cerruti: menswear - spring/summer 2010

when nino cerruti retired in 2002, the house which has earned a reputation for its high level of understated luxury struggled without a solid foundation and two years later declared for bankruptcy. in 2008 under new financial backers and designer paul knott at the helm, it marked a new era for the much beloved brand. with the ripple effect that started with knott's debut collection last year, spring 2010 saw the designer's reinterpretation of the house's heritage but injected it with a youthfulness that has been absent with his two previous collections. while the quality is still clearly visible, knott's played with proportions and volume and gave it a feeling of boyish naivete that places the brand on a more congruent level with what his contemporaries are doing. although the spirit of the collection as a whole is a much younger one, within in it are pieces that will still appeal to the traditional cerruti customers. impeccably tailored suits and coats in the most luxurious materials will without a doubt tempt quality connoisseurs. and as youthful as this collection is, it doesn't take on a personality that overshadows the history of cerruti. a proposition that will undoubtedly earn back the status the house rightfully deserves.


photo: nymag.com