Market Week Recap: Eidos Napoli Spring/Summer 2014

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When a lot of guys were coming up, nerding out and discovering the world of menswear, Italian style was their menswear entry point. Americana, while interesting and nostalgic, had, by that point, been bastardized all in the name of a quick buck, while Neapolitan tailoring boasted something new, something different and, most of all, something special. It wasn't long until "sprezzatura" became synonymous with "cool," and the men of Pitti Uomo held as the Herculean standard for style, possessing some rare, indescribable mystique that somehow allowed them to be EVERYTHING simply by wearing clothes. But like Americana before it, brands and editorials soon began force feeding this so-called magic and selling the idea of Italian nonchalance, stripping it of the inherent romance that drew many of us in initially.

Thankfully, Eidos Napoli (owned by Isaia) is something much more. Many have called Eidos a "less expensive Isaia"—a diffusion brand—but after seeing the clothes in person, we're inclined to disagree. Creative Director Antonio Ciongoli has put together something soulful and fresh that doesn't feel at all like its admittedly pricey older brother. Youth is certainly part of the package, but Eidos is also a little rougher around the edges—a little more washed, a little more creative. That isn't to say Eidos is necessarily re-inventing the wheel, but there are subtle updates—a belted double breasted jacket here, a one-piece collar on a popover shirt there—that bring back the romance of Italian clothing. And that's something worth celebrating.

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