James Long, Iceberg’s new creative director, strongly believes that the mix between punky, disruptive British cool and polished Italian edge is a marriage made in heaven. Um . . . really? It certainly sounds a bit provocative, which is expected of the unconventional Long. Yet looking at the men’s collection he presented in the showroom, one had to admit that the combination actually worked.
The designer seems to really understand what Iceberg’s stylistic codes are all about; he responded to them with a kind of twisted freshness. Long is fascinated by the endless possibilities that the company’s production techniques can provide. Case in point was the treatment he gave Iceberg’s logo and the Tom and Jerry cartoons that were ’80s trademarks. “I split them apart; I threw them away, then put them all back together,” he said, laughing. “It’s a bit of a punky proceeding.”
The mash-up technique that is becoming the designer’s modus operandi is what gave the collection its strong modern appeal. Rooted in elevated casualwear, it was injected with a hip streetwear vibe, then polished up with a touch of luxe, thanks to impeccable construction. Big puffa bombers and oversize hooded cagoules were patchworked with a mix of quilted leather, high-gloss nylon, and knitted intarsias, then spruced up with army details and vintage patches, studs, and stitches. Even if it sounds bombastic, it looked pretty fabulous.
Logos and cartoons were given the same explosive treatment. It made for an irreverent take on traditional Italian casualwear; it felt fresh, cohesive, fun. “Sometimes London just takes over,” said Long.
