British fashion designer Steven Stokey-Daley presented the fall/winter 2024 collection of his eponymous brand SS Daley at the Florentine men’s fashion fair Pitti Uomo on Thursday. Using 35 looks, the designer took the audience on a journey through “institutionalized British formality,” drawing inspiration from personal experiences from his boarding school days.
Stokey-Daley also discussed the 1911 novel ‘A Story of A Panic’ by the British author EM Forster, in which tourists immerse themselves from their home environment in the sophisticated fashion world of Italy, where they throw their previous habits overboard and are forced to are to make their clothing style a little looser.
The designer wanted to explore a new form of “codified worlds” through formal wear that exuded a “fresh freedom,” according to the show notes. This effort was evident in the combination of underwear with tailored suit jackets, the conspicuous absence of ties and buttons, and in a variety of two-piece suits that stood out for their loose cuts and casual colors.
Although an attempt has been made to subtly hide the country’s distinctive design features, there are still hints of quintessentially British elements, including knitwear with country motifs and diamond-shaped argyle patterns, as well as a yellow fisherman’s coat with suede collar and matching hat in the collection. Other highlights included tapestries made into floor-length shirts with rugby collars, fitted trench coat combinations and padded jacket-shorts combinations made from iridescent materials.
Styles joins SS Daley
Suits of various shapes and the fusion of feminine and masculine norms – both synonymous with SS Daley – also evoke the signature aesthetic of one of the brand’s long-time fans, British singer Harry Styles. After the Pitti show it was announced that he was joining Stokey-Daley as an investor.
The 2022 LVMH honoree announced the news of Styles’ minority investment following Pitti Uomo and confirmed it in a statement to fashion publication WWD. The reason for the collaboration is a shared vision of the future. While the financial terms of the deal are not known, it said the investment will focus on SS Daley’s direct-to-consumer business, with plans for “sustainable and long-term expansion.”
This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.uk. Translated and edited by Heide Halama.