SUNNEI: new Italian fashion

When you hear the phrase "Italian fashion," dozens of giant brands that have shaped the concept of "luxury" for decades probably come to mind: Prada, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Versace, Armani, and many others. These brands have carried the classic Italian style through the years, which has remained unchanged for quite some time. However, in recent years, the attention of the fashion public has been increasingly captured by young brands with a radically new perspective on Italian fashion. MSGM, Palm Angels, EÉRA, and even the American Off-White, which has its headquarters in Milan, mark the birth of a new fashion and the shift of centuries-old traditions towards experiments and stylish madness. Among them, it is impossible not to notice the rebellious Sunnei, a Milanese brand that burst into Ogonyok this December. We will talk about it below.

Sunnei was founded in 2015 by two friends, Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo, and from the very first collections the brand became at the forefront of the new Italian fashion. The name of the rebel brand comes from the song “Sunny” by Bobby Heb, which you probably know performed by Boney M – this fact serves as the first hook for understanding the brand.

If northern fashion goes best with the concrete landscapes of a big city, then Sunnei encourages us to take a day off and go to nature, or even better, to the sunny seaside.

The original idea of ​​the brand was to take the Italian fashion of the 70s in all its richness and transform it into a modern way. However, with each collection, Sunnei goes from the 1970s to the 2070s — not only in the approach to things, but also in the character of the brand. In one of the interviews, the founders of Sunnei admitted that their things are “made in Italy” not only in the literal but also in the figurative sense, because their style, if you look closely, is Italian to the core — and here's why.

Italians are very loyal to their traditions and are extremely reluctant to deviate from them. Perhaps that is why, by an ironic coincidence (which, frankly, we do not believe in), the first customers of the young brand were our old friends from South Korea, who discovered the brand on Instagram even before local Italian buyers. And if, talking about Koreans, we mentioned the term “hallyu”, then in the case of Sunnei, the Italian word “sprezzatura” is involuntarily mentioned.

Sprezzatura, or "effortlessness," is a concept known since the days of classical Italian art, which embodies the rejection of pedantry in favor of deliberate carelessness.

This definition, which can be safely applied both in art and in life, has become one of the ideological foundations of the Sunnei brand. It seems to take the seriousness out of the mannered and slightly outdated (author's note: Giorgio Armani's age at the time of writing the material is 87 years old) Italian fashion, adding to it the spirit of the future through openness to new views on familiar things. The concept of “sprezzatura” has also found a response among Asian clients, because relaxation and freedom of movement and thought are one of the fundamental principles of the same “hallyu”.

For Sunnei, the sense of modernity is based on ideas of freshness and innovation, which are superimposed on classic Italian styles.

Each collection of the brand features striped prints, leather boots and wide trousers that could easily be seen on the heroes of Fellini's black and white films. However, each item is diluted with the same concept of "sprezzatura": trousers are complemented by practical massive pockets, classic-style shirts are adorned with bright prints, and almost artisanal handmade shoes are painted in contrasting colors. The atmosphere of light whimsy is exactly what could dilute the rusty luxury of centuries-old fashion houses.

In the fall-winter collection, the brand presented bright but insulated panamas and sneakers - previously attributes of only summer, which now feel quite comfortable in combination with an avant-garde sweater-scarf and a dense demi-season shirt. And in the promotional campaign, Sunnei used the digital space and replaced the models with computer game characters. Like a glitch in the matrix, we observe images that are reminiscent of postcards from Italy of the last century and the risky variegation of couture shows. Each presentation of the brand causes a sensation online, because finally the attention is not focused on the fashionable beau monde, but on us, the customers. Retrofuturism and customer orientation in all its glory.

Leather bags , which people literally go on crusades to Italy for, acquire a completely new look at Sunnei, while maintaining high quality. Remaining minimalist in design, the brand boldly approaches the choice of shapes and colors - for example, it combines silver with turquoise, accurately reflecting the real Italy: colorful, summery, radiant.

The jewelry , which debuted in the FW21 collection, resembles clusters of seductive wild berries sparkling in the hot Tuscan sun, while the shopper bags paired with the shirts illustrate moments of youth - Polaroid shots from parties, conveying an atmosphere of freedom and carefreeness. An atmosphere of "sprezzatura".

Pack a suitcase of your own summer memories and fasten your seat belts. The locomotive of new Italian fashion begins its journey. The new Sunnei collection is already on our website!