Tod’s and Central Saint Martins Celebrate Emerging Fashion Talents
Tod’s kicked off London Fashion Week with a program that highlights burgeoning talents. Collaborating with Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, the storied Italian label enlisted 35 young designers to reimagine its iconic accessories, including the Gommino Loafer, the Timeless T, and the D-Bag. The results of the project, titled Tod’s Legacy, debuted on a dedicated online platform last Friday.
Tod’s was founded by the Della Valle family in the 1920s as a shoe manufacturer. Six decades later, when current president Diego Della Valle took the reins, the company steadily grew to become one of the major fashion players and biggest luxury leather labels in the industry. Tod’s strength lies in its heritage; the company continues to produce its products in the Marche region of Italy, employing skilled artisans. It also created Tod’s Academy to pass down these time-honored techniques to a whole new generation. For Tod’s Legacy, however, Della Valle sought to bring a fresh perspective to its stable of styles.
“This is a beautiful project that supports students and at the same time brings unusual and innovative points of view to Tod’s,” said Della Valle in a statement.
Each of the students was given a scholarship and access to a group of mentors that comprise the fashion industry’s most noted designers, editors, stylists, critics, and talent scouts to refine their visions. Andrew La Casse, for example, worked with designer Roksanda Ilincic to reconfigure the Timeless T Bag with an oversized flap and flowy leather straps. And Andrej Gronau partnered with designer Simone Rocha to give his interpretation of Tod’s accessories using knit fabrics. Both Ilincic and Rocha are also graduates of Central Saint Martins, and, perhaps more than most, understand the importance of melding traditional craftsmanship with innovative ideas.
“I can see an incredible though-out process between your identity and theirs,” said Rocha to Gronau in one of the 35 videos showcasing the dialogue between the mentors and mentees. “So well done.”
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