WOMEN EDITORIAL
It happens rarely, but it happens: it’s when the clothes actually do make the man.
A new take on the Nehru jacket.
An old saying meets Indian style, creating a synergy of diverse styles and influences.
How many times we’ve heard the saying Clothes don’t make the man ("L'abito non fa il monaco" in Italian), meaning that we cannot judge anyone’s character based on their appearance?
Often people are not what they seem, and they are made up of countless nuances we cannot pick out right away.
But if we are talking about the insouciance one shows in wearing an item of clothing, this is instantly noticeable: we don’t need to know someone well to say they are stylish.
WE DON’T NEED TO KNOW SOMEONE WELL TO SAY THEY ARE STYLISH.
Another challenge, besides the urge to judge others? For us, definitely, the real challenge is being able, every time we prepare a new collection, to create something new: revisiting the classics, updating them according to different times and situations, is key.
And that’s exactly what we did with the Nehru collared jacket: a typical Indian design and an innovative staple in counterculture that becomes popular with the rise of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who ruled after Gandhi, his spiritual father, from 1940 to 1960.
What is it exactly? It is a linear, basic jacket that looks like a short coat with a stand-up collar in place of the lapels. The front part is a shorter take on the South Asian achkan and is similar to a jerkin, fitted at the hips, military-style, elegant and laid-back at the same time.
Davide Cenci created a narrower and decidedly more feminine version, courtesy of the fitted lines; this completely unlined jacket resembles a shirt, suitable for the hot summer temperatures. The jacket may come in a wide variety of fabrics and in this case it is crafted from honeycomb raw linen, which has a thicker texture that adds depth to the colors, in this case to beige, or to light blue – the other hue the piece is available in.
The jacket may be teamed with two pant styles: wide-legged and cropped, or long and straight, creating a new kind of pantsuit. The jacket is layered over a cotton and viscose blend round-neck top, uplifted by a gleaming lurex thread. The outfit is finished off by Church’s Rainbow shoes in beige glossy calfskin, to subtly mitigate the sharp cuts.
We have no doubt about it, and take full responsibility for what we say: this Nehru jacket does make the man…. or woman.
JACKET AND STRAIGHT PANT IN HONEYCOMB LINEN AND CHURCH'S SANDAL IN BEIGE CALF LEATHER.
