Hiding in plain sight. To enter Umit Benan’s laid back mellow showroom you have to go through a cold steel imposing door. Behind it, a getaway from Milan’s chaotic environment—warm, cozy furniture, and a little nested courtyard full of greenery that gave way to a discovery of finely-tailored garments that complemented the setting perfectly. “We are not quiet luxury,” the designer pointed out. “We have a Californian attitude visible in the silhouettes paired with an Italian product that’s synonymous with the highest quality.” The winds of change are blowing at Umit Benan; if previous seasons were inspired by precise characters—especially from Latin America—now luxury remains the true fil-rouge, with less creativity involved and more bespoke approaches implemented.
“I had completely lost the relationship with the client,” Benan explained of his new focus on building a wardrobe tailored to his shoppers. The relaxed fit remains a relevant trait, but it can now get customized to the wearer: based on word of mouth marketing alone, this service now accounts for almost 60% of his business. That’s part of what brought the designer to open a retail space in the center of Milan, which he hopes to have up and running by next December. The shop will be divided into two different areas: one will be dedicated to selling the seasonal collection, while the other will be an appointment-only studio that will also include bar services and personal styling.
Innovations at Umit Benan include an interest in denim too. “We tried to design a few jean prototypes, but none of them completely convinced,” Benan revealed. “I am looking for a gap–whether it’s in washes or silhouettes–to be filled on the market.” There was a renewed approach to knitwear as well: working with one of the five factories in Italy that do circular knitting, Benan introduced jerseys characterized by fluidity and lightness without using elastane.
With a color palette of predominantly Tomato Red and Azzurro, inspired by the ‘80s, these less-saturated tints conveyed airiness, and paired perfectly with the designer’s loose silhouettes. The addition of black and white created harmony; while the designer played with textures that conveyed brightness. Specifically, his use of mixed fibers; like linen mixed with silk or wool, or cotton mixed with silk, which were some favorites in the collection.
