The 38-year-old British designer Brendan Mullane took the reins at Brioni in 2012. He kept the heritage of the 69-year-old brand and suffused it with a youthful exuberance.
Mullane has exhibited an amazing scope and vision, but at first, he seemed an odd choice after stints at the more outré Givenchy and Alexander McQueen. He reveled in the creativity and anonymity of working behind the scenes, but his destiny was to be captain.
“I love the balance between luxury, craftsmanship and tradition,” he says of Brioni. We spoke to Mullane from Brioni’s Rome headquarters.
A hand-tailored Brioni suit requires upward of 35 hours of meticulous work to complete. How was it working with these artisans?
Brioni was the first company to ever do a men’s fashion show and to even use silk in their tailoring, which was considered an abomination at the time. They’ve always been innovative. I came from fairly traditional brands, so I tried to learn from the craftsmen. I spent a couple of days in the factory when I first arrived just watching, amazed. I honestly didn’t think this level of craftsmanship actually existed anywhere, especially not on this scale.
How difficult is it to put your own stamp on something already established?
The idea is to develop an understanding of the brand before you put your own spin on it. Brioni is truly unprecedented in regards to the details and the construction and the materials they use, so it wasn’t until I understood all of that that I started to ask myself, “What do I like?” It’s more than just stamping my own aesthetic on top. It’s, how can a classical Italian brand look in a contemporary global society?
Was it constraining to work within the confines of such an established brand, within these established forms, like a classic suit, and push that form into a new direction?
Absolutely. I constantly look at things and think, “Is this Brioni or not?” And once you’ve decided that it is, you must be absolutely committed to that vision. Being able to challenge people’s notions of what the brand is — that it’s not just this boring old sartorial classic brand — becomes exciting. I want to be able to show people that it is so much more than that.
When you took this job did you uproot your entire life and move to Rome?
I was living in Paris at the time, so yeah. I created a whole new life here. It was easier for me to be close to the factories, plus I like the city, it’s inspiring. Plus, being here you understand the Brioni-ism of this company and embrace it. You learn the real Italian side of things.
How is your Italian?
I spoke a tiny bit when I started. Now it’s not so bad, but my grammar isn’t great. I’m a firm believer that if you want to communicate in a country then learn how to speak their language.
For someone having a suit tailored to fit, what advice do you have?
If I can be honest, before coming to work here I generally was not a big suit wearer. Wearing a tailored suit really helps you understand your own body. A good suit can change your vision of yourself as a person. A good tailor will tell you all of your faults — one of your legs is longer, one shoulder is lower than the other — but when you start to have your fittings you see how a good suit corrects these things. It can help your posture and the way you present yourself. I’m a firm believer in the look good/feel good model. A good suit is like a second skin that projects strength and confidence.