Thursday, October 14, 2010

What Is Barena?

I had the very same question when I stumbled across the Italian label while reading Things Is Cool.  First off, Barena, as a term, is a "little known Italian name that describes a zone that is between a lake and a lagoon."  The Venetian brand draws their name directly from their own heritage.  See, originally Venice was made up of lagoons, barena and a few small islands.  It was this geographical feature that enabled its habitants to easily transition between agriculture, hunting and fishing.  The collection is inspired by the Venetian Delta and its inhabitants, drawing inspiration from all aspects of life and the customary dress (i.e. costume) of the area.  One look at the clothes makes this correlation very obvious.  Barena also places a huge focus on their fabrics.  While I don't know if the fabric is locally sourced, Barena primarily uses the finest exclusively Italian wools and linens depending on the season.  Since their founding in 1961 by Sandro Zara, Barena has been fueled by tradition, not unlike certain stateside brands we have come to love here in the blogosphere.  As it stands today the label is run by the three headed brain trust of Massimo Pigozzo, Giovanni Zara and Francesca Zara.  Personally, I love this stuff.  Strong character abounds and while the term "costume" gets thrown around a lot, I think it works here.  It's a "look", I'm not denying that, but one that actually registers thanks to the very same tradition and authenticity that Barena was founded upon.  Check out some looks from both S/S 2010 and F/W 2011 below.  Can we get this older gentleman in everyone's lookbook?  Is that possible?


-L.A.S

15 comments:

  1. Big ups (can we still say that?) for showing the clothes on an older gentleman. We sometimes need reminders that modern silhouettes aren't reserved for the young.

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  2. It's interesting to see older gentleman as models - since I am one

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  3. Yeah. Nice to see the style most often highlighted here photographed on an age-appropriate model. . .

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  4. Incred- Shots fired!

    Also since we are on the topic of age/style, out of curiosity, how old are you and what are your favorite brands to wear? If you wouldn't mind indulging me of course...

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  5. Wow, just the top button done up on a three button jacket, and it doesn't look horrible. Something only the Italians could pull off.

    The older dude is a badass, I would rather see him teaching us how to look like a godfather than some young cat playing dress up.

    Also, unless you're an ironic painter or in special ops, no berets, ever.

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  6. What is Mr. Pitt doing modeling clothes?

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  7. Mid 30s. Lately, Ben Davis, though I am on the fence about mixing in a pair of U.S.A. made Dickies 874s.

    That aside, I can appreciate a much broader variety of style than what I may decide to wear on a given day, which is dictated by what I am going to be doing as opposed to aesthetic aspirations.

    So, while I was kidding you to some extent, I think this Barena collection looks great on the older gentleman. A lot of the stuff posted here seems less believable (as in, someone could wear that without looking self-consciously "stylish") because it is typically modeled by kids in their 20s who end up looking like they were raised in some kind of weird, insular Steppford cult.

    Does anyone ever see more than one person under 60 at a time dressed like the above? I am prepared to be told that I am way off here.

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  8. Incred- I can't necessarily disagree with you, but lets not discount those of a younger generation making an effort to dress more stylish. I know that word is highly subjective, but a young man wearing creased chinos and a "properly" tailored blazer is not unbelievable to any extent.

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  9. Incred- I should also add that your perspective is wholly American (I assuming you are based on your various comments/writing style). Not that this blog has a huge international audience, but it is varied enough that "old man style" Sart Inc represents something very different to a reader who does not live in the USA.

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  10. I'll defer on the international angle.

    But, again, I was mostly kidding. I see a lot of stuff posted here that is made by people who care about creating something worthwhile or appreciated by people who care about owning something worthwhile, which is my primary interest. I find it the "buy the slim fit off the rack and have it tailored even slimmer" crowd somewhat amusing, but its not my intention to discount anyone's anything.

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  11. Let me pose a question for you, Lawrence: What is Panera?

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  12. Thingsiscool is the worst website in the history of the world

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  13. Thanks for your support, L.A.S. Keep up the great work, sir.

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  14. I want that scarf. Reminds me of my Bar Mitzvah Tallis

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  15. I think this is a great post. Do you know where to procure such goods? I have searched around and have come up empty.

    Thanks

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