Images of Italian designers Vico Magistretti and Gio Ponti were pinned on Matteo Tamburini’s well curated moodboard, alongside photographs of their celebrated works that epitomize the revolutionary approach they brought about in Italian design innovation from the 1950s to the ’70s. Ponti’s Superleggera chair and Magistretti’s Atollo lamp remain timeless masterpieces, celebrated for the ingenuity, wit, and elegance of their forms and construction. “It’s a tribute to Italian exceptional savoir faire,” Tamburini remarked during a preview at Villa Necchi Campiglio.
Tod’s presentation took place in a series of carefully curated vignettes, set within the modernist salons designed by architect Piero Portaluppi in the 1930s. Tamburini picked up on the venue’s high-style flair, showcasing a refined interpretation of Tod’s signature casual style. Leather, a hallmark of the brand, was obviously the centerpiece, treated to extreme suppleness with a satiny, pashmina-like finish—fittingly named Pashmy. Tamburini used it to craft elegant, soft iterations of wardrobe essentials. “I wanted to reflect the same balance of functionality and beauty the design masters were able to achieve in their beautiful objects,” he said.
Another layer of inspiration, he noted, was drawn from the minimalist felt suits worn by artist Joseph Beuys; this influence was reflected in the textured surfaces of mélange wools and in suede leather treated to mimic felt, adding a rich tactile dimension. Shapes alternated between voluminous and slim—bombers, field jackets and shirt jackets had smooth, balanced proportions, worn over slim shortened trousers or softer, sportier versions. Tamburini seeks to blend “modernity and tradition, softness and structure, art and design” in his work at Tod’s, polishing its image with a subtle yet confident touch.
