PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES
T
rousers. When was the last time you gave
them any thought? It seems that they are
not on the radar for many of us in the way
pretty much every other item of clothing is – even
the humble sock seems to have more of a profile.
Meet Roberto Compagno, a man who is
on a mission to make you re-evaluate what
constitutes about 50 per cent of your visible daily
outfit. Compagno’s father Carlo founded Incotex
in Venice in 1951 as a manufacturer of workers’
and military uniforms. In the 1980s, Roberto –
now president – and his brother led the firm to
specialise in trousers. Incotex has been making
strides, literally, ever since.
Years of acquired expertise are evident
in a plethora of details: there is the
distinctive, signature “blue loop”
that holds your belt in place, the
sartorially inspired V-cut at the
back of the waistband meant to
give when you sit for a meal, and
a triple-fastening design to make
sure your flies don’t gape.
There is also a playfulness with
fabrics and styles: formal fabricsmade up into casual, unstructured trousers,
andmorecasualfabricsmadeintodressier
styles.Incotexhastakenthefive-pocketjeans,
traditionallyexecutedindenim,andmoveditinto
theareaof“tailoredandclassictrousers–wetry
tomixallthecultures”,saysCompagno.
As the full name of the company suggests
(Industrie Confezioni Tessili – Industrial
ProductionofTextiles),theapproachisnot
onetypicalofafashioncompany:“It’snotjust
amatterofdesignsandcolours.
Ourproductis80to90percent
engineering, 10 to 20 per cent
fashion and style.”
Anystyleshe’drecommend
for those boarding superyachts?
TheVenetianinhimsteps
forward–“Iloveboats,Ilive
onthewater”.Hetalksofthe
IncotexMareshortsthatare
made of waterproof cotton and
look like something you might
wear to a bar or restaurant, but double as swim
shorts. Then there are the cargo shorts, more
military in look and perfect for lounging on deck.
After half a century of dedication to
specialism, the Compagno family decided to
expand into other areas of the wardrobe and
bought other Italian specialist makers – Zanone
for knitwear, Glanshirt for shirts and Montedoro
for jackets and outerwear. They now all sit under
the umbrella name, Slowear.
“The Slowear philosophy is buy less, buy
better,” says Compagno. The Slowear way is to
make things that last from a quality point of view
and a design aspect – they don’t date because they
are classic pieces.
Compagno wants us to think more carefully
about what we buy. “I know why fast food is
called junk food; so, is fast fashion not junk
fashion?” he asks. “In the same way that you look
for something organic and good when it comes
to what you eat, so too should you apply the same
criteria when you shop.” slowear.comOne to watch
ALINA ABEGGSpruce up your jewellery
collection with a piece
by Alina Abegg, the new
indie name that is rapidly
gaining admirers among
the most discerning style
crowd (German actress
and Chanel muse Diane
Kruger is a fan).
Based in Berlin, Abegg
has taken inspiration from
on high for her latest
collection, Cosmic Escape.
But forget romantic night
skies and falling stars, her
chic yet playful aesthetic
favours a retro, sci-fi
take on outer space.
Abegg’s bold UFO gold
and tourmaline cocktail
rings evoke Hollywood
spaceships, and X-Files
fans will love her diamond-
eyed aliens styled as
hoops, studs and rings.
Possibly the chicest piece
in the range, her Saturn
drop earrings (also sold as
individuals) are fashioned
with Tahitian pearl planets
and sapphire orbits.
Next up? Abegg will soon
be coming back down to
earth: she is working on
a Far East-inspired second
collection, and it’s
already on our radar.
alinaabegg.comMaking strides
Move over jackets, trousers
are on top, says Peter Howarth.
For Roberto Compagno at least“I know why
fast food is
called junk
food; so is fast
fashion not
junk fashion?”Details such as the V-cut on the
waistband, to give comfort while
sitting, distinguish Incotex trousersBOAT LIFE