There is a case to be made for tasteful graffiti on classic Italian pieces
Sometimes, irreverence can be a good thing for style. Even something as (slightly) sacrilegious as scribbling on an immaculately white pair of Tod’s Gommino driving shoes can lead to satisfying results if you have a solid creative vision, or if you’re Walter Chiapponi.
When Tod’s new creative director presented his first collection for the House in 2020, Chiapponi made it clear that he was going to have a lot of fun with the brand moving forward—think oversized blazers, looser trousers, louder colors, and even sneakers with formal wear. It’s that same elegance that Italian craftsmanship is known for with a subtle twist, which runs in line with this current trend of ease, comfort, and incremental experimentation in classic menswear.
There isn’t anything subtle about Tod’s latest capsule collection, however; rebellion came in the form of graffiti all over the Gommino, Tabs Sneakers, and T Timeless bags, all handwritten and drawn by Chiapponi himself. Inspired by street art—namely, the works of Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat—Tod’s Graffiti decorates classic pieces with words of affirmation and quirky illustrations. According to the brand, the collection stands for the unity of handcrafted perfection and freedom of expression.
We think that the edgy creative move is a refreshing direction for Tod’s, and the collection is visually appealing in all its graffiti-inspired chaos. Longtime fans of the brand need not worry, however; Chiapponi himself, playful and quite irreverent as he is, has expressed that won’t give in to hype.
Learn more about Tod’s Graffiti via this link. Check out this video as well to see Walter Chiapponi work on iconic Tod’s pieces for the collection.
