Matteo Tamburini treads softly at Tod’s

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Milanese fashion is on the rise, thanks to new heat from established businesses such as Prada, but also a wave of fresh design talent who in recent seasons have taken the reins at some of the oldest Italian luxury houses. 

Among them is Matteo Tamburini, who joined Italian luxury company Tod’s last December as creative director, after his predecessor, Walter Chiapponi, departed to fashion label Blumarine. That gave him less than three months to prepare a collection to show editors and buyers back in February. “It was a kind of kamikaze approach last season,” he laughs, on a video call from his office in Milan.

What stood out to me most, from his autumn/winter 2024 debut, was the elevated quality: the softness of the leather jackets, the versatility of the bags and the updated offering of shoes, now less reliant on logos. That, and the show venue — the historic Darsena tram depot — and rows of screaming fans waiting outside for Tod’s ambassador, the chiselled-faced Chinese actor and singer Xiao Zhan, despite the pouring rain.

It’s too soon to say what is selling; the full collection only arrived in stores over the past few weeks. But Tamburini says that retailers, so far, have shown interest in his tailoring and “how the proportions play together”. He adds that popular pieces include “the slim pants with the big cuff — a kind of masculine approach, and the tailored jackets and coats. Everyone is quite in love with the knitwear too, like the double-layer twinset in pashmina silk and wool.”

Think stealth wealth — quiet but confident. “The soft approach is key to the brand,” says Tamburini. “When you think about the Gommino [a driving shoe with rubber studs on the sole that is one of Tod’s most recognisable products] it has become an icon because it is soft and comfortable. So it’s quite natural to move in that direction. When you touch [our products] it should feel like a guilty pleasure.”

When you touch [our products] it should feel like a guilty pleasure

Now, Tamburini is gearing up for his second show, taking place today. When we speak in early September, he describes it as “the quiet before the storm”. Samples of the new collection are due to arrive over the next few days, and that’s when he and stylist Brian Molloy, who worked with Tamburini on his debut Tod’s show and whose clients also include The Row and Issey Miyake, will start putting it all together.

Tod’s was founded in 1900 by Filippo Della Valle as a cobbler, before the business took off commercially under the management of his grandson Diego, who grew its presence globally, gaining a following of celebrities and royalty, including Naomi Campbell, Nicole Kidman and Princess Caroline of Monaco.

Tamburini, who turns 42 this year and hails from Pesaro in central Italy, worked for Rochas, Schiaparelli and Emilio Pucci, before joining Bottega Veneta as head ready-to-wear designer in 2017. His arrival at Tod’s was followed by the announcement that the company would go private in a deal with LVMH-backed private equity firm L Catterton, ending more than two decades as a public company on the Milan stock exchange.

While the performance of the Tod’s Group improved in 2023, with sales up 11.9 per cent to €1.13bn, the company has been under pressure for most of the past decade because of the waning popularity of its brands, which include Tod’s itself, Roger Vivier, Fay and Hogan.

Not having to adhere to listing requirements, such as publishing regular earnings updates, has taken the pressure off Tamburini, allowing him to settle in and develop his vision for Tod’s, at his own pace. “It gives me freedom,” he says. The partnership with L Catterton also unusually provides the resourcing of a large conglomerate, while allowing Tod’s to operate independently, he adds. “They provide us with the resources to innovate and grow, but without losing our heritage. So I think it is a positive thing.”

For spring/summer 2025, expect forward-thinking construction techniques and the continuation of tactile fabrics such as leather and suede, says Tamburini. Rather than usher in radical new ideas, his preference is to keep things minimal but sharp. “We experimented a bit more with the silhouette and different proportions, but we still want to focus on craftsmanship [and] allow the brand’s inherent elegance to come to the fore,” he says. “Last season was a declaration of intent and setting the tone for what will come next.”

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