The lockdown didn’t seem to tarnish the irrepressible energy of the Caten twins. Back in Milan from a quarantine spent in Cyprus, they looked fit and tan, as if fresh from a fun-filled holiday in St. Barth’s. During a resort presentation at their headquarters, it was hard keeping up while they pranced springingly around the showroom.
Besides enjoying Cyprus’s sunny weather, quarantine was a time of work and reset. “It’s been a learning curve,” said Dean. “We’ve acted according to ‘The Three As’: Acceptance, Appreciation, and Adapt. You need to accept the situation, appreciate what you’ve been given and be grateful, and adapt to a new way forward.” They worked on resort remotely—and they loved it. “We’ll try to adopt this modus operandi also in the future,” he said.
The collection’s edit was much more focused than usual, both for women and men. “There has been a lot of ‘too much.’ People don’t need all that stuff,” Dan explained. They would also like their customers to find things in season in the stores. “I don’t need a huge piumino in July,” they said. “Say you go to Mykonos in summer, what you’ll find are down jackets and no bathing suits. There’s no logic. Bring back the logic! Buy it—wear it!”
The look book was shot in an impromptu studio, set up near their headquarters and staged as if it were backstage at a fashion show. The energy is full-on, and the Catens can be seen getting in on the action with models and assistants. Both collections give off the same feel-good spirit: real clothes with a dynamic, agile, sporty/urban vibe. They’ll be great for traveling when it resumes, as they’re made with easily packed technical fabrics—crisp nylons and waxed papery cottons, with thermo-sealed detailings. A ready-to-go spin and a feeling of vitality define the mood. Sweatshirts, bombers, and tracksuits can be reshaped with adjustable drawstrings to give the silhouette curves and volume. Denim shorts, a favorite look chez Dsquared2, were cut and re-mended to achieve the perfect fit and hybridized with nylon for newness.
Post-lockdown, when we’re up for partying again, the Catens will have us covered with their soft tailoring for both girls and guys: Sleek, narrow-silhouetted tuxedos are split up with dark indigo denim for added cool or lit up showpiece-like with dustings of sequins or textured gold jacquard. “We’ve got to enjoy life and be grateful for what we have,” they declared.
