If, Sir Galahad himself wore a suit, he would undoubtedly be a Cifonelli client; so splendid is the Cifonelli ready-to-wear collection, Fall/Winter 2016.
Inspired by the classical splendor of the Royal Palace of Madrid in the 18th century, the Cifonelli man is envisioned as a prince, an individual who embodies almost Arthurian levels of virtue, fascinated by contemporary elegance and sophistication. He inherits a palace, inside of which are rooms filled with trunk upon trunk of extraordinary garments, created in the highest tradition of aristocratic couture. He takes these garments and recuts them for himself - refining the lines and modernizing his suits - creating the wardrobe of the ultimate patrician aesthete.
Reflecting this fictional reworking of the classic suit, Cifonelli refines the man's silhouette, giving it slim, smooth, clean lines, especially visible on the lapels and waistband of the coats, as well as the collection's narrow pant legs with plain hems (lapels are too old school for the prince) while retaining Cifonelli's signature shoulders. Indeed, the construction quality of the entire collection is exquisite, and close inspection of the ready-to-wear and side-by-side tailored sleeve heads confirms that Cifoneli has masterfully incorporated Cifonelli's tailored construction, softness, and balance into Fall/Winter 2016.
This current approach to old-school sartorial glamour is embodied in every individual element of the collection; from the richly toned autumnal plaid suits with svelte, suave silhouettes - inspired by the traditional tweed riding suit, to the monochromatic plaid lounge suit, or the completely decadent paisley velvet tuxedo jacket (created by burning a paisley print into a plain black velvet), the collection is immaculate, yet rich and wearable.
Reflecting the antique elegance of Velazquez, Cifonelli's Fall/Winter 2016 ready-to-wear is extraordinarily balanced and powerful, a masterful expression of contemporary elegance. The Prince Cifonelli of Fall-Winter 2016 is clearly an individual of exquisite taste; the quintessential post-modern dandy.
