Dondup (Q2945)
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Dondup is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Dondup |
Dondup is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
For Pre-Fall, Dondup went with straightforward basics, proposing an unfussy wardrobe for the everyday—classic parkas and peacoats were interpreted with easy modernity. Versatility and comfort were paramount to the sporty outerwear offering, which was at the core of the collection. Proportions were less oversize than in recent outings, giving the lineup a timeless feel.Dondup’s rebellious soul, once the label’s distinctive trait, was considerably toned down here, reduced to a faint trace on pieces like a tuxedo in pin-striped lamé, or slim white cropped denim featuring sequined embroidery. The feel was definitely in keeping with current trends, yet the collection would have benefited from a stronger stylistic point of view: A unique, well-defined, and recognizable identity is what helps brands stand out in today’s overcrowded fashion marketplace.On a positive note, Dondup has joined the sustainability bandwagon, embracing a project called D/Zero, in partnership with Candiani Denim, to reduce the consumption of water, energy, and chemicals used in denim production.[
21 December 2018
For Spring, Dondup embraced a process of extreme simplification of its style, reducing the collection to a series of items rendered only in a black or white version. Worked around the idea of “girls borrowing from the boys,” the lineup sported classic masculine staples like tailored blazers, tuxedo jackets, sporty bombers, and oversize shirts, which were given a feminine twist via minimal, subtle details (a little too subtle, perhaps?).A roomy double-breasted blazer had lapels embroidered with sequins; a romantic ruffled shirt peeked out from an elongated waistcoat with raw hems; an oversize sweatshirt was worn as a sexy minidress. It was all well and good—and certainly commercially viable. But not the slightest hint of the rock ’n’ roll, fierce, rebellious Dondup spirit of yore was in sight: Its irreverence was replaced by a domesticated, no-nonsense, quite bland formality. Even an almost bourgeois printed pussy-bow blouse made an appearance. Later, a pair of slim-fitting, skin-tight denim pants, one of the label’s strongest features, came to the rescue, providing a frisson of much-needed excitement. To amp up the sex factor, Tina Kunakey, the bombshell model who recently married French actor Vincent Cassel, was lensed in the lookbook, injecting her sultry charm into the sleek, streamlined collection.
21 September 2018
For Dondup’s Spring collection, the design team focused on experimenting with fabrication coating techniques, giving surfaces metallic finishes and glossy shines; Tyvek, a lightweight, papery material, was crinkled and varnished to a patent-like effect while the pressed-cardboard texture of denim tags was transformed into big sporty backpacks with a retro feel. It was a clever way to give a bit of an edge to otherwise familiar wardrobe staples.The collection didn’t stray far from the ubiquitous sporty vibe, filtered here through a pragmatic urban attitude. This was an efficient rendition of the prevailing trend toward versatile separates. Comfort really dictates the rules of the game these days, hence the slightly oversize proportions for utilitarian outerwear pieces, like leather bombers with metallic patches or boxy checkered blousons with a glossy shine. An elongated parka in bright-blue laminated Tyvek worn over a tracksuit was so lightweight that it could be folded into a tiny pouch; elsewhere in the collection, splashes of neon colors were sprayed over white canvas pants for an energized update on classic denim shapes.A fresh take on soft tailoring was in evidence for relaxed suits in crisp poplin, which looked cool worn with hooded chambray shirts in a pale shade of blue.
18 June 2018
Urban safari was the theme that Dondup’s design team worked around for Resort, blending it with a sporty vibe and an unfussy attitude. Daywear pieces such as trenchcoats and military-inspired jackets were given a fresh spin in textured fabrications like checkered linen or cotton jacquard printed in foliage motifs; nylon was either crinkled or laminated with a metallic sheen for drawstring joggers and lightweight parkas.Denim, one of Dondup’s strengths, was offered in new washes and textures or coated with a copper gloss; a canvas jumpsuit in a rust shade looked cool paired with a sequined topaz-colored T-shirt. A long denim skirt in indigo had a ’70s flair, decorated with a studded floral motif, while a rock ’n’ roll–inspired biker jacket in marbled leather was paired with a feminine tiered miniskirt.Elsewhere in the collection, the urban inspiration was given a romantic vibe, as in flowing empire-waist slip dresses in cotton crepe with delicate eyelet intarsia or ruching details, and in elongated crocheted linen tunics with fringed hems. It all made for a believable, no-nonsense, everyday wardrobe—versatile and simple.
14 June 2018
Boxing is definitely having a moment. Apparently, women are flocking to gyms where the sport is practiced, eager to relentlessly start punching the sack. Recently, Michèle Lamy, Rick Owens’s pugnacious wife and a boxing fanatic, had people queuing at London’s Selfridges, where she staged a performance with a professional ring smack in the middle of a fashion floor. The event was wildly successful. Picking up the trend, Dondup staged its Fall presentation at Palestra Doria, one of Milan’s oldest boxing gyms; the collection was designed and styled accordingly. It was called Femme Fighters.As always with Dondup, outerwear had the lion’s share, sporty-inspired and oversize. Shearling coats and sturdy jackets were paired with fragile flimsy dresses in dévoré velvet or printed chiffon; masculine pantsuits in checkered wool were cut lean and mean. A leopard-print city coat was worn with a matching minidress; a bright-colored nylon tracksuit had the required sporty vibe.Throughout the collection, the boxing theme was referenced lightly, more in attitude than a literal translation. The exception was a fur coat logo-ed on the back, which was a chic replica of a boxer’s robe.
23 February 2018
Dondup is undergoing a rebooting process, with new investors eager to expand the label’s reach and hit the refresh button on style and business strategies. Previously known as a denim brand with a rock ’n’ roll twist, its rebellious spirit is being tamed, and its edges were smoothed in the men’s collection. It was called Academic Anarchic, which sounded more like hyperbole than an oxymoron; and even if slogans likeBreaking the ruleswere boasted in capital letters on big knitted scarves (a ubiquitous item after Vetements launched it a few seasons ago), the look was definitely more suited to well-bred, almost preppy types than to dangerous seditionaries.The design team looked at British university garb and the sportif attire of rugby leagues, a quite trite inspiration, especially when filtered through an average Italian idea of English style. In this case that meant replacing British natural flair with decadence and eccentricity with a fairly conventional, bourgeois approach. No trace of cool rebels here, but plenty of stereotypes.The collection leaned heavily on the safe side, with all the right au courant boxes ticked. Urban outerwear had the lion’s share, with classic camel hair duffle coats tagged as the season’s must-haves, together with the ubiquitous sweatshirts, dyed inside out to achieve a bouclé effect. Yet a long, slouchy grandpa-style wool cardigan worn over a micro-checkered, vintage-looking suit was worthy of note. Paired with a logoed T-shirt, it conveyed the right kind of nonchalant, off-kilter attitude. We would have loved to feel more of this vibe.
13 January 2018
References in Dondup’s Pre-Fall collection included the atmosphere of ’80s clubs, a touch of folk, street style imagery, and Sanderson chintz and toile de jouy prints. Outerwear of the updated, utilitarian variety took the lion’s share in keeping with Dondup’s heritage; it was sweetened by a dose of the feminine.This was a lineup of believable wardrobe pieces easily mixed and matched. A nod to masculine tailoring was apparent in checkered-wool trench coats worn with soft chenille pajama pants. A bright-red silk coat paired with a plissé printed skirt and a mohair striped oversize sweater conjured an outdoorsy feeling. And a bi-color nylon tracksuit looked cool. Meanwhile, long silk georgette dresses printed with baroque motifs and duster coats in Sanderson-inspired charming florals had an air of romance.
19 December 2017
Dondup is in transitional mode; the company is undergoing a restructuring process focused on streamlining operations to expand internationally. An in-house design team was in charge of the Spring collection, “with an open creative spirit,” as Dondup’s president, Matteo Marzotto, explained during a preview. There are no big designers’ names involved. “A contemporary brand like Dondup doesn’t really need it,” Marzotto stated. “It’s much more modern and in the company’s spirit to have a collective creative process open to collaborations instead of unnecessary big egos.”For Spring, the creative team stuck to the brand staples: well-cut basics with a rock ’n’ roll edge and a practical street style vibe. A feminine touch was added for good measure; light fabrics lent a fluid, almost romantic quality to long dresses in pale colors. Military shirts were embroidered with floral motifs and worn with miniskirts; the same delicate Lilium pattern graced long trapeze dresses paired with embroidered waistcoats with a ’70s flair. Elsewhere, denim shorts peeked out under linen slip dresses; white poet blouses were tucked into cropped cotton pants. It was all well and good; yet it felt like a palate-cleansing collection. Lines were kept clean and simple with zero fuss—but also with zero emotion. Being a transitional season for Dondup, we weren’t expecting more. What we’re waiting for now is a stronger, assertive, consistent future for the brand.
21 September 2017
Dondup has recently undergone a restructuring; to steer the company towards international expansion and up its fashion ante, Au Jour Le Jour’s designers Mirko Fontana and Diego Marquez have been appointed creative directors. The Resort collection bears their distinctive mark, a playful combination of street style–inspired staples, coquettish flair, and tomboy attitude.Diego Marquez was on hand to expand on the collection’s new direction: “Dondup has an incredible know-how on industrial execution mixed with artisanal skills,” he mused. “We took full advantage of their heritage, but introduced a more fashionable spin.” It was apparent in a lineup refreshed with a play on the au courant masculine/feminine codes, peppered with references to ’70s pop music with a British vibe. A touch of don’t-take-me-too-seriously romanticism was also thrown in the mix for good measure.Classic staples of the contemporary wardrobe were revisited with an eye to the Gosha Rubchinskiys of this world and their take on archival sportswear; tracksuits were given a funny evening twist, sparkling in silver lamé or trimmed with fringes of raffia and paillettes. Bold patches were appliquéd on neoprene sweatshirts or on tags dangling as key chains on track jackets. They were actually emblazoned with the names of music idols Dondup girls might be fond of: Elvis, John, David (family names unnecessary). The designers also tapped into the current craze for tape logos, which appear on the drawstrings that bedeck hoodie-parkas.
26 June 2017
For Spring, head of menswear design Ivan Tafuro and his team turned to cinematography for inspiration. Tafuro cited the 2016 movieLetters from Warby the Portuguese director Ivo Ferreira, based on an epistolary novel by the writer António Lobo Antunes. He served in the Portuguese Army in Angola in the ’70s during the bloody Colonial War; his love letters to his pregnant wife are full of longing and despair. It’s a romantic movie, shot in evocative black-and-white.Dondup is about a street style–inspired look, mixed with sporty and urban elements. It’s easy and comfortable, no fuss. Denim sits at the label’s core. The Spring collection was infused with a gentler vibe than usual: Pale pink suits and sweaters looked relaxed; camouflage was warped by floral motifs; delicate colors infused military-inspired field jackets with a softer twist. Dyes were used throughout the lineup to achieve a sun-bleached effect, smoothing even denim into a supple texture. Shirts in seersucker looked fresh, while tailoring had a comfortable, breezy feel. Dondup’s guy appeared serene.
24 June 2017
Manuela Mariotti, Dondup’s creative director, has her antennae finely attuned to the zeitgeist. While she’s not overtly talking about feminism—one of the hottest topics of today’s social and political conversation—empowering femininity is at the top of her agenda and is one of her guiding design principles: “The world is so complicated to navigate. As a creative person, I feel the responsibility [to send] out a positive message. I’m a woman who designs for women; I understand our challenges.”Mariotti’s sensible approach led her to express a need for simplicity, stripping the superfluous bare and refusing unnecessary excesses. “I’d like to see women well dressed in their everyday life, not paradingen travesti,” she explained before presenting the Fall collection, which had a pared-down, uncomplicated ease.References to the streamlined style of the 1960s were handled lightly, as were hints of ’80s flair in oversize proportions and pops of bright colors. Being fond of music, Mariotti had the French chanteuse Françoise Hardy acting as muse; her stylish allure translated into masculine-inspired, almost severe pieces spiced up by a touch of understated modern glamour. Streamlined trenchcoats and double-breasted city coats in houndstooth wools were softened by eco-fur collars and stoles in energetic, optimistic hues.For all her love of simplicity, the designer couldn’t help but indulge in her penchant for decoration and infuse a bit of a rock ’n’ roll vibe. Yet on denim, one of the label’s staples, metallic studs were replaced by a gentler embroidered imagery. “They’re symbols of luck, a sort of talisman to keep the bad energy at bay. I think that today we need some kind of protection,” she said.
23 February 2017
Dondup’s Manuela Mariotti fell hard for James Dean and Jeff Buckley’s doomed charm, weaving it as a subtext through her Fall menswear lineup. “They embodied the free-spirited attitude that I see today alive and well in younger generations,” she said. “They were handsome yet sweet, ambitious but shy, rebellious and moody, as real men should be,” she added, sounding like a teenager smitten by her movie idols.The collection tried to capture the current attitude toward individual style, i.e., a free-for-all medley of often-disparate elements borrowed from sportswear and streetwear blended in endless combinations, formalwear being the neglected Cinderella at the fashion ball. With admirable panache, Mariotti gave it a go, Dondup-style, which meant spicing up a collection that revolved around vintage-inspired daywear staples, with a few suits, obviously of the relaxed-fit, loosely cut, nonchalant attitude. Velvet was her fabric of choice; Mariotti used it in abundance for bikers, puffer jackets, or padded trucker’s jackets in jewel tones, smoothing the edges of the tough, rock ’n’ roll style she normally favors. Yet her rebellious spirit is never far from the surface; case in point was an all-white ensemble in which James Dean–inspired high-waisted pants were worn with an oversize sweater. It was knitted in a sort of broken plait pattern, which gave it a raw, unfinished look, with threads dangling and holes piercing its texture: “I love artistic imperfections,” Mariotti said.
13 January 2017
Dondup’s creative director, Manuela Mariotti, has been busy lately. The company is undergoing major changes, spearheaded by a new president, Matteo Marzotto, and a new flagship store recently opened in Milan’s Via della Spiga. There’s no doubt Dondup is gearing up for a strategic new phase of international expansion.Yet Mariotti keeps her cool, rebellious attitude about the brand she founded in 1999 intact. This time, Mariotti took inspiration from photographer Jim Naughten’s bookConflict and Costume: The Herero Tribe of Namibia. "There’s poetry and power in their way of dressing; they live a dangerous life, they confront war and hunger and displacement," she said. "Their costumes exude a sense of joy that no war can kill. They celebrate life; I wanted to bring this feeling into my collection." Traditional pastoralists, the Herero women still dress in striking costumes derived from Victorian dresses, layered over multiple petticoats. They also don horn-shaped hats made by rolled cloth or newspaper to symbolize the importance of their cattle. Mariotti was so impressed, she commissioned an artist to rework a picture of a Herero woman, which now hangs on a wall in her new store.The collection revolved around the concept of layering and patchwork. Lines were kept minimal and easy while fabrics played a major role in highlighting the artisanal quality of the lineup. Silk velvet, linen, jacquard silk, madras, satin, and woven cotton canvas often mix and matched or combined together in a contrasting play gave a sensual yet raw feel to long tunics, dresses, and pants. The fit was loose and fluid; asymmetries, unfinished edges, and hand stitching accented the spontaneous, creative flair Mariotti wanted to convey. Case in point: a masculine, oversize shirt in silk madras worn off the shoulder over a pair of silk denim jeans. It made for a coherent offering, one of the best Mariotti has designed so far.
25 September 2016
For Resort, Manuela Mariotti, Dondup’s creative director, took inspiration fromFarm, a stunning book by photographer Jackie Nickerson published in 2002. After a career in fashion, Nickerson bought a truck and spent two and a half years traveling non-stop in Sub-Saharan Africa, documenting the lives of migrant laborers across rural areas in Mozambique, Malawi, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. They became the subjects of a series of portraits; a powerful, poignant homage to the workers’ incredible dignity and sense of style. The way they mixed and matched rags and found pieces of clothing had an inventive sense of play and freedom that could teach a thing or two to a few designers.Mariotti tried to capture that spirit of spontaneous creative “fusion” in his lineup today, mixing practicality with a touch of edge. “I wanted to express a feel for something domestic yet urban,” she said. The designer poured quite a lot of disparate references into her collection, reveling in a sort of freewheeling assemblage attitude. Masculine tailoring inspired long checked linen dusters paired with ankle-length skirts; fitted blazers were worn with wide, floor-sweeping palazzo pants. Sports such as motocross, badminton, swimming, and rugby were also thrown into the mix. Knitted striped trimmings graced linen oversize shirt-jacket hybrids (apparently they’re called “shakets”); leather striped pants were at the ready in case you might fancy a ride on a Kawasaki. Elongated tennis-inspired cotton sweaters were worn over shirtdresses in crisp poplin with ruched hems. To make sure she didn’t miss anything, the ebullient Mariotti also added feminine floral prints, Vichy checks, and stainless steel woven denim to complete the dense stylistic mash-up.
5 July 2016
Manuela Mariotti,Dondup’screative director, worked with a young design team for the label’s Spring 2017 men’s collection. A fresh, contemporary approach could be perceived in a lineup revolving around a basic wardrobe of simple daywear staples, which were given a modern spin. Volumes conveyed a ’90s vibe, translated in the slightly oversize proportions of outerwear and sweaters paired with high-waisted straight pants. Field jackets were as light as shirts and made in cotton seersucker; workwear-inspired striped pajama suits in thick cotton had a utility-urban look. Denim came in raw and stiff textures or was treated with a softer, washed finish for denim-on-denim trucker jackets and high-waisted pants combos.“Travels, adventures, a globe-trotting attitude, that’s what the collection is about. And a bit of James Dean,” said Mariotti. “I wanted a clean, practical look, laid-back and with no excess.” And clean and practical it looked—and it certainly had a retail-friendly appeal. Yet Dondup is known for its free-spirited, slightly rebellious attitude, mixed with a touch of disruptive grunge. We’re definitely looking forward to seeing a more amped-up rebellion factor in the future.
17 June 2016
Manuela Mariotti,Dondup’s creative director, has rebellion as a guiding star. You can tell she’s a fighter, of theI-don’t-budge-if-you-pushtype—gentle yet quite inexorable. She is also a die-hard idealist; and in a world that seems more and more dry and depleted of a nurturing driving force, Mariotti sounds both refreshing and honest. Yet she’s not in the least a naive version of Pippi Longstocking—for all her idealism and rebel heart, she has been able to transform Dondup from a small denim producer smack in the middle of Italian nowhere into a brand with a strong following. It certainly takes guts to achieve such a success—apparently, Mariotti has that in spades.For Fall, she obviously started from her favorite subject, which is embracing the youthful spirit of positive rebellion against the status quo, incarnated in multiple variations: grunge, punk, new wave, underground and street subculture, ’80s hard clubbing, garage bands, new romantics, pacifism, and so on. This season she added a sort of spiritual element to the already crowded mix: “I called this collection Cosmic Punk,” said Mariotti. “I believe in the power of individual expression that can bring about change through love. A new renaissance achieved through energy, not destructive but creative.”To come down to more mundane matters (i.e., fashion), a message of such epic proportions somehow coalesced into a cohesive, compact lineup. Oversize velvet tuxedos referred to the masculine-feminine, gender-bending mystique; pierced biker jackets were worn with ruffled long romantic dresses; silver safety pins and diamanté chains held together kilts with raw hems. A touch of the futurist was thrown in for good measure, as in a silver laminated T-shirt with extra-elongated sleeves paired with a matching brassiere and pleated full-length skirt. “ ‘Space Oddity,’ ” said Mariotti of the outfit, paying her own personal heartfelt homage to the most stylish artist that ever existed, the supremely greatMr. Bowie.
25 February 2016
Dondup’s Pre-Fall collection was a mille-feuille of themes, a mash-up blended by the brand’s street style vibe. Masculine being the style du jour (a mantra almost universally embraced this season), the lineup was focused on outerwear staples of the borrowed-from-the-boys type. But Manuela Mariotti, the brand’s creative director, cannot restrain her rebellious, I-am-a-girl-but-don’t-fuss-with-me streak, so she clearly wasn’t thinking about the boardroom here. She called the collection Academic-Anarchic (Bakunin apparently being another point of reference this season:Alessandro Michele, anyone?). But Mariotti didn’t fly so high; she is wise enough not to burn her wings. She just obliged her true libertarian spirit, which is always at the core of all the choices she makes—at least when it comes to style. Mariotti injected a grungy feel to college-inspired coats and varsity jackets, oversize knitted sweaters and barracuda leather bikers, military peacoats and preppy blazers, pairing them with bohemian flowy dresses and skirts in floral printed chiffon. She spiced things up with a sprinkle of rock-chick attitude. The lineup was composed like a flexible wardrobe of distinctive pieces, to be worn with a creative, personal attitude. Mariotti is a strong believer in independence of mind, freedom of choice, and assertive self-expression, yet underneath her rebellious allure, she is a true romantic.
21 January 2016
Dondup creative directorManuela Mariottiwas looking at a more feminine, romantic direction for Spring; she tapped, with gusto, into the current feeling for all things bohemian in a collection that referenced poetry, rock ’n’ roll, Shakespeare, and Glastonbury. Part indie music goddess, part Ophelia fragile beauty, the Dondup girl was ready for her close-up swathed in fluid, billowy dresses with frills galore and a touch of folklore.Prints were digitally reworked from Indian motifs or suzani tapestries, giving a vibrant feel to elongated lines in bright hues that popped up from a black background. The mandatory ’70s-style references were also on display: high-waisted tunics, bell sleeves, wispy fabrics, troubadour-ruffled blouses, flared cropped pants. It all made for a cohesive lineup with a graceful yet concise feel, where denim was not at the core but more of an accent, presented sparingly and in relaxed shapes. “It often happens when you design a collection that you get carried away, working on an idea that then brings you in a completely different direction,” said Mariotti of a process that started with a futuristic vision and then morphed into a celebration of a free feminine spirit. Empowering women and enabling them to express creativity is a theme very dear to the designer, who, despite theLadies of the Canyonhippie vibe abundantly displayed in the collection, still loves a good, tough rock ’n’ roll gig and a well-fitted, sexy pair of denim to dance the night away.
25 September 2015
Dondup, the denim brand that has steadily built a cult following, is branching out into ready-to-wear, trying to find an identity in a quite crowded marketplace. Not a task for the faint of heart. But creative director and founder Manuela Mariotti is optimistic and upbeat: "Strength, light, poetry," she stated when asked about the inspiration behind the Resort collection. "I like strong, intense women, and I was looking East, to the Korean archers and their discipline and focus. They are taught from an early age to embrace such a noble ritual exercise like elegant warriors."The Eastern theme trickled down to a collection built around linear shapes reminiscent of martial arts, as in a cotton kimono jacket paired with a tube midi skirt or a pajama in striped silk viscose that had a masculine, relaxed feel. Of course denim, the house's forte, made up the lion's share of the lineup. It was mixed with linen, silk, and even cashmere to give flexibility to the fit, or was shredded and sliced to achieve a rougher finish. One pair of jeans looked at first glance like regular denim, but to the touch they felt soft and smooth. They were actually silk pants, deceptively printed to look like the real classic thing. Worn with an oversize fatigue jacket or with a black tuxedo, they had a contemporary, modern spin.
20 June 2015
Dondup's name comes from a Tibetan lama, Mingyar Dondup, whose motto was "all men were created equal; color and religion mean nothing." At first, one wonders what this has to do with a denim company based in Fossombrone, in the peaceful Marche region of Italy. But, as Dondup's creative director, Manuela Mariotti, explained, jeans are by definition "democratic and ecumenical," a universal flag of freedom and self-expression that everyone can wear. Mariotti is an experimental spirit: Branching out in a field already crammed with zillions of different versions and proposals, she wanted to bring about a sense of research and innovation. So she came up with a perfectly anatomical fit dyed in a shade of indigo made from woad, a plant used in the Middle Ages to create an intense purplish blue, which is grown and harvested in sustainable mode near Dondup's headquarters.The brand, which launched in 2000, has expanded into a full-fledged ready-to-wear line, becoming a favorite with Italian music stars and TV starlets, some of whom were in attendance during the presentation of the Fall collection. Mariotti's inspiration was '70s rock 'n' roll, with some '90s grunge thrown in for good measure. She designs with an independent, confident woman in mind, someone with a strong personality like her own. Eveningwear was given an urban spin: A long sheer skirt was paired with a tough-looking leather biker jacket or fastened to an elegant tuxedo worn over studded, ripped black leggings. A rough-textured wool sweater in oversize proportions topped a pouf ballerina skirt—it made for a cool and modern look.
27 February 2015