Being a movie buff, Walter Chiapponi entrusted Italian heartthrob Lorenzo Zurzolo of Netflix’s Baby fame to star in Tod’s Fall collection video, presented digitally today. The young actor was also lensed in the lookbook, which was shot at Villa Ronchi, designed in the ’30s by Italian architect Giuseppe De Finetti, located in the foggy, quiet countryside of Northern Italy’s Lombardy region.
In the short movie, titled #sevenT (“Seven as the days of the week, T for Tod’s but also for Time,” Chiapponi explained), the actor retreats to the solitude of the villa to prep for a role. “Movies are one of my greatest passions,” said Chiapponi. “I wanted a strong, confident personality to express what I wanted to say. And it seemed fit for the moment we’re living in to work around the idea of solitude—but intended as an opportunity for introspection and self-discovery.”
The designer believes in the restorative beauty of nature and in a cultivated lifestyle that embraces its healing power—concepts which served as a sort of backbone for the collection. Featuring classic outdoor pieces, it was infused with a country gentleman’s flair for practicality and comfort. Sensuality and a touch of romance were also introduced; Chiapponi played on tactile, supple, smooth fabrications—cashmeres, tweeds, corduroy, velvet, knitted textures. Slightly padded hunting and field jackets were kept slim yet relaxed. Tailoring retained a classy allure while treated with casual ease. It was all subtly energized by a youthful ’70s vibe.
What Chiapponi is bringing to Tod’s is a convincing refresh of Italian casual tropes, seen through a cultivated, slightly emotional modern filter: “I don’t like anything over-designed, nor too cold or too sharp,” he said. “I want something soulful, un poco eccentrico, and free.”
