By Violet MacLeod

Photography courtesy of Arnoldo][Battois

From the creative minds of designers Silvano Arnoldo and Massimiliano Battois, Italian label Arnoldo][Battois presents its Renaissance themed fall/winter 2013/14 collection.

Arnoldo and Battois teamed up after meeting at Venice’s Faculty of Architecture. The designers later learned they both had a taste for beautiful things and a perfectionist attitude that is now reflected in their designs.

Founded in 2001, Arnoldo][Battois opened its first shop in Venice to test the brand’s marketability. The label has since gained national and international attention for its originality and craftsmanship. The spring/summer 2011 collection was shown during Milan Fashion Week, with fashion moguls such as Franca Sozzani and Anna Wintour in attendance.

The Arnoldo][Battois fall/winter 2013/14 collection is another thematic creation. This season’s line has smooth, soft, structured pieces created with the “refined knowledge of ‘bottega’.” Mimicking the spirit of Renaissance paintings, the collection indulges in brocade and emerald green fur, sprayed black to create the sense of 16th century velvet.

The colours are dark and rich. The pallete includes graphite gray, brown, emerald green and cinnamon. Each piece’s colours seamlessly blend across the surface without creating sharp contrast.

The embellishments used are also thematic, with varying colours and the use of cast iron and ruthenium. The hardware too embodies 16th century art period, with locks and hinges dulled to resemble the closures of old trunks.

The dark, warm vision of the collection is realized through materials used. Pleats of ‘plongé nappa’ create colour play, ‘putty python’ results in a pixelated look as if catching fragmented lighting, while fur combined with ‘calves with smooth buckskin texture’ is used to create fluttering shadows.

Inspiration was also pulled from travel bags and briefcases, making each piece large and comfortable. The typical travel pieces were renewed with large bellows pockets and flaps with frames.

This season’s collection sharply contrasts Arnoldo][Battois’ last line that paid homage to American 1950s designs. However, it remains in sync with the brand’s label by including a new version of its classic bag, the Elephante Plisse’.

“Overall different but connected with detail.” — The Arnoldo][Battois concept is back.

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