Brand: Hender Scheme x Tod's
Season: Fall/Winter 2021
Buy: Online at Tod's
Release Date: September 28
Editor's Notes: Like its peers at Armani, Loro Piana, Ferragamo, and Missoni, Tod's is the kind of label that (subtly) screams "Italian luxury."
Sure, all of these companies make bank on statement pieces like branded tees, accessories, and kicks but the Italians also cater to old and new money clientele seeking something more tasteful by offering exquisitely crafted (and expensive) ready-to-wear and accessories.
In a bid to more broadly cater to younger shoppers, however, Tod's began tinkering with a program called "Tod's Factory" in 2018, bringing in guest designers to imagine limited-edition footwear drops. Though previous efforts amped up the luxury fashion angle, the new Tod's Factory collection will bring in Japan's Hender Scheme to generate a little more hype.
Helmed by Ryo Kashiwazaki, Hender Scheme has never worked with a luxury label to the scale of LVMH-aligned Tod's, though the pair aren't actually so different: Hender Scheme's artisan-level attention to detail aligns it pretty well with Tod's quality output. In fact, this Tod's Factory line has already been termed "New Craft" by the collaborators.
So, let's get to the collection. The star of the show is the collab's footwear — leather wingtip boots and Tod's classic loafer boast bubbly outsoles dotted with spherical grips. Blowing up Tod's signature pebbled sole to statement proportions, the shoes reflect Kashiwazaki's endeavor to "flip" Tod's on its head: spelled backwards, "Tod's" becomes "Dots."
Sans dots, a clean leather sneaker, and a suede mule round out the lineup.
In apparel, outerwear and separates marry Japanese minimalism with luxe Italian touches, amping up essentials such as trench coats and puffers with leather trim.
Previous Tod's Factory partners include industry vet Alessandro Dell'acqua, former Lanvin seer Alber Elbaz, and buzzy womenswear designer Mame Kurogouchi. Kurogouchi, who also issued a recent UNIQLO line, offered Tod's a hip foothold into Asia, a crucial realm for Tod's (and all luxury labels, really).
