Blauer USA, Ten C Decamp to Milan Fashion Week
Outerwear specialists Blauer USA and Ten C moved to Milan from their usual Pitti Uomo display out of a business necessity.
A different environment called for different strategies, explained Enzo Fusco, the owner of the FGF Industry firm that controls the two brands. Sales have been booming over the past two years despite the pandemic, but some adjustments were required, including pushing back sales campaign.
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“We had already reached 70 to 80 percent of our seasonal budget before Pitti Uomo started, so it was less meaningful for us to be there this season,” he explained at the Ten C presentation.
The premium brand under the company’s umbrella furthered its exploration of technical developments, combining new fabrics with the signature garment dyed Original Japanese Jersey, including crinkle rip-stop nylon, waterproof three-layered cotton and nylon blends and a silver laminated nylon textile, which is lightweight and features a silver membrane that adds shimmer to garments.
Courtesy of Ten C
They were worked for an array of workwear and military-inflected offerings in signature Ten C style, from field jackets and anoraks to parkas in plaster-inspired grayish hues or dark burgundy. As part of the spring 2023 presentation, Ten C also teased the fall season, including a crinkled nylon sleeveless anorak with laser cut OJJ details and a down vest in Tactel nylon.
Over at Blauer, the spring collection was more colorful, but equally driven by strong research and development in textiles. A new lightweight puffer jacket intended for crisp spring days and available in different shades, from lime green to fiery red and a colorful camouflage pattern, was padded with Sorona, an eco-friendly, partially plant-based polymer.
“So far so good, the spring sales campaign for our brands has been performing well, we are already above 2021 levels,” said Fusco, adding that a reason for concern is the economic stagnation some analysts are forecasting will hit in the fall.
Courtesy of Blauer USA
Blauer USA also introduced its latest B.Tactical capsule inspired by uniforms of the American police and army, such as MA1 bombers, anoraks and overshirts. Fusco’s dream to bring Blauer USA back to the U.S., a brand with Stateside roots that he acquired in 2017, is still being finetuned. “You need to have a strong partner there to succeed,” he said.
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