“Sophisticated” means cultured, complex, and experienced—and it’s a word that also nicely describes Berluti. The 1895-founded shoe maison, more recently a broader menswear operation, has a very recognizable (and literal) signature in its Scritto relief. This morning Harold Israel, vice president of marketing and image at Berluti, was wearing a Scritto t-shirt as he delivered the latest updates.
Starring garments included subtly evolved versions of the house suede blazer and bomber jacket, in blue and green respectively. Israel insisted they could handle some rain, but you’d want to carry the packable, dark Scritto parka, adapted from the military M-51 just to be sure to protect your investment. Suede truckers, suede detailed chore coats, suede field jackets, and a beautiful (non-suede) mid-length bonded gabardine raincoat were other prime movers in the season’s dreamy outerwear offer. There was some suiting, immaculate in linen, but the emphasis here these days is upon garments that are as sophisticated as they appear casual. A blue garment-dyed linen button-up was a simple thing delivered immaculately. Camp collar shirts featuring prints of Berluti products were knowing calling cards for house cognoscenti.
Bags and shoes featured new hardware. The B Volute was first worked into the iron staircase at the house’s Rue Marbeuf property by Talbinio Berluti, then later used as belt-buckle during the 1980s, before being revived and refined for fresh use on bags and loafers today. There were a few new shapes in the Scritto canvas bag collection, new variations on the hot-selling Shadow sneaker, and some attractively soft bags in gold-hued house patina leather.
Israel reported that the brand’s recent chip at the golfwear market has proved such a success that it is planning to dabble with its first, very rarified, exploration of activewear, but this will be revealed in the months to come. There’s no hurry at Berluti.
