Walter Chiapponi has been quite a breath of fresh air for Tod's. The creative director is slowly but surely steering the brand into more contemporary territory. While his predecessors have attempted to position Tod's as the typical Italian brand with a focus on tailoring—something that Tod's had never had a strong presence in—Chiapponi's more casual slant to the brand's ready-to-wear line has gelled well with its iconic footwear.
For autumn/winter 2022, the men's collection is called 'Italian Routes'. The video presentation was filmed near Turin at the Rivoli Castle, once the former residence of the royal Savoy family but now a museum of contemporary art. The sheer juxtaposition between its architecture and the artworks that it now houses is reflective of the Tod's autumn/winter 2022 menswear collection, and in turn, Chiapponi's vision for the brand.
Look and feel: As the name suggests, there were a lot of driving references in the collection. Supple leather driving gloves played a part in driving (pun absolutely intended) the narrative of the autumn/winter 2022 collection. The ready-to-wear pieces in particular, evoked the kind of attire one would be entirely comfortable road-tripping in. Nothing felt too restrictive but in fact, looked incredibly comfortable to be in while navigating long journeys ahead.
The outerwear in particular, were classics interpreted with more innovative spins. The bomber jackets for example, were cut slim and crafted from a wool fabric that's been woven in such a way that it resembled fur. The collection's shirt jacket underscored the versatility of the collection—worn as a layering pieces or just as is—while chunky and slouchy knitwear brought out a more casual air throughout.
Favourite looks: Look 6's all-round tonal approach best represented the contemporary simplicity of the collection. The bomber jacket was no doubt the key highlight of the fit and would be something that'll look great after constant wear and being beaten up by the elements. I'm also drawn to look 14's textural contrasts. A knee-length coat layered over a sumptuous chunky turtleneck and then just simply paired with washed out denims—chic without even trying.
Favourite accessories: There's no sense in reviewing a Tod's collection without even mentioning the shoes. While the Gomminos are a classic, they were a bit underwhelming but only because there's only so many ways that the form and function of the shoe can be manipulated. For autumn/winter 2022 they were given a slight upgrade in the size of the iconic pebbles that line their soles.
The real stars of the collection were the updated Winter Gomminos. These boot variations of the aforementioned classic were raised with higher soles and crafted with an array of supple suede. But the most exceptional iteration was in the form of a leather pair as seen in look 15. There's little doubt that just by looking at the image, the leather used to craft the boots are incredible supple. And that glossy sheen made it even more appealing.
I definitely have to mention the loafers in the last look too. They're simple, classic, and finished with the T Timeless buckle (arguably the best hardware that the brand has in its visual vocabulary) but also fitted with a rather chunky outsole for that extra touch of modernity.
More Milan Fashion Week Men's AW22 reviews:
Day One: Zegna AW22
Day Two: Dolce&Gabbana AW22
Day Two: Fendi AW22
Day Three: Prada AW22
