all one of the most avant-garde creators of his generation, who imposed a very innovative minimalist and conceptual style. Now resold, the American brand has several distinct brands.
CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION LINE
Fashion show line is the one presented as being the most luxurious. With many technical materials, innovative and emblematic cuts, the manufacturing quality remains correct. Certain pieces, such as jackets or coats, will bring great sophistication to your more classic outfits.
CALVIN KLEIN LINE
Available mainly in North America, this line is intended to be more urban/youthful, and is made up of products typical of Calvin Klein's minimalism. In Europe, it is instead distributed under the name CK Calvin Klein .
CK JEANS LINE
Displaying gigantic logos on T-shirts, another typical example of a line that only seeks to attract customers who don't know much about it, but want to show off logos. Totally devoid of interest, even if at its launch, many adored its jeans for their quality and their classicism.
CARVEN
Founded in 1945, it was one of those Houses which benefited from the Haute-Couture appellation. After several years of glory, the brand died out until the arrival of the young Guillaume Henry and the launch of a line intended for men.
Abandoning the idea of luxury, he designs rather classic, affordable and trendy collections. A bit in the spirit of a wise dandy, the Carven man is always colorful, loves prints and fantasy. Certain pieces can add pep to a classic style.
CHANEL
We are talking about brands for men here, why Chanel then? Because the famous House, which is at the peak (with Hermès) of refined and very high-quality luxury, does the honor of men by producing a few pieces.
Almost unique, these men's jackets, pants and shoes are only sold at the original boutique on rue Cambon. Price-wise, count on a minimum of €600 for shoes, and generally more than €1,500 for clothing.
The advantage is that you will probably be one of the only people in the world who can wear the inimitable pieces of a brand at the height of its art (and its marketing).
CHRISTOPHER KANE
Emerging designer on the London scene, he is known mainly for his massive prints on sweatshirts or T-shirts: photos of a galaxy, waste, very graphic 3D face drawings... He imposes each season a strong theme that will not go away not unnoticed.
While he demonstrates a great capacity for innovation and achievement for the women's line, he focuses on classic cuts and materials for the men's line, focusing above all on design. The price is particularly excessive for printed cotton sweatshirts.
NATIONAL COSTUME
After a stint at the Beaux Arts and the Japanese house Yamamoto, Ennio Capasa founded the CoSTUME NATIONAL brand with his brother. In a very artistic style, and breaking with codes, he is inspired by his training and Japan. The men's line favors solid shades like white or black, and can sometimes come close to the Dior Homme or Demeulemeester style.
Generally difficult to wear, the creations of CoSTUME NATIONAL are softened within the second C'N'C line, younger and less daring. The manufacturing quality is good, the brand mainly aimed at an informed clientele, fans of a dark style.
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