In their last campaign as Etro Creative Directors Kean and Veronica Etro of mens and women collections, pay homage to the Italian brand’s luxury, bohemian, on-the-road roots.

The Fall 2022 campaign with models Mica Arganaraz and Sam Mallos, shot by photographer Henrik Purienne in Palm Springs, CA was described by the Etro family creatives as “our road to nowhere towards faraway worlds, sun-drenched as far as the eye can see, strong in the nomadic and curious spirit that has always pushed us forward, because it is never the destination that counts, but the journey itself”.

The Journey Is the Destination

The Fall 2022 Etros campaign signifies the upcoming shift to a new interpretation of the Italian heritage brand’s DNA under new Creative Director Marco de Vincenzo, who arrived at the house in May. The new guy’s calm demeanor went into high gear, with exactly one month to divine and design a Spring 2023 collection that could be produced on time for in-store delivery.

Having just looked at the new Spring 2023 Etro Collection runway show, I find the transition to be quite fluid in spite of key words like ‘‘no’ to Etro’s [boho] fluidity and ‘yes’ to more rigid, modern construction. ‘Yes’ to more edge and a hint of style subversion is also obvious.

Brand Roots and History Matter

Given Etro’s roots in a more subversive time in history than today — Miuccia Prada was a placard-carrying communist, for heaven’s sake — what counts in both these Fall 2022 Etro campaign images and the new Spring 2023 collection images that will follow shortly, is the integrity of the brand’s DNA and being certain that it resonates in the 21st century.

For me, Marco de Vincenzo did an excellent job of making his first Etro design transition under major pressure. And as he acknowledges, in no way does he want to discard the rich heritage of this premium brand.

This theme of innovation but protection of heritage is entering a more important period than even Virgil Abloh’s dramatic reinvention of Louis Vuitton menwear.

Blinking Yellow Caution Light

Politics is sending many of us back into the archives, and no big brand is probably more aggravated by the imperious antics of one of fashion’s biggest narcissists — whatever his mental condition, this guys creates total havoc and pain in his path — than a certain mega sports brand.

AOC obliquely touched the topic in our recent post on Swarovsky’s new Holiday 2022 campaign. I daresay that in the next six months, writers like AOC will become a walking compendium on the history of fashion and fascism.

We all know bits and pieces about the rise of fascism in Europe and the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime. But chapter and verse?

No . . . but we will be there shortly. We do it — not to beat a dead horse — but to process corporate and brand history and decision-making through the lens of looming future challenges.

When Elon Musk tells the world to let Russia have its way in Ukraine, it’s a bit chilling, frankly.

It’s time to understand what really went down in the world of business decades ago — in our pre-internet global history. That includes here in America, where we were anything but a flock of Christian angels during these horrific years. It’s not my idea of how to celebrate the holidays, but inquiring minds want to know the facts.

Where Heritage Is Proud, Celebrate It

There’s a rich taspestry of Italian DNA roots at play in Etro in this moment, even if the brand is now majority-owned by LVMH-backed L Catterton. So goodbye to the Etro family and hello to Marco de Vincenzo.

Given the times we are living in and the storied history of the Etro brand, including the legendary timing of its birth [and a quick Google search] give that brand DNA a big hug. Note that I’ve also learned that brands have made conscious efforts to wipe Google clean of certain aspects of their history.

But you, dearest Etro with your magic-carpet ride, global-nomad, people-loving history, you have riches in 2022. Honor them, because you look good to go, Etro.

Now if you could just solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without killing off either side, you will be our fav brand forever. Just kidding, but I think everyone knows where I am going with this line of inquiry. And I think sustainability reporting is challenging!!! ~ Anne