Canali backtracks through production to trace tailoring

Image from Canali’s “Rewind”

Italian menswear label Canali is taking a reverse look at craftsmanship through a film that begins at the end.

The brand’s “Rewind” follows the journey of a jacket from the consumer’s unboxing back to conception, running the footage backwards to create an artistic effect. With the craftsmanship film fairly standard in the luxury sector, brands are thinking of out-of-the-ordinary ways to tell their particular creation story.

“I think that Canali took this reverse construction approach to showcase a beautiful and thoughtful process that is often overlooked by the consumer,” said Lauren Bates, marketing manager and lead storyteller at Blue Moon Digital, Denver, CO. “But, if the video played the way we expect it to, it wouldn’t hold people’s attention for as long.

“Four minutes is a long time to hold someone’s attention online,” she said. “Typically, we suggest that a video be no longer than 90 seconds. But conceptually, we understand the process; there is a sketch, there is a pattern, there is fabric and there is construction. But it isn’t something that we really ever think about.

“By making the video in this unexpected way, you build a sense of intrigue. For instance, scissors seemingly uncut things, ribbons untie and fabrics jump into the craftsman’s hands. The viewer is interested in what happens next because their brain can’t jump ahead and ruin the surprise because everything isn’t the way it seems.”

Ms. Bates is not affiliated with Canali, but agreed to comment as an industry expert. Canali was reached for comment.

Looking back
“Rewind” was released concurrently with the brand’s fall/winter 2017 presentation in Milan.

For this effort, Canali called in filmmaking talents including director Ivan Cotroneo, who wrote and directed “I am Love,” director of photography Luca Bigazzi, who worked on “The Great Beauty,” and Oscar-winning composer Dario Marianelli, who was behind the soundtracks of movies such as “Atonement” and “Pride and Prejudice.”

In a statement shared by Canali, Mr. Cotroneo said, “Rewind is a three-minute film about everything that is hidden, everything that comes before the simple act of putting on a jacket.

“This journey transpires in reverse, like a melodic dance, moving backwards from the final creation all the way to the initial idea,” he said. “All this to convey that there is nothing simple about the process and that behind every single detail lie many individuals, hundreds of steps, care, attention, and also, love.

“Rewind tells a story of passion, creativity, commitment, teamwork. As with a film or with any finished work of art, it is impossible to imagine just how much time and effort is involved.”

Image from Canali’s “Rewind”

The film opens as a man unboxes a jacket, folding back the tissue paper that covers the garment before slipping his arms into the sleeves and buttoning it. This represents the experience of apparel that consumers are privy to.

Next, text that appears informs the viewer of the more than 300 steps that were taken to create this jacket before it reached retail.

From here, the film plays in reverse, showing the jacket’s final stop in the factory for basting stitches at its vent along with other finishing touches such as ironing and the sewing of a button. With the rewinding footage, actions such as pulling thread through a textile take on more magical properties, as objects and the people maneuvering them move in unnatural ways.

For instance, scissors move backwards adding fabric to a seam, while a stitch is taken out by a sewing machine, leaving a tailor with two unattached pieces of fabric.

At the end of the film, a tailor moves a pencil over a piece of paper, removing the lead sketch of a man in a blazer line by line until all that remains is a blank slate.

Rewind by Ivan Cotroneo | Canali craftsmanship

“Western society is very consumption driven and often we, the consumer, don’t stop to think about where our clothes come from or how they are made,” Ms. Bates said. “Especially with the rise of fast fashion brands. Construction of those garments are purely profit driven and there isn’t the attention to detail.

“Luxury is different and should be showcased as such,” she said. “The luxury consumer expects a different experience. Luxury is luxury for a reason and Canali does a great job of showcasing that without coming off as pretentious or stuffy, which, in turn, will appeal to a young consumer and has the potential to gain a new customer.”

Crafting content
Proving craftsmanship through film is one way to justify a luxury positioning and price point. However, what can be a fairly standardized format has been rethought by some brands.

British footwear maker John Lobb is highlighting the intimate relationship between a craftsman and his tools in an ongoing film series.

John Lobb’s “Gestures” depicts the choreography behind the shoemaking process, as artisans perform a duet with the wood, leather and other materials. The pared-down nature of the videos allows the work of the artisan to shine (see story).

Craftsmanship content is also taking on more long form storytelling.

For instance, leather goods maker Goyard is putting its rich history on display with a documentary film describing the founder’s family backstory before leather, when hard work and craftsmanship were still valued.

Goyard is a house whose rich history dates back to the 1800s when it was founded by its namesake, François Goyard. The leather brand is hoping to capitalize on its long-standing past with France through its recent documentary video that tells the story of the Goyard family’s previous trade of timber, which required and equal amount of craftsmanship and diligence (see story).

“Brands need to be cutting through the noise and building relationships with different demographics,” Ms. Bates said. “So, creativity is a must. If everyone is doing the same thing, how will one brand standout among the others and reach new customers?

“Video is swiftly becoming the medium of choice among millennials for content consumption and showcasing processes, that might not be otherwise thought of as interesting, in a different way will make an impact,” she said.

“Visual storytelling is one of the best, if not the best, way of reaching the online consumer. And today, we live online, so brands will have to continue to adjust. This campaign by Canali is a perfect demonstration of that.”

from Apparel and accessories – Luxury Daily https://www.luxurydaily.com/canali-backtracks-through-production-to-trace-tailoring/
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