Cashmere Dreams
We sit down with brand founder, Luca Faloni, to talk fashion, fabric and the age-old, Italian knack for style
words & interview Will HALBERT
Born initially out of sheer frustration at the lack of well-crafted menswear pieces in the best fabrics and at the most competitive prices, the Luca Faloni brand has evolved considerably. Now in its sixth year of business, Luca Faloni has stores in London, Stockholm and New York, and has become widely recognised for luxury garments hand-crafted in Italy. Here, the man behind it all brings us up to speed on the story so far. EJ
Tell us a little about how Luca Faloni came to be? The brand, that is. What sets you apart?
The brand was started in 2014. The idea came about after I’d been living over-seas for some time, and would always buy my clothes when I was on visits back home to Italy. To put it simply: I couldn’t find the same quality and style that I wanted elsewhere else in the world.
Whilst working in San Francisco in 2012, I came across the direct-to-consumer model. I learned why traditional clothing brands were so expensive in relation to their quality: It was down to the high mark-ups from third-party retailers. It seemed to me that the industry was calling out for a consumer brand selling the very best in Italian quality, selling it globally, and at a fair price.
Business models aside, what is the primary focus of Luca Faloni’s offerings?
The focus has always been to provide classic designs with contemporary fits using the finest materials. I have always appreciated quality fabrics since my days growing up in Italy. For Luca Faloni, I want the focus to be on those long-lasting materials, which are luxurious to wear but retain functional properties. So naturally, cashmere knitwear sits at the heart of the brand, due to its superior qualities over regular wool.
So you must place a real emphasis on sourcing the very best in those materials. Anyone you can tell us about?
Absolutely. We mostly partner with trusted family businesses based in Northern Italy. The people we work with are true artisans, the best in the world at what they do. In terms of fabrics, we source from across Italy. We’re always looking for the very best suppliers. The most prestigious yarn producer for cashmere, for example, is Central Italy’s Cariaggi. Over the course of three generations, the business has refined its yarn to be the very best in quality. We trust them implicitly.
How did you gauge people’s reactions to your product in the brand’s early stages?
I actually used to email customers randomly! I always wanted to know what they liked or disliked about the product, and how we might be able to improve. At the moment, I like to visit the store on Saturdays, as it’s the busiest day of the weekend and I can talk to as many people as possible to see how they feel about what we’re trying to achieve.
It’s fair to say that Luca Faloni has been a resounding success. What do you put that down to?
I think the success of, and warm reception to, the brand is down to the fact that it has remained focussed on getting the key elements right. Our designs don’t adhere to a seasonal time-frame, for instance. Instead, they focus on creating timeless styles at a fair price without any messy interference from third parties. That really resonates with people.
Tell us a little about your brick-and-mortar stores. What can we expect when we step inside?
Feeling relaxed and welcome is of the utmost importance for me personally. Our stores should feel homely, they should never make people feel uneasy or uncomfortable. Luca Faloni offer a space where people feel that they can take all the time they need. Our stores are a place for conversation and discovery. Ultimately, we want our customers to enjoy being with us. We want them to learn a little more about the brand and, you know, maybe grab a coffee or an Aperitivo while they’re at it!
Can you describe how you settle on new designs and the colour palette when designing the collection?
In terms of new designs, our collection evolves in a very natural way. We carefully, slowly, add new products to an existing category, season by season, without forcing the issue or making a huge focus of it. The idea is that we are creating versatile products that can be worn for a number of different occasions. Dressed up or down. That said, we will be introducing new colours, and we’re challenging ourselves to be slightly bolder with our colour choices moving forward.
We know you guys are big believers in slow fashion practices, but are there any plans to expand on your core offering?
We’ve been doing a little research into trousers of late, with a few chino designs already available in store. We really want to do more in this sector, creating a collection that can offer solutions for both day and night occasions. In terms of materials, we are always researching new blends. Next summer, for instance, we’re looking to introduce silk-cotton and silk-linen in our shirting and polo categories.
Do you have any personal favourites from the current Faloni collections?
Oh, that’s a tough one! I’m a big fan of the chunky knit cashmere crew for when it gets really cold. It’s really comfortable, wear after wear, and extremely warm. I always wear it over a tee shirt. I can’t just pick one thing though, so the cashmere hoodie deserves a mention. It’s something I wear as much when travelling as when I’m in the office, as it has a natural style and it’s really functional. It’s elegant and can pass as a casual piece that fits a formal occasion. Our brushed cotton shirts are amazing as well. The cotton keeps me warm without adding too much weight.
And last but not least, why is it that Italian gentlemen seem to have an almost genetic predisposition to effortless style?
[Laughing] That’s another tricky one! But a compliment, all the same. I don’t know, maybe it’s something we have built in our DNA, or maybe it’s just something we learn from a young age. There are a lot of independent stores and artisans in Italy. So I guess that interest in cut, fit, fabric and quality is kind of pervasive! It rubs off.
lucafaloni.com
