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    The History of the Hoodie: Rebellion & Empowerment

    Luca Faloni Model Wearing Cashmere Hoodie

    Few garments have created such controversy as the hoodie. From its association with youth-driven communities, iconic sports players and the runways of Paris, the hooded sweatshirt is one of our most iconic menswear wardrobe staples.

    Its design has barely changed over the last 80 years. The blank canvas has appealed over the generations, as different walks of life adopted the hoodie as a symbol for music, innovation and rebellion.  

    Luca Faloni Illustration of Athletes

    1930s: Invention

    In the 1930s American clothing manufacturers began experimenting with fabrics traditionally used in undergarment mills to create what we now know as the hoodie. The apparel company now known as Champion Athletic Apparel produced a sweatshirt material to keep athletes and labourers warm and protected from the elements. The design evolved into sportswear for the mass market over the 20th century.

    The hoodie made a transition from practical clothing to a personal statement when athletes started to give their sports attire to their girlfriends to wear. The trend emerged throughout high schools in 50’s America, along with polo shirts & letterman jackets. This started the early adoption of using sportswear as a fashion statement.

    Luca Faloni Rocky Wearing a Hoodie

    1970s: Rebellion

    In the 70s, hip-hop culture emerged in the Bronx, inspiring rap music, graffiti and break dancing. Wearing a hoodie at this time meant you were keeping a low profile, and with a design like a cobra hood it was worn to intimidate others. The hoody allowed unrestricted movement for the dance routines and concealed the identities of graffiti artists on the street.

    In California, skaters rejected the mainstream culture, and with the closure of many skate parks skaters maintained their lifestyle however they could, legal or not. To feed the rebellion, music in the area gravitated towards hard-core punk and hoodies became a staple of the culture.

    In 1976, the release of “Rocky” added another layer of symbolism to the hoodie. The grey marl silhouette became a symbol of his hard knocks, and work ethic, and reestablished the hoodie’s connection to its working-class roots, reaffirming its look into today’s mainstream society.

    1980s: Empowerment

    In the 80’s, the hoodie became part of a look associated with street style. Its mass adoption began with the parallel popularity of hip-hop from the US, where rappers modelled themselves after athletes in a bid to emulate strength and status.

    1990s: Mainstream

    By the ‘90s, the hoodie’s duality as both a trend and iconic staple was well established. It was during this era when the term “hoodie” became part of American vocabulary, filtered by hip hop’s rise into the mainstream and the huge rise of urban fashion.

    The 90s saw the growth of hard-edged gangsta rap, and groups like Wu-Tang Clan and Cypress Hill had a pared-down dress code to suit their hard rhythms. By this time the hoodie had quickly become a cultural symbol.

    2000: Tech Uniform

    2012 was a reminder that whether positive or negative, the hoodie can always be used to make a statement. Mark Zuckerberg caused a stir by wearing a hoodie to meet Wall Street investors, which was ultimately seen as a power move. Whether or not this was an intentional tactic, we conclude it convincingly established an identity for Zuckerberg as a non-conformist rather than creating a casual fashion statement.

    This contemporary piece has become a sartorial classic for the Luca Faloni essentials collection. Several fundamental details have been introduced to transition this piece from casual attire to a high-end contemporary look.

    The Cashmere Hoodie by Luca Faloni

    This hooded sweater is knitted in Italy with 100% two-ply pure cashmere from the prestigious Cariaggi Fine Yarns Collection.

    Fitted and elegant silhouette: The design has been streamlined removing bulky pockets and zip to ensure a fitted and flattering silhouette.

    Quality Buttons: By replacing the basic zip design with premium Italian buttons, the hoodie has a more elegant and distinguished feel.

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    Denim: Italian Heritage

    Italy is widely regarded as the producer of the most prestigious denim garments in the world, thanks to the premium fabrics and artisanal experience that dates to the 19th century.

    The manufacturers’ passion for authenticity is what made the art of denim production a “Made in Italy” excellence, where technology and innovation meet traditions passed down through generations. The result is garments that exude artisanal details and are durable and luxurious.

    Over the years, Luca Faloni has nurtured a collaborative relationship with Albini, a family-owned business with over a century of textile experience in the world of denim. Today, Albini - with its brand Albiate 1830 - is the leader in creating premium quality denim with an eye on sustainability and Italian tradition. Sharing a passion for authenticity, we aim at promoting Italian denim craftsmanship with superior quality garments.

    Luca Faloni Milan Store

    In Conversation: Davide Barreri - The Turin Architect Behind the Luca Faloni Store Concept

    Davide Barreri the Turin-based Italian architect who practiced at Motoelastico in Seoul to Hopkins Architects in London. Plateau Collaborative was founded in 2011 in collaboration with architects Andrea Alessio and Ilaria Ariolfo. PlaC discovers a contemporary approach to living through architecture, urbanism and design and the creatives behind the Luca Faloni store concept.

    When did you start your Architects practice? And why Turin?

    PlaC was officially established as a registered practice in 2014, but we’ve been working together since we were at university; my partners Andrea Alessio and Ilaria Ariolfo studied with me and we’ve been friends for ages, so we made the decision together to start our business. After various stints spent working abroad - in Seoul, London, Berlin and Madrid - we decided to return to our roots in Turin, the city where each of us grew up and studied architecture.

    What inspired you when it came to the design of the Luca Faloni store?

    The idea was to create a basic structure that was extremely flexible and able to adapt to future changes so that it could easily be used in different configurations, but which at the same time draws inspiration from the copper roofing of the old buildings and by the Marienplatz clocktower, Milan is a homage to Piero Portaluppi (who designed the building), whereas for Miami our starting point was art deco, an architectural style that's common in the city, and which is characterised by very particular colour pairing and strong geometric symmetry.

    How important is made in Italy to you?

    In terms of production, our country has one of the most stringent systems of quality control in the world, put in place to maintain our high standards. Over the last few decades, the term Made in Italy has become one of the most famous brands in the world, and without a doubt, for an Italian designer, it’s almost a professional calling to safeguard these high standards. However, I feel that there is a certain lack of awareness of our strengths in Italy: I’ve often found there’s a greater respect for Made in Italy abroad than there is in Italy.