A hundred years is a milestone only a few in fashion can lay claim to. This year, Loro Piana joined the ranks. And to celebrate, the Italian brand revisited their roots for the fall/winter 2024 season with a collection that paid homage to what they are best known for: uncompromising elegance and a devotion to textile excellence and innovation.
The womenswear collection comprises 45 looks, many of which drew inspiration from the personal styles of the late Sergio and Pier Luigi Loro Piana, the brothers responsible for the brand’s growth since the ‘70s. There is plenty of tailoring and it leans on the softer side, teetering between masculine and overtly feminine; sumptuous everyday separates layered over each other, ladylike co-ords, tuxedos with gentle shoulders and languid evening wear dresses. Standouts include outdoorsy coats and jackets which are indulgent and practical in equal measure and a deceptively simple khaki colored long sleeve jumpsuit. Bandanas styled around the neck keep the collection youthful and directly reference the Loro Piana brothers’ sartorial sensibilities, as do the pins used to fasten jacket lapels. Everything is effortless, refined and never trying.
In characteristic Loro Piana fashion, the clothes are unapologetically classic and void of much embellishment. Even so, they are constructed with enough contemporary nuance to keep the brand relevant and more importantly covetable. At the heart of the collection is Loro Piana’s mastery of textiles. And there are plenty of nods to the brand’s history and expertise in producing rare and exceptional fibers. Cashmere, baby cashmere, vicuña, The Gift of Kings®, silk and CashDenim—a blend of cashmere and denim that is proprietary to the brand—are used extensively throughout in a range of neutral colors with a dash of pale blue and aubergine purple. This season also sees the return of two iconic archival fibers: Sopra Visso wool and Pecora Nera®. Additionally, the brand tapped on their house motif of the “fiori di cardo”—or the thistle flower—which features on abstract prints and smaller, discreet details like buttons and pins. Traditionally used to raise and brush cashmere, the thistle flower has become a symbol for Loro Piana’s dedication to cashmere processing and has been part of the brand’s coat of arms since 1951.
Loro Piana’s accessories, much like their ready-to-wear, tend toward classicism, eschewing labels and obvious forms of branding to focus on craftsmanship and quality materials. For fall/winter 2024, new launches include the Ghiera shopper and the Loom bag in a small size. Brand signatures such as the Rebecca ballerina flats and the Extra bag have been issued in a wider range of colors and materials including a two-toned leather and cashmere pairing. And in an unexpected but entirely appropriate twist, a variety of hats including pillbox styles round off the genteel quality of the collection along with a series of costume jewellery pieces in a striking combination of brassware and leather or silk.
Loro Piana’s fall/winter 2024 collection is available in stores at ION Orchard and The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.
