Everything Easy

Circolo 1901 founder Gennaro Dargenio has every reason to be happy: his collection based on easiness is perfectly in line with the current zeitgeist.

Be it for men or women - comfort and convenience come in a formal, modern silhouette.

Circolo 1901. EVERYTHING EASY

Circolo 1901 knows how to interpret ready-to-wear clothing in a modern way: dyed, partially printed jersey fabrics turn the sports jacket into an Easy Jacket and the suit into an Easy Outfit. The look is highly popular. In an interview with style in progress, founder Gennaro Dargenio reveals his plans. Interview: Martina Müllner-Seybold. Photos: Circolo 1901

As of this season, Circolo 1901 has hired Heritage Agents as its sales representative in Germany and Austria. What are your goals?

The German market is very important for the brand. Our objective is to consolidate and develop our presence, as well as - above all - the brand awareness and visibility in high-end boutiques and department stores. Together with Heritage Agents, we strive to develop a strong relationship with buyers and retailers in order to inform them in-depth about what the brand stands for, its concept in general, and what makes Circolo 1901 so unique.

You cooperate with 1,000 retailers in 17 countries. What can your brand offer retailers today?

Circolo 1901 is a unique project. It is a strong brand that focuses its communication strategy on proud individuals. Circolo, which means “club” in English, actually created a club for true and authentic people who act as testimonials in our advertising campaign. We selected normal men and women who represent and correspond to the brand idea with their attitude, style, and lifestyle. We strive to establish the same connection with buyers and retailers. We approach those who share our values and objectives.

Your brand stands for easiness and your most important piece is the socalled Easy Jacket. Why is comfort such a vital aspect in today’s ready-to-wear market?

The Easy Jacket is the perfect synthesis of our brand essence: a dyed, printed fleece jacket with unique comfort and fit. It adapts to whoever is wearing it instantly. We translated this idea into a lifestyle: the Easy Outfit. A style that suits every occasion, yet never requires one. It’s a real innovation for men and women seeking a classic look without having to forego the comfort of casual clothing. Actually, Circolo 1901 is perfect for both men who normally don’t wear suits and men who are looking for an easy alternative to formal suits.

Heritage Agents will also represent your womenswear collection. How does the women’s collection differ from the men’s? What’s the focus?

The womenswear collection of Circolo 1901 is based on the same concept and values. It’s a catalogue that embodies two attitudes. Firstly, it consists of timeless, iconic pieces, reinterpreted in new colours and fits each season. Secondly, it has a “like a boy” approach. It offers Easy Outfits that are in line with our DNA, yet still adapt to trends. The pieces are elegant, modern, and original with contemporary fits - yet always easy.

Its Italian roots are essential for Circolo 1901. What are the upsides of producing close to home?

Circolo 1901 may be easy, but it isn’t simple to manufacture. We use fabrics from the casual clothing segment to produce formal and classic items. Innovation and research are our main drivers. For example, we have developed a unique and exclusive cashmere touch effect for fleece fabrics. The entire production chain takes place in-house: design, sourcing, prints, and patterns are developed in our headquarters in Italy. Production then takes place in our own plant in Romania, supervised by our production teams.

What are the highlights of your spring/ summer 2019 collection?

We have developed prints for our jersey and piquet items. For men, we have introduced new styles and fabrics such as linen/cotton blends for an extremely light and breezy sports jacket. Then there’s a 4-pocket jacket inspired by military styles, but realised in fleece and piquet, both in plain colours and with prints. We also offer new variants of the Panama jacket, which is a style somewhere between jacket and shirt, with various prints. Another highlight is our range of light, piece-dyed knitwear shirts, which are mostly short-sleeved. They are a perfect match for our sports jackets and trousers. In terms of womenswear, we have introduced new blazer styles in different lengths such as double-breasted variants in plain colours and with prints. Micro pied-de-poule, stripes, and checks are wonderfully suited to our “like a boy” philosophy. Specials such as a pantsuit in Panama style in plain colours or with prints, a sleeveless smoking blazer, and a lightweight trench are additional highlights.