It’s an angsty world out there right now, with a lot of reasons to be concerned—climate change, a redo American election, and the disappearance of the middle class, just to name a few. Many designers have been expressing a sense of apprehension through their recent collections. As for John Elliott, he’s been there, done that, and moved on to an optimistic mindset for fall 2024.
“I kind of felt like the American dream was slipping through my kids’ fingers in front of my eyes,” Elliott said, speaking of his spring 2024 collection now in stores. “It came from a place of anger, which I had never [expressed] before.” The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank had him questioning the future for his young children.
Elliott has moved on from the American Dream, as many of us are starting to do. He found inspiration for his fall 2024 collection in northern Italy—specifically in the city of Modena, known for balsamic vinegar, Pavarotti, and some of the world’s fastest cars. In town for a quick trip to dine at Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana, he visited the Maserati factory on a whim. The super-cars on the factory floor and the lifestyle of the engineers who design them were his starting point. “I realized the people who are building Ferraris and Maseratis are some of the most highly-skilled, most interesting people in the world.” He took a voyeuristic approach, watching them go from the factory floor to soccer practice or a night out. “Just looking at how these guys were dressing. I got very inspired by this way of life.”
The collection is more elevated than his previous ones, and reinforces the argument that not every designer needs a runway to communicate their vision. It blends tailoring with sportswear, in a rich palette of earth tones that work together seamlessly. Elliott leaned on his relationships with factories in Italy and Japan to develop special fabrics. Structured moleskin and worn-in leather evoke the feeling of sinking into the bucket seat of a ’70s race car. Matte nylon anoraks and track shorts with functional performance details are meant to be paired with overcoats, the way one would if they were heading from their day job to an evening scrimmage. Tropical wool trousers have a sporty drawstring at the waist, while a high-neck cashmere thermal is a nod to the protective gear worn on the racetrack. The floral print on poplin pieces was inspired by a Chinese oil painting from Enzo Ferrari’s home.
He acknowledges that it’s a departure from what he’s done before, but not such a big leap. “It feels quite intellectual and expensive, but at the end of the day, it’s rooted in utility. It’s a reflection of where I’m at in my life.”
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