My dear fashionistas, welcome to a new fashion story on the Mr.M blog. Today I am taking you on a morning walk on one of the most beautiful bridges in Europe with the Loro Piana fashion house. Charles Bridge in Prague woke up earlier than me that morning. The Vltava River flowed calmly under the stone arches. The sun was slowly climbing behind the Prague Castle, and I was walking along the cobblestones in a combination that for me is the embodiment of quiet luxury.
This outfit is no accident. I carefully selected each piece for the morning editorial in the heart of the Czech capital. The Loro Piana leather jacket from the limited collection is worn like the softest hug. Aida Barney cashmere sweater with pepito pattern brings warmth to a chilly April morning. Santoni sneakers in dark brown flipped leather bring the seriousness of the whole outfit down to earth. Everything together seems connected, elegant and simply timeless.
Why did I choose Charles Bridge?
Charles Bridge is not an ordinary tourist postcard. It is a living monument that has been connecting the Old Town and the Lesser Town for almost seven centuries. The foundation stone was laid by King Charles IV back in 1357. The date was not accidental. Court astrologers chose July 9 at 5 hours and 31 minutes. If you arrange the numbers in a sequence, you get the magic combination 1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1. Until 1841, the bridge was the only crossing over the Vltava River in the entire city.
The construction lasted even 45 years. It was completed only in the early 15th century. The main architect was Petar Parler, the same master who designed the famous St. Vitus Cathedral. The bridge is about 516 meters long and rests on sixteen stone arches made of Bohemian sandstone. Thirty baroque statues adorning the fence were added between 1683 and 1714. The most famous among them is the statue of Saint John Nepomuk. It is believed to bring good luck to those who touch the bronze plaque beneath it.
The morning light on the bridge has a special color. The sun shines on the stone parapet and at that moment the whole city looks like a picture painted by an old master. I chose this time of day because the tourist wave has not yet arrived. The bridge was empty. I could walk calmly, stop, feel the atmosphere.
Loro Piana deerskin leather jacket
The main piece of the outfit is the Loro Piana jacket. It is a limited edition model made of the finest deerskin in dark chocolate color. When you first touch the buckskin, you understand why Loro Piana commands the price it does. The material is smooth, soft and warm to the touch. Keeps warm, yet breathes. On the inside, it hides a lining made of the finest cashmere.
The history of this Italian house is more than two centuries long. The Loro Piana family started trading wool in the 19th century in Triver, a small town in the hilly northern Piedmont. Today’s company “Ing. Loro Piana & C.” was founded by Pietro Loro Piana in 1924 in the town of Carona in northern Italy. Pietro was an engineer with a vision. He wanted to create a fabric factory the likes of which the world had not seen before.
His nephew Franco took over the helm in 1941 and focused on exporting haute couture materials, expanding the products, especially cashmere, to markets around the world. The fabrics of the Loro Piana family were bought by Yves Saint Laurent in his Parisian days, used for the power suit creations pioneered by Giorgio Armani and for coats sewn in Savile Row workshops such as Anderson & Sheppard.
Loro Piana: Details that reveal the master
I am particularly impressed by the way the jacket is sewn. The filling is distributed in vertical segments that give the effect of subtle volume. The collar rises high and protects against the wind that often blows from the river. Two large flap pockets are spacious enough for gloves, phone and small items. The entire jacket closes in two ways, one zipper and another row of buttons. This detail is not accidental, it comes from the tradition of Italian tailoring where every function must also have an aesthetic sense.
The LVMH group bought Loro Piana in 2013 for two billion euros. Today, Loro Piana is the world’s leading master of cashmere, with a focus on sourcing the rarest raw materials, including unique cashmere from northern China and Mongolia, vicuña from South America, extra-fine merino wool from Australia and New Zealand, and lotus flower fiber from Myanmar.
OUTFIT
Leather Jacket: Loro Piana
Sweater: Aida Barni
Trousers: Loro Piana
Sneakers: Santoni
Aida Barni cashmere sweater with houndstooth pattern
Under the jacket I am wearing a sweater from the new Aida Barni collection. It is a blanket made of one hundred percent of the finest cashmere in a beige color, with a houndstooth or glen plaid motif in a camel tone. Houndstooth is a classic pattern that never goes out of style. It originates from the Scottish hills, and Italian masters have adapted it to the weaving of cashmere. That’s why it looks soft, not sharp. It is woven in such a way that the motif is visible only when the light falls at a certain angle.
Aida Barni creates pure cashmere knits made in Italy with precision, research and respect for the fiber. They have been using double twisted threads since 1978.
Aida Barni: The Woman Who Changed the Italian Fashion Industry
Aida Barni has been the president and artistic director of the company since its inception in 1978. She made the main contribution to the spread of Italian cashmere products. Her label Annapurna revolutionized the knitwear industry in the late 1970s.
I am especially glad that the story of this company begins with a woman entrepreneur. That was great courage in that period. Annapurna is the name of the mountain massif in the Himalayas where goats with the finest fleece live. That name was chosen for a reason. Cashmere, to be true cashmere, must come from high altitudes where the winters are harsh and where the goats develop their own protective fiber.
The current production capacity of the Aida Barni and Annapurna brands is about 120,000 pieces per year. The entire production process takes place in Italy, more precisely at the company’s headquarters in the Italian city of Prato. Prato is the historical center of the textile industry in Tuscany. Knitting and dyeing techniques have been perfected there for centuries.
Aida Barni: Why investing in cashmere is a smart move
A high-quality cashmere sweater is not a one-season product. If you take care of it, it lasts for decades. It gets softer every year. It does not require a lot of washing, airing is enough. This piece from the Aida Barni collection is easy to combine with other pieces from my closet. I wore it with suits, with jeans, with flannel pants. It always looks appropriate.
Loro Piana: Camel trousers and attention to detail
Loro Piana trousers in camel color are made from a blend of wool and cashmere. The fabric has a slight sheen that is only visible in natural light. The color is warm, neutral and easy to wear with almost any top. They have a classic pegged line on the front that visually lengthens the leg. The finish is clean, without cuffs, which goes well with casual shoes.
Camel as a color has a long history in men’s fashion. It returns from every decade, but never goes out of style. It is especially good for spring and autumn combinations when the sky is neither completely light nor completely dark. With the Aida Barni sweater in the same tonality, the effect of a monochromatic combination is obtained. The rule is not written, but in the world of men’s fashion it applies: as long as the tones match, the combination will look expensive.
Santoni Oly sneakers that write a new chapter
The final piece of the outfit is Santoni Oly sneakers in dark brown leather. They have a low honey colored rubber sole that is typical of German trainers from the seventies. This is a modern reinterpretation of a classic sporty silhouette from the archives. The suede is thick and gives the sneakers structure. It glows decently in the sunset.
Santoni S.p.A. is an Italian fashion luxury shoe brand founded in 1975 by Andrea Santoni. The company is based in Corridonia, in the Marche region, an area known for shoemaking along the coast of the Adriatic Sea.
Santoni: From a small workshop to a world icon
There is something about Andrea Santoni’s story that particularly touches me. Andrea was a leather cutter, then a tailor, then a production manager for a large shoe corporation before going his own way. After nearly twenty years of experience in shoemaking, in 1975 he decided to open his atelier to create luxury men’s shoes, inspired by the philosophy of perfection and excellence.
His son Giuseppe was born in 1968. He was still a child when his father founded the company. Very early on, he started traveling the world following the international expansion of the brand. He successfully opened new markets in Japan, China, Northern Europe and Russia. Around 2013, Giuseppe Santoni took over the company from his father.
Santoni: Techniques that few people know
What sets Santoni apart from other Italian shoemakers is the number of different manufacturing techniques. Most brands use one or two sole stitching techniques. Santoni rules with over ten different approaches. This means that each model gets exactly the type of construction that best suits its purpose and style.
The Oly sneakers you see in my pictures belong to the modern line of the brand. During his time at the head of the company, Giuseppe Santoni expanded the range from classic shoes and moccasins to sneakers and leather goods. It was a bold move. Many traditionalists viewed it with distrust. It turned out that the decision was correct. Today, Santoni sneakers are also worn by business people who want comfort without losing style.
All leather processing is done in the factory in Corridonia. Each craftsman checks that what they received from the previous workstation met all the requirements needed to maintain quality. This system of constant control means that almost every pair that leaves the workshop reaches the customer without a single flaw.
Why this type of outfit never goes out of style?
When you combine a Loro Piana jacket, an Aida Barney sweater and Santoni sneakers, you’re buying more than clothes. You are buying the stories of three Italian families who have been building their artisan houses for decades. This is not a fad of the moment. This is a wardrobe investment that will be a part of your everyday life for years to come.
Quiet luxury is not a buzzword. It has a concrete meaning. The pieces are carefully crafted, the materials are natural and the finest, the patterns are restrained and the logos are practically invisible. Everything speaks for itself, without shouting. It’s the aesthetic of a mature man who knows what he likes and doesn’t have to prove anything.
Pastel colors that work for you
The palette of the whole combination is built on earthy tones. Dark chocolate on the jacket, beige and camel in the middle, again dark chocolate on the shoes. This is the classic rule of balance. Darkest tone worst, lightest in the middle, darker again at the bottom. The eye moves naturally up and down and the combination seems calm.
The colors I chose match the scenery of the Charles Bridge. The red roofs of Mala Strana, the yellow belts of Baroque palaces, the gray sandstone of the bridge and the dark water of the Vltava. Everything fits. It’s no accident. When preparing for a photo shoot on location, I always think about how the colors of the outfit will work with the environment.
Practical tips for building a similar style
Many readers ask me how to start building a wardrobe in the style of quiet opulence. My first tip is always the same. Start with one quality piece. It’s better to have one real cashmere sweater that you’ll wear for five years than five synthetic ones that you’ll throw away every season.
Another tip is: learn about materials. Cashmere, wool, linen, long staple cotton, buckskin, Italian calfskin. Each material has its own story. The more you know, the easier it will be to recognize what is worth your money and what is just pretty packaging.
The third tip is about colors. Start with neutral tones. Dark brown, navy blue, charcoal gray, cream, beige, camel. These colors combine with each other without thinking. After a few seasons you can add accents. Dark green, burgundy, sandy yellow. Each new color expands the number of possible combinations.
How to take care of quality pieces?
Leather jacket likes peace and space. It should not be pushed into a crowded closet. The hanger must be wide so that the shoulder is not deformed by the cut. Once a season, I recommend professional cleaning and renewal of the skin. Cashmere sweaters are not washed often, they are aired. When washing, wash them by hand in cold water with a special detergent for wool. Dry them flat on a towel, never on a hanger. Sneakers made of flipped leather are treated with a special brush and spray for protection. After each wear in wet weather, allow them to dry naturally, away from heat sources.
Deer skin as a rare occurrence in luxury fashion
Many fashion lovers do not know that deerskin is one of the rarest materials in the world of luxury fashion. The reason is simple. A deer is not a domestic animal that is raised on farms in the way that calves or lambs are. Leather comes from controlled sources and strictly regulated processes. The quantities are small and the quality is exceptional.
Structurally, buckskin differs from calfskin in several key ways. The fiber is finer and denser. The surface has a characteristic grainy texture that is visible both under the light and under the fingers. The leather is surprisingly light for its durability. That’s why the jacket itself seems massive, and when I wear it I don’t feel the weight on my shoulders.
There is another advantage that few people talk about. The deerskin molds itself to the owner’s body with age. It becomes your personal. Creases and pleats build a unique map of wear that no one else can copy. After five to ten years, such a jacket becomes almost a part of you.
Loro Piana uses deerskin for special, limited series. The current price list on the official website shows deerskin prices reaching up to $11,800. It’s no accident. The amount of raw material is limited, the processing is long-lasting, and the final confection passes through the hands of the most experienced Italian tailors.
Tips for travelers who want to look good
Traveling doesn’t have to mean compromising on style. The key is choosing the right pieces. Before each trip, I make a list of combinations. Each piece must have at least two, ideally three wearing scenarios. So with the minimum number of things I get the maximum number of outfits.
A black or dark brown leather jacket like this one from Loro Piana is an ideal piece for traveling. It is worn with pants in almost any color. Fits with jeans. It is put on over a shirt or sweater. It covers five to ten degrees of temperature, which means that it is useful in spring, autumn and mild winters. One piece, many opportunities.
Why Italy leads the world of luxury fashion?
Think for a moment about all three brands in this combination. Loro Piana from Piedmont. Aida Barney of Pratt. Santoni from the Marche region. Three different parts of Italy, three different craft traditions. And yet, they all carry the same message. Italy is a country where craft is lived, not done. The difference is essential.
In Italy, there is a concept that I find difficult to translate into Serbian. We are talking about “sapper fare”, which literally means “knowing how to work”. This is more than knowledge. It is an inherited experience, a masterly feel for the material, the ability to make by hand what a machine cannot copy. This concept is passed down through generations, from master to apprentice, through tens of years of daily work.
When I wear an Italian quality piece, I wear a part of that tradition. Each stitch on the collar of a Loro Piana jacket is made by a man who has been trained to do it for years. Every row of knitting on the Aida Barney sweater went through the hands of a master from Prat. Every stitch on a Santoni sneaker is part of a technique that Andrea Santoni has nurtured since 1975.
Charles Bridge as a teacher of patience
I was standing in the middle of the bridge, leaning against the stone parapet. The river flowed beneath me. In the morning, Prague and the Vltava are one and the same thing, one does not exist without the other. I thought about how Peter Parler started building this bridge in 1357 and how he died before seeing it completed. The bridge was built anyway. Decades passed, centuries passed. The bridge survived. It suffered floods in 1432, 1784 and 1890. He survived the Thirty Years’ War, Austro-Hungarian rule, two world wars, the Cold War and many others. It’s still standing.
It teaches me something about fashion and about life. What is well made lasts. That which has a soul survives. You don’t have to be loud to be seen. The bridge does not shout for people to notice. It has been standing there for almost seven centuries. People come alone.
The Italian brands I wrote about today work on the same principle. Loro Piana does not advertise on billboards. Aida Barney does not pay Instagram influencers. Santoni does not open stores in every mall. They work like Petar Parler. Slow, careful, dedicated. The result comes naturally.
Prague as a destination for men’s style
There is one more thing I must mention. Prague is a city that naturally corresponds to classic men’s style. Stone landscape, low buildings in warm tones, dramatic statues and bridges that cast shadows on the cobblestones. All this creates the perfect backdrop for fashion that doesn’t chase trends.
Czech gentlemen have a deep tradition of classic dressing. Prague has always been the crossroads of Central European gentlemen’s fashion. Vienna, Budapest, Krakow and Prague shared a common aesthetic language. There, woolen cloth was worn as a part of identity, and a leather coat as part of everyday men’s wardrobe. Today’s fashionable Prague combines that spirit with modern Italian minimalism. The result is a city where I feel comfortable, where my combination doesn’t seem excessive or out of place. On the contrary, it naturally blends in with everything around it.
Charles Bridge is not just a tourist attraction. It is a home that one finds even before arriving. Walking along it in a Loro Piana jacket, with Aida Barney cashmere on my skin and Santoni sneakers on my feet, I felt a special kind of peace. Everything was in its place. The bridge below me, the city around me, the clothes on me. A moment I will never forget.
My dear fashion lovers, thank you for walking with me through this little fashion story of quiet luxury. I hope that my outfit today gave you inspiration for your own combinations. Whether you choose a Loro Piana leather jacket or another quality piece, the most important thing is to feel the story behind the material. Fashion should never be chased. Fashion should be lived slowly, just as the Charles Bridge is not crossed by running, but by walking.
How did you like my outfit today? I really tried to prepare this post with lots of love and I hope you like it! If you have any questions, comments, suggestions or messages for me, you can write me below in the comments. Of course, as always, you can contact me via e-mail or social networks, which you can find on the CONTACT page. See you soon in new fashion adventures on the Mr.M blog!
With Love from Prague,
Mr.M
This post is sponsored by Loro Piana, Aida Barni and Santoni brands. This post is my personal and honest product review.
Marko, this might be one of your most coherent editorials to date. The dark chocolate deerskin against the camel cashmere reads almost like an old oil painting from a Dutch master, and the morning light on the sandstone parapet does the rest of the work. I particularly appreciated the section explaining how deerskin moulds to the wearer over the years, because that is the kind of detail you simply do not find in standard fashion press. Have you found that the cashmere lining on the Loro Piana jacket holds up well through a full day of walking, or does it… Read more »
Lieber Marko, ein wirklich außergewöhnlicher Beitrag, der weit über das übliche Outfit-Post hinausgeht. Die Geschichte von Petar Parler, der die Karlsbrücke begann und sie nicht mehr vollendet sah, hast du mit einer Eleganz erzählt, die zur Stille dieses Looks passt. Ich besitze selbst seit Jahren einen Loro Piana Mantel aus reinem Kaschmir und kann bestätigen, dass die Marke sich nicht im Geringsten anders trägt als alles andere im Kleiderschrank. Besonders interessant fand ich den Hinweis, dass die Faser für die feinste Merinowolle aus Australien und Neuseeland stammt, denn diese Herkunftstransparenz ist heute leider selten geworden.
Hello Marko. The narrative thread running through this piece the bridge being completed without Parler, the jacket being made for someone it has not yet met, the cashmere goats of the Annapurna massif is genuinely moving and well above the standard one expects from a fashion blog. I had no idea that the original Loro Piana family business began trading wool in the 19th century in the Trivero area of Piedmont, although the LVMH acquisition in 2013 was widely reported at the time. What I would love to know is whether you found the deerskin breaks in faster or slower… Read more »
Caro Marko, complimenti per questo articolo, è scritto con un rispetto verso l’artigianato italiano che mi ha davvero toccato. Vivo a Prato da molti anni e posso confermare che ciò che dici su Aida Barni è esatto, perché qui la lavorazione del cashmere non è soltanto un mestiere ma una vera eredità famigliare che si tramanda. Il dettaglio del filo doppio ritorto, in uso dal 1978, è ciò che dà al maglione quella mano piena che si sente sulla pelle. Ho un paio di sneakers Santoni della linea Oly e devo dire che la suola in gomma color miele è… Read more »
Bonjour Marko, quel plaisir de lire un texte qui prend le temps de raconter Prague comme elle le mérite. Le Pont Charles à l’aube, avec la lumière qui descend doucement sur les statues baroques, est sans doute le décor le plus juste pour un éditorial sur le quiet luxury italien. Je trouve très pertinent que tu aies souligné le rôle de Pietro Loro Piana dès 1924 et la reprise par Franco en 1941, car beaucoup oublient que la maison a une véritable histoire industrielle avant d’être devenue un nom du luxe mondial. Aurais-tu un conseil sur l’entretien du daim sur… Read more »
Hola Marko, este post tiene una madurez de escritura que se nota desde el primer párrafo. Las tres casas italianas que has elegido representan exactamente esa filosofía de “sapper fare” que mencionas y que es muy difícil de traducir a otras lenguas. Tengo desde hace algunos años un par de zapatos clásicos Santoni de Corridonia y siempre me ha impresionado el sistema de control de calidad estación por estación dentro de la fábrica. Lo que dices sobre invertir en una sola pieza de calidad antes que en muchas mediocres es un mensaje que la moda actual necesita oír con más… Read more »
Marko, the way you describe the Vltava flowing under the stone arches while you stand on the bridge in that combination is the kind of writing that makes a reader stop scrolling, which is rare these days. I ordered an Aida Barni cashmere pullover from a boutique in Florence about two winters ago after reading one of your earlier posts about the Prato textile district, and it has genuinely become the piece I reach for most often. The fact that the production capacity is around 120,000 pieces a year explains why it never feels like a mass-market item, even though… Read more »
Marko, dit is een van de mooist samengestelde editorials die ik dit jaar heb gezien. Het verhaal achter Annapurna als bergmassief en de oorsprong van de fijnste kasjmiergeit op grote hoogte is precies het soort context dat de waarde van zo’n trui begrijpelijk maakt voor mensen die nog twijfelen of het de investering waard is. Ik draag al jaren een Loro Piana coltrui in donkerblauw en kan bevestigen dat het materiaal alleen maar zachter wordt na elk seizoen. De keuze van de Karelsbrug bij zonsopgang, voordat de toeristen arriveren, geeft de hele set een rust die perfect aansluit bij het… Read more »
Outstanding piece, Marko. The historical detail about the foundation stone laid on 9 July 1357 at exactly 5:31 to produce the palindromic 1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1 sequence is the kind of fact most people who walk across the bridge will never know, and you have given it the attention it deserves. I have read elsewhere that the bridge survived the great Vltava flood of 1890 with significant damage to three of its arches but was patiently rebuilt rather than replaced, which matches the philosophy of the brands you have chosen for this editorial. The parallel between Italian artisanal patience and Bohemian stonemasonry is… Read more »
Marko, dein Artikel über die Karlsbrücke und das Konzept der stillen Eleganz ist wirklich gelungen. Mich hat besonders interessiert, dass die LVMH-Übernahme von Loro Piana im Jahr 2013 für rund zwei Milliarden Euro stattfand und dass das Unternehmen trotzdem seinen Charakter weitgehend bewahrt hat. Ich habe vor einigen Jahren einen Pullover aus Vicuña-Wolle erworben und seitdem keinen vergleichbaren Stoff mehr in den Händen gehalten. Die Information, dass Loro Piana neben dem chinesisch-mongolischen Kaschmir auch die Lotusblütenfaser aus Myanmar verwendet, ist für Wollkenner ein faszinierendes Detail. Wie wirkt sich aus deiner Sicht das Kaschmirfutter im Lederteil auf das Tragegefühl bei kühlem… Read more »
Hi Marko, just wanted to say that the photograph of you leaning against the parapet with the Saint Vitus Cathedral spires behind you is the kind of frame that should be in a printed magazine, not buried at the bottom of a blog post. Petar Parler designing both the bridge and the cathedral is one of those facts that completely reframes the city for anyone who learns it for the first time. I bought a pair of Santoni double monks in dark brown about four years ago after one of your Italian editorials and I genuinely use them at least… Read more »
Cher Marko, un grand bravo pour cet article qui élève le ton habituel du commentaire mode. La phrase sur le pont qui ne crie pas pour être remarqué résume parfaitement ce que devrait être l’élégance masculine adulte. J’ai été particulièrement sensible à ta description de la veste en peau de daim, car j’ai eu la chance d’essayer une pièce similaire chez Loro Piana à Paris l’automne dernier et la sensation au toucher est effectivement difficile à décrire en mots. Le choix d’une cravate de couleurs neutres, du chocolat au camel, sur ce décor de grès de Bohême, est d’une justesse… Read more »
Bell’articolo, Marko, davvero curato in ogni dettaglio. Ho apprezzato molto come hai legato la storia delle tre case italiane alla pazienza dei costruttori del Ponte Carlo, perché è proprio quel tempo lungo che oggi manca alla moda contemporanea. Posseggo un cappotto Loro Piana in cashmere puro acquistato a Milano qualche anno fa e posso confermare che la fodera interna fa la differenza, soprattutto nei climi umidi. Una cosa che spesso si dimentica è che Pietro Loro Piana era ingegnere prima di diventare industriale, e questo spiega in parte la precisione che si trova ancora oggi nelle costruzioni dei capi.
Marko, your discussion of monochromatic dressing in earthy tones is excellent and represents exactly what most men over a certain age should be reading instead of the algorithm-driven nonsense flooding the menswear world today. Camel as a colour does indeed return every decade, and I would argue it has not actually left since the 1970s when Halston and Armani both pushed it back into the mainstream. I would be curious to know whether you find the Loro Piana camel wool-cashmere blend warmer or cooler than a pure cashmere flannel of similar weight.
Hola Marko, un texto magnífico que se lee con verdadero placer. La descripción del Puente de Carlos al amanecer, antes de la llegada de los turistas, transmite una serenidad que pocos blogs consiguen capturar. Tengo unos zapatos Santoni desde hace casi una década y todavía mantienen la forma original, lo cual confirma todo lo que cuentas sobre el control de calidad en Corridonia. La elección de Aida Barni en lugar de las marcas más obvias del cachemir italiano demuestra que conoces bien la escena artesanal de Prato. ¿Crees que el patrón pied-de-poule funciona también con pantalones más oscuros, como un… Read more »
Hi Marko, this is a wonderful read for a Sunday morning. The detail that struck me hardest is the one about deerskin not being a domestic animal source, which is exactly why these jackets exist in such small quantities and why the up-to-eleven-thousand-dollar price on the Loro Piana website is in fact justified rather than inflated. I lived in Prague for a year in the late 1990s and walked across the Charles Bridge almost daily, and you have managed to capture that early-morning quality of light that the city only reveals before 7am. The Bohemian sandstone takes on a warmth… Read more »
Marko, een uitstekende editorial. De combinatie van een Loro Piana hertenleren jas met een Aida Barni kasjmieren trui met pied-de-poule motief is ongelooflijk goed uitgebalanceerd, vooral omdat je beide schakeringen binnen hetzelfde aardetonenpalet hebt gehouden. Het feit dat Aida Barni sinds 1978 dubbel getwijnde draden gebruikt, is iets dat de meeste consumenten niet weten te waarderen, maar dat het verschil maakt in hoe een trui zijn vorm behoudt na jaren dragen. Mag ik vragen hoe je de jas opbergt wanneer je niet op reis bent laat je hem op een brede hanger in een aparte kledingzak, of bewaar je hem… Read more »
Hervorragend, Marko, ein wirklich kultivierter Beitrag. Die Tatsache, dass die Karlsbrücke bis 1841 die einzige Querung über die Moldau in der gesamten Stadt war, gibt dem Bauwerk eine fast unvorstellbare strategische Bedeutung, die heute leicht zu übersehen ist. Ich habe vor zwei Jahren einen Anzug aus einem Loro Piana Tasmanian Stoff anfertigen lassen, und das Tragegefühl ist tatsächlich, wie du es beschreibst, mit nichts anderem zu vergleichen. Der Hinweis, dass die Brücke nicht renne, sondern stehe und die Menschen kämen von selbst, ist eine schöne Metapher für das, wofür diese drei italienischen Häuser stehen.
Marko, the photograph by the bench overlooking the Vltava with the castle in the background is genuinely the most cinematic image I have seen on your blog this year. I appreciate that you took the time to explain that Aida Barni serves as both the founder and the artistic director of her company since 1978, because the consolidation of those two roles in one person is increasingly rare and largely accounts for the consistency of the house style. Could you share what you typically wear under that level of cashmere a fine cotton tee, or do you prefer to wear… Read more »
Marko, articolo molto piacevole, scritto con una maturità che si vede subito. La parte che ho trovato più interessante è il riferimento alla regione delle Marche e al distretto calzaturiero della costa adriatica, perché spesso si dimentica che Santoni non è un’eccezione isolata ma fa parte di una tradizione regionale antica. Tengo molto al concetto del “saper fare” che hai citato e che, come dici tu, davvero non si traduce facilmente in altre lingue. Mi domando se la versione Oly che indossi è quella con la suola color miele del 2024 oppure una versione precedente, perché la silhouette mi sembra… Read more »
Bonjour Marko, ton article est une vraie respiration au milieu du flot de contenu mode habituel. J’ai retenu en particulier ton conseil sur l’entretien du cachemire l’aération plutôt que le lavage qui devrait être enseigné systématiquement à toute personne qui investit dans une pièce de qualité. J’ai un pull Aida Barni acheté lors d’un voyage à Florence il y a quelques années et je peux confirmer qu’il s’adoucit véritablement avec le temps, ce qui est l’inverse de la plupart des tricots du commerce. Le Pont Charles, avec ses trente statues baroques ajoutées entre 1683 et 1714, est sans doute le… Read more »
This was a really enjoyable read, Marko. The architectural detail about Petar Parler being responsible for both the Charles Bridge and the Saint Vitus Cathedral creates a beautiful symmetry with the editorial, in which all three garments come from Italian houses that have refined their craft for generations rather than diversifying for the sake of growth. I would push back gently on one point I think Loro Piana does occasionally do some advertising, particularly in the rare-fibre supply chain category, but you are absolutely right that they avoid the billboard and Instagram-influencer route entirely. Have you ever visited the Loro… Read more »
Marko, qué placer leer un texto que respeta tanto al lector como al tema. La mención del Puente de Carlos como una construcción que tardó 45 años en completarse y que sobrevivió a guerras, inundaciones y regímenes políticos es una metáfora perfecta para la moda lenta y de calidad. Compré una chaqueta de cachemir Loro Piana hace casi seis años después de leer uno de tus primeros artículos sobre moda italiana, y todavía la uso prácticamente cada otoño sin que muestre signo alguno de desgaste. Tu enfoque hacia el lujo silencioso es exactamente lo que necesitan los hombres que ya… Read more »
Marko, beautifully done. Few writers in this space combine architectural history with material knowledge the way you do, and the section on Prato being the historical centre of the Tuscan textile industry was particularly well placed. I had a long conversation with a tailor in Florence last year about the difference between machine-knit and hand-finished cashmere, and what you describe about Aida Barni’s double-twisted yarns matches everything he said. Would you recommend the houndstooth pattern in the camel-on-beige tonality you are wearing here for a man who is just starting to build a more refined wardrobe, or is a plain… Read more »
Marko, dit artikel is werkelijk uitstekend geschreven. Wat ik vooral waardeer is dat je de tijd neemt om uit te leggen waarom hertenleer zo zeldzaam is in de luxemode de meeste lezers zullen dit hoogstwaarschijnlijk niet weten. Het idee dat het leer zich gedurende vijf tot tien jaar aanpast aan het lichaam van de drager is een argument dat ik nog niemand zo helder heb horen formuleren. Ik heb een paar Santoni instappers in donkerbruin uit Corridonia die ik nu ongeveer zeven jaar bezit en die er nog steeds bijna nieuw uitzien. Welke wandelroute door Praag zou je aanraden voor… Read more »
A genuinely thoughtful piece, Marko. The mention of the bronze plaque under the statue of Saint John Nepomuk being touched for good luck is a tradition I remember vividly from my own visit to Prague in 2018, and I am pleased you included it here. The point about quiet luxury being the aesthetic of a mature man who knows what he likes and has nothing left to prove resonates strongly with me and probably with most of your regular readers. Your three brand choices represent perhaps the clearest definition of that aesthetic available in the current market.
Marko, hervorragender Text mit echter Substanz. Mir ist aufgefallen, dass du in diesem Beitrag die Geschichte der Marken nicht als Marketing-Erzählung verwendest, sondern als echte handwerkliche Tradition, was sich erfrischend von der üblichen Mode-Berichterstattung unterscheidet. Besonders bemerkenswert finde ich die Information, dass Santoni über zehn verschiedene Sohlenkonstruktionen beherrscht die meisten Schuhmacher arbeiten heute nur noch mit einer oder zwei. Hast du eine Empfehlung, welche Konstruktionsmethode für eine Sneaker wie die Oly bevorzugt wird?
Cher Marko, un article qui prend son temps comme le pont qu’il décrit, et c’est exactement ce qu’il faut. La parenthèse sur Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani et Anderson & Sheppard de Savile Row achetant tous des tissus Loro Piana donne au texte une autorité historique que peu de blogueurs réussissent à transmettre. Je suis allé à Prague pour la première fois en 1998 et le Pont Charles ressemblait déjà à une scène intemporelle, donc voir tes photographies aujourd’hui me confirme que la ville garde ce qu’elle a de meilleur intact. Comment juges-tu la coupe légèrement “pegged” du pantalon camel… Read more »
Marko, this is the kind of editorial that justifies why a blog still matters in an era of short-form video. I particularly enjoyed your point that the bridge does not shout to be noticed, which is precisely why pieces like the Loro Piana deerskin jacket succeed without any visible branding they let the material and the construction speak. My wife and I were in Prague last spring and stayed in Malá Strana, walking across the bridge most mornings at around six, and I can confirm that the light you describe is genuinely something one has to experience to believe. Your… Read more »
Marko, davvero un bell’articolo. La parte che mi è piaciuta di più è quella in cui paragoni la pazienza di Petar Parler, che iniziò la costruzione del Ponte Carlo nel 1357 senza mai vederlo finito, alla filosofia delle tre case italiane che hai scelto. Possiedo un cappotto Loro Piana in pura lana e cashmere che ho acquistato sette anni fa, e ogni stagione conferma che la qualità di un capo italiano si misura nel tempo, non nel momento dell’acquisto. La storia della famiglia Loro Piana, che iniziò il commercio della lana nel XIX secolo in Piemonte, è troppo poco raccontata… Read more »
Marko, your prose continues to improve with every editorial. The paragraph about the river and the city being one thing neither existing without the other is the kind of sentence that elevates a fashion post into something closer to travel writing in the older European tradition. I have owned a pair of Santoni double monks since 2017 and the leather has developed the kind of patina that simply cannot be faked or accelerated. Would you say the Santoni Oly in dark brown suede works year-round, or do you reserve them for the cooler months specifically?
Hola Marko, este artículo lo he leído dos veces porque la primera lectura no fue suficiente. La descripción del puente como una construcción que sobrevivió a las inundaciones de 1432, 1784 y 1890, junto con dos guerras mundiales, ofrece un marco filosófico que pocos blogs de moda se atreven a abordar. La marca Aida Barni y su etiqueta Annapurna no son nombres muy difundidos en España, así que tu artículo seguramente abrirá las puertas a muchos lectores que aún no conocen la tradición textil de Prato. ¿Qué pieza recomendarías como primera inversión en cachemir auténtico para alguien que recién empieza… Read more »
Marko, what a pleasure to read this on a quiet morning. As someone who has been buying menswear for my husband for nearly three decades, I can tell you that the trio of Loro Piana, Aida Barni and Santoni represents exactly the kind of purchases that age well rather than date. I picked up an Aida Barni roll-neck for him last winter from a small Italian boutique online, and the difference between it and his older mid-market cashmere pieces is immediately obvious in how it holds its shape. Your point about the cashmere becoming softer with each season is something… Read more »
Marko, ein gelungener Artikel mit Tiefe. Die Information, dass Loro Piana neben Kaschmir auch Vikunja aus Südamerika und Lotusblütenfaser aus Myanmar verwendet, beschreibt eine Beschaffungsphilosophie, die kein anderes europäisches Haus in dieser Form aufrechterhält. Ich war im vergangenen September in Prag und habe die Karlsbrücke ebenfalls im frühen Morgenlicht überquert deine Beobachtung über die ruhige, fast leere Atmosphäre vor sieben Uhr stimmt mit meiner eigenen Erfahrung überein. Welche Frühstücksempfehlung hättest du im Bereich der Karlsbrücke, vorzugsweise auf der Malá-Strana-Seite?
Marko, prachtig stuk dat de tijd waard is om langzaam te lezen. De wijze waarop je de drie Italiaanse merken Loro Piana uit Piemonte, Aida Barni uit Prato en Santoni uit de Marche-regio als drie verschillende artisanale tradities binnen één land beschrijft, geeft een diepere context dan men gewoonlijk in modebladen vindt. De keuze om je sneakers van bruin suède te combineren met een wol-kasjmierbroek in kamelkleur is gewaagder dan men denkt, en het werkt buitengewoon goed. Heeft het ronde gum-zooltje van de Santoni Oly voldoende grip op gladde kasseien?
Marko, an excellent post. The detail that Loro Piana was acquired by LVMH in 2013 for two billion euros is well known, but few writers connect this to the brand’s continued artisanal positioning rather than treating it as a contradiction. The pricing on the deerskin pieces reportedly up to eleven thousand eight hundred dollars on the official website reflects, as you correctly note, the limited raw material supply rather than any inflated luxury markup. Your point about earthy tones aligning with the visual palette of Malá Strana and the sandstone of the bridge is the kind of considered location-styling that… Read more »
Bonjour Marko, ton récit prague-italien est un véritable exercice d’équilibre. La description du Pont Charles long de 516 mètres, reposant sur seize arches de grès de Bohême, ajoute exactement le contexte architectural dont la mode de ce niveau a besoin pour s’inscrire dans un cadre crédible. Je porte depuis quelques années une veste Loro Piana en suède brun foncé et la matière, comme tu le dis, devient effectivement plus belle avec l’âge. Quel est, selon toi, le meilleur mois pour photographier Prague avec cette qualité de lumière dont tu parles dans l’article?
Caro Marko, articolo veramente raffinato. Quello che mi ha colpito di più è il modo in cui hai dato spazio alla figura di Aida Barni come imprenditrice fondatrice nel 1978, perché spesso il ruolo delle donne nell’industria tessile italiana viene trascurato anche dai colleghi italiani. Il marchio Annapurna prende il nome dal massiccio himalayano dove vivono le capre con la fibra più fine, e questa scelta racconta molto della filosofia originaria dell’azienda. Possiedo da diversi anni una giacca di pelle scamosciata Santoni e posso confermare che la lavorazione di Corridonia rimane di livello altissimo.
Marko, this is genuinely fine writing the bridge as a teacher of patience is a metaphor that earns its place in the text rather than being decorative. I bought my first pair of Santoni shoes nearly twenty years ago and they remain in regular rotation, which says everything about the brand’s construction quality and the over-ten sole stitching techniques you mention in the article. Your photographs are also notably restrained, never overstyled, which is in keeping with the quiet luxury theme. I admire how you avoided the temptation to dress this look up further with watches or accessories that would… Read more »
Marko, qué artículo más sereno y bien construido. Soy una lectora habitual de tu blog desde hace tiempo y me alegra ver que mantienes el nivel sin caer en las modas pasajeras que dominan otros sitios. Mi marido tiene un suéter Aida Barni de cuello alto en gris oscuro que le regalé hace dos navidades y todavía es la pieza que más usa durante el invierno. La descripción del puente al amanecer y la elección de combinar tres casas italianas en lugar de mezclar marcas internacionales es exactamente la coherencia que faltaba en muchos editoriales recientes.
Marko, a beautifully measured editorial. I have been reading your blog for a while now and what continues to draw me back is your respect for both the readers and the subjects you cover. The fact that the Charles Bridge was the only river crossing in Prague until 1841 is the kind of historical anchor that gives an outfit post its weight, and you handled it without ever sounding like a tourist guide. The Aida Barni houndstooth in beige and camel is one of the most flattering knit patterns for the autumn-spring transition I have ever seen, and the way… Read more »
Lieber Marko, vielen Dank für diesen reflektierten Beitrag. Es ist selten geworden, dass ein Mode-Editorial die Geschichte hinter den Marken so respektvoll erzählt, ohne in werbliche Sprache zu verfallen. Mein Mann besitzt einen Pullover von Aida Barni mit Pied-de-poule-Muster in Anthrazit, den er seit fast zehn Jahren regelmäßig trägt, und er sieht noch fast wie neu aus. Was mich besonders freut, ist deine Empfehlung, lieber eine echte Kaschmirstrickjacke fünf Jahre zu tragen als fünf synthetische pro Saison wegzuwerfen dieser Satz sollte häufiger gehört werden.
Marko, een werkelijk fijne tekst om te lezen. De aandacht voor materiaalkeuze kasjmier, fijn merino uit Australië en Nieuw-Zeeland, lotusvezel uit Myanmar, hertenleer uit gecontroleerde bronnen toont een respect voor herkomst dat in de meeste hedendaagse mode-publicaties ontbreekt. Ik ben in 2019 in Praag geweest en herinner me de Karelsbrug ook bij dageraad als een bijna onaardse ervaring, vooral met de baroque-beelden die langzaam door het ochtendlicht worden onthuld. Heb je een suggestie voor een rustige plek aan de Vltava voor een vroege koffie, weg van de toeristische routes?
Marko, a deeply considered piece. The connection you draw between Italian artisanal patience and Bohemian stonemasonry is the strongest editorial idea on the entire blog this year, and it deserves to be expanded into a longer essay at some point. I bought a Loro Piana cashmere overcoat in dark charcoal about three years ago after one of your earlier editorials from Milan and the difference in how it drapes compared to other premium overcoats is genuinely measurable. The reference to Andrea Santoni’s nearly twenty years of shoemaking experience before founding his atelier in 1975 is exactly the kind of biographical… Read more »
Cher Marko, un article remarquable de tenue éditoriale. Le passage où tu expliques que la peau de daim n’est pas issue d’un animal domestique élevé en ferme, contrairement au veau ou à l’agneau, est probablement la meilleure explication concise que j’ai lue sur la rareté de cette matière dans le luxe. J’ai eu la chance de visiter la boutique Loro Piana à Milan il y a quelques années et le personnel a confirmé exactement ce que tu décris sur le caractère limité des séries en peau de daim. Ton choix du Pont Charles à l’aube est d’une cohérence visuelle parfaite… Read more »
Marko, a truly excellent post to close my morning reading on. The phrase about fashion being lived slowly, just as the Charles Bridge is not crossed by running but by walking, is the kind of line that I will quote to friends for some time to come. I have followed the Aida Barni house for about a decade now and your description of the double-twisted yarn process from 1978 is the clearest explanation I have read in English. The decision to shoot in early-spring Prague rather than the more obvious autumn light gives the whole editorial an unexpected freshness that… Read more »