Alberto
“Fashion Is Allowed to Be Disruptive”
Text: Lisa Hollogschwandtner. Photos: Alberto
Traditional masculinity is under scrutiny – and with it many images that have long dominated menswear. Does men’s fashion still need role models?
Marco Lanowy, Managing Director of Alberto: I believe that menswear is seeking new roles and role models now more than ever. I find the duality in our industry very exciting. We are experiencing both dilution and overload simultaneously. Many suppliers are trying to be everything to everyone, losing their stylistic focus in the process. But it is precisely that clear stance that is essential. Fashion is allowed to be disruptive.
Where does menswear find guidance?
Streaming services such as Netflix & Co are certainly shaping new iconic figures. I am also noticing that the look is becoming more dressed up again. You are sitting opposite me in a double-breasted suit, but oversized; I am wearing a cravat instead of a tie. This development harbors a great deal of positive energy – and poses a huge opportunity for our industry. I would like to see us disengage a little from the discourse around NOS and permanent resupply, a business concept in which everyone does the same thing. This only contributes to collective uncertainty. When brand statements and products become interchangeable, when everything looks the same, then it is clear that the customer no longer knows where to buy. In this context, issues such as quality, sustainability, and social responsibility play an increasingly prominent role. Emotional connection to the brand is also gaining in importance – something that is often underestimated in the retail space.
It used to be said that fashion sells dreams. Is that still true today?
Yes – and that is exactly what we need more of today! This is why events are so essential. I am convinced that we in fashion can learn a great deal from other industries. It is about creating new small universes that inspire, as the food and sports sectors are already doing, for example.
The core topic of our summer issue is relevance. What does the term mean to you?
In my mind, it comes down to a very simple question: is this really necessary? And to providing a profound, honest answer. Relevance is one of those terms that goes much deeper than its common usage. If we take the idea further, this one term encompasses our entire style world: traditional, yet future-oriented. Unfortunately, relevance is often misunderstood as a pure marketing tool and therefore somewhat devalued. Yet it should, in fact, be a matter of course – an inner compass that determines the attitude and activities of a brand.
