Are you the type of person who likes a story with their clothing? If yes, then look no further because our Italian cousins at Fresh have been busily working away on something that not only looks great but has a winning story to tell.
As we know, Fresh are 15 years old this year, and they’re marking this occasion by releasing a number of special projects, both in collaboration with brands and also with factories.
One such development centres around a fabric local to them in Italy, known as Casentino. If you thought you’d heard of it before (and maybe thought it was the name of an enigmatic trequartista), that’s because it’s been around for centuries.
The woolen look with an interesting finish was popularised in the Casentino area of Italy. As far back as the Etruscans and the Romans, versions of this type of fabric existed. It was even said to be used as a means to pay taxes to the Florentines back in the middle ages. Tech fabrics today boast of warmth and waterproof properties but this natural alternative has been doing the same job for generations.
A couple of hours north of the home region of this fabric sits Fresh, in the historic city of Turin. Hugging the banks of the River Po, Turin (or Torino if you prefer, as we do) was briefly the first capital of Italy and its location made it a strategic point in trade and business. Known also as Italy’s main automotive manufacturing centre, it has both industrial heritage and that sense of Italian-ness that is just as evident in the fabric of Casentino.
Celebrating this heritage with contemporary clothing is the order of the day for Fresh, with capsule of caps and shirts in two very accessible colours – navy and green. Constructed in Biella there is Italian culture dripping from every fibre of this gear.
If Casentino doesn’t float your boat and you prefer a pattern, their caps also come in a curious combo of local tweed.
If this all sounds like it could be your thing then really, it’s about time you invested.
See Casentino Products here
