As a film buff, Walter Chiapponi entrusted Netflix’s Italian heartthrob Lorenzo Zurzolo Baby fame for starring in Tod’s fall collection video, presented digitally today. The young actor also featured in the lookbook, which was shot at Villa Ronchi, designed in the 1930s by Italian architect Giuseppe De Finetti, set in the misty, tranquil countryside of the Lombardy region of northern Italy.
In the short film, entitled #sevenT (“Seven as the days of the week, T for Tod’s but also for Time,” explained Chiapponi), the actor retreats to the solitude of the villa to prepare for a role. “Movies are one of my greatest passions,” said Chiapponi. “I wanted a strong, confident personality to express what I wanted to say. And it seemed appropriate to us at the moment we live to get around the idea of loneliness, but intended as an opportunity for introspection and self discovery. “
The designer believes in the restorative beauty of nature and in a cultivated lifestyle that embraces its healing power – concepts that served as a kind of backbone for the collection. Featuring classic exteriors, it was infused with a country gentleman’s flair for functionality and comfort. Sensuality and a touch of romance were also introduced; Chiapponi played with tactile, supple, smooth fabrics – cashmeres, tweeds, corduroy, velvet, knit textures. Lightly padded hunting and field jackets were kept slim yet relaxed. Customization retained a stylish allure while handled with ease. It was all subtly stimulated by a youthful 70s atmosphere.
What Chiapponi brings to Tod’s is a convincing refresh of Italian casual tropes seen through a cultivated, somewhat emotionally modern filter: “I don’t like anything over the top, not too cold or too sharp,” he said. “I want something soulful, a bit eccentric, and free. “