For his second Loro Piana collection, the godfather of streetwear delivers a wardrobe of clean, casual pieces with exceptional craftsmanship
It can be hard to keep track of Hiroshi Fujiwara’s creative projects at any given time—in this year alone he has launched an NFT, created HEYTEA merchandise, and designed a Pokémon-themed hotel room—but if there was one thing you absolutely had to take note of, it’s his new Loro Piana collaboration.
This is Fujiwara’s second collaboration with the Italian fashion brand, which is known, by those who can afford it, for its luxurious fabrics: silk, cashmere, vicuña and the finest wool in the world. Usually, those materials are transformed into timeless pieces, say a sweater or a coat—items that epitomise “discreet luxury”.
For Spring/Summer 2022, though, Fujiwara shakes things up at Loro Piana. While still drawing on the brand’s impeccable craftsmanship and exquisite fabrics, the Japanese designer created a wardrobe of refined, everyday pieces with a streetwear bent and no distinctions between genders. In short, it’s a collection that both Loro Piana clients and Fujiwara fans—male or female—can appreciate.
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Under Fujiwara’s vision, the Breton sweater is jazzed up with zig-zag lines, artfully knitted from silk and cotton by Loro Piana’s craftsmen. A tracksuit becomes a worthy symbol of luxury, not merely because of a logo but through the use of that fine wool we mentioned earlier, which is often reserved for Loro Piana’s suits. And a minimalist trench coat is now a grail piece that techwear fans will want to show off; its functional hood, a detail taken from Loro Piana’s signature Traveller Jacket, folds into a collar, and the whole piece is crafted weatherproof materials.
Even a T-shirt becomes something to contemplate and appreciate, thanks to the illustrations of vicuñas by artist Rei Imai.
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In the accessories department, Hiroshi Fujiwara makes subtle nods to Loro Piana’s heritage. A must-have this summer is the Stripe Tote Bag, which features a pattern taken from the suitcases that Loro Piana salespeople used to carry in the ‘70s. The bag, designed to fit vinyl records, can be decorated with the collection’s polka dot scarves in cashmere and silk, each adorned with a graffiti-style Loro Piana logo.
