Brioni’s Energetic Display at Menswear Week

Performative dressing during the menswear weeks usually means sidewalk peacocking for Phil Oh. At Brioni today Norbert Stumpfl brought the performance inside, punctuating the label’s usual mannequin-worn presentation with an energetic display by around a dozen dancers from various companies. This was meant to demonstrate that Stumpfl’s pieces (peerlessly put together by Brioni’s Penne-based tailors and craftspeople) are as robustly free-flowing as they are richly beautiful. Handstands, high kicks, forward rolls, and other contortions that would have put most of the audience in traction left these fall menswear looks (plus a few spring women’s equivalents) utterly undisturbed.

Said Stumpfl: “I wanted to show the lightness of the clothes and the movement they afford you. It’s kind of a fashion show, but it’s also something more. These people are highly trained individuals. In that, they are like Brioni’s tailors. It takes a lot of time for them to master their craft.”

Brioni’s Evolution Under Norbert Stumpfl

To Brioni owner Kering’s credit, Stumpfl has been given time to rebuild the brand. Since joining in 2018, he has gently refreshed Brioni’s tailoring soul while pragmatically broadening its informal offer. Today’s presentation was the latest move in one of contemporary luxury’s most calmly choreographed brand evolutions. Deerskin sneakers, suede shirting, and double split construction silk mix tailoring were some of the highlights, presented in a variety of top-to-bottom tonal combinations.

Outerwear included membrane-waterproof field jackets, alpaca-lined parkas, deerskin/crocodile bombers, and swooshy peak-lapel overcoats in plain or gently patterned cashmere. The season’s cardigan comeback gathered momentum, showcasing Brioni’s versatility.

Eveningwear and Heritage Tribute

Eveningwear continued the mostly-tonal mood with standout pieces like a shawl collar silk tuxedo in pale lavender. This nod to Brioni’s post-war origins, when it injected pizzazz into tailoring by offering bold silhouettes, showcased Stumpfl’s understanding of the brand’s heritage. The high-collar, double-breasted jackets were a tribute to that legacy, yet designed for a contemporary wardrobe.

Stumpfl mentioned spending time with Gigliola Savini Perrone, daughter of Brioni’s cofounder Gaetano Savini, who shared her father’s vision with the design team. This collaboration resulted in pieces that blend tradition with modernity, embodying Brioni’s timeless appeal.