Grandpa Mood
Some brands jump on the winning trend just to stay relevant. And then, there are those who walk their own path with no regard for what happens around them because they have a solid conviction to carry on. And they will never stop until they get there.
Steve McQueen, The Great Escape
The charm of vintage has always been there. Just because it has gotten more and more visibility only in the last couple of years, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t there before. We cannot help but remain fascinated when we hear stories of the past because unfortunately, it’s not something we have been able to experience. It draws us to it, as two opposite sides of a magnet. For the same reason, the vintage charm has taken over the fashion world. Why? Well, if we want to keep it simple, there are a few reasons we could think of. First, the possibility to stand out in the crowd. We now live in a society where, to get more and more money, companies and in particular brands, make services or products available to everyone. If I can get 10, why don’t I produce more so that I can get 100? It makes perfect sense. But this is the advantage that vintage will always have and that will never lose: uniqueness. As we do buy from the same brands, it’s most likely for us to see our own t-shirt being worn by someone else on the streets. Right? Instead, if we looked up online and found a perfect Levi’s jacket from the 50s that very few would have, it would certainly bring an extra factor. It would lower down by a mile the possibility of finding that same garment somewhere else, while deeply increasing the chance to be unique. Secondly, the quality of materials used, alongside the craftsmanship and the precision to details, is something we look at with admiration, because it reminds us that today - to cut costs - clothes are made of cheaper quality fabric, with some having a short life. The uniqueness and the quality together, make us perceive vintage as something authentic, or true. A garment that - by living through generations - has gained a history. A story to tell. That’s exactly what’s intriguing about it. The sense of experience and maturity that often generate an automatic charm and appeal. And as a consequence, we look at some old clothes as if we were looking at everlasting pieces of art. Or vessels of values that will never get lost. Or more simply, as a form of timelessness.
Many brands built their entire storytelling and consequent businesses on this very simple word. When it comes to the area of soft materials, we immediately think of Brunello Cucinelli for example. And the reason is simply rooted in the feeling of eternity that those clothes will convey once in our possession. The absolute certainty that they will pass on to generations without ever losing their touch. In fashion - especially today - we’ve been witnessing for quite some time the rebirth of the so-called quiet luxury. Namely, a clothing trend that has made of great quality, and stylistic sobriety, the main pillars of its foundation. As for many other cases, more and more labels jumped on the trending wave, widening their offerings with more casual and refined products. We can refresh our memory with fast-fashion brands such as Zara or H&M, which all of a sudden deepened their product range by including wool sweaters or cashmere coats. But this phenomenon didn’t stop there. What comes to your mind when thinking of timelessness and comfort together? We’d surely remember something old. Something that has intrinsic value, right? Now, think of the most obvious personification of that intersection. A grandpa maybe? The grandpa style has been one of the effects produced by the vintage wave, giving many brands the possibility to jump back on in the market. New Balance is the perfect example. As you might have noticed, the brand - sunken in the deepest waters of the Earth until a couple of years ago - managed to rise up to the surface by playing a precise story that used oldness as its greatest asset. Perceived as the brand of the dads, the label has put into play a masterpiece that made look cool whoever had the N letter on their feet. But probably - someone might say - these are cases of brands that made their return to the we'd surely remember something old. Something that has intrinsic value, right? Now, think of the most obvious personification of that intersection. A grandpa maybe? The grandpa style has been one of the effects produced by the vintage wave, giving many brands the possibility to jump back on in the market. New Balance is the perfect example. As you might have noticed, the brand - sunken in the deepest waters of the Earth until a couple of years ago - managed to rise up to the surface by playing a precise story that used oldness as its greatest asset. Distinguished as the brand of the dads, the label has executed a strategy that made it cool for anyone with the N letter on their shoes. But probably - someone might say - these are brands that managed to return to the market just because they knew they aligned with the vintage characteristics. They knew that by harnessing the authenticity at the core of their identity, they could change the perception of themselves. But is that truly being authentic? Using your core value to jump on the winning team? Inside this overwhelming saturation made of debatable examples, there is one that stood up for adopting the vintage itself as the supporting layer of the entire structure.
Ghiaia Cashmere.
Born only in 2019, the brand seems already to know exactly where to go. A revival of the most authentic Italian lifestyle brought to the streets of California. Called Ghiaia to recall the Mediterranean stones of Sicilian beaches, the newborn label is a tribute to the experiences, interests, and dreams of its founder - Davide Baroncini. Sicilian-born, he worked for several years for the Italian designer Brunello Cucinelli, gaining knowledge of wholesale and retail visual merchandising. After this exciting experience, he knew he couldn’t have worked for another brand, and that’s how the project started. The necessity to create an aspirational emotion that took inspiration from other realities such as Ralph Lauren - which gave the world a representation of the true American Lifestyle - Brunello Cucinelli - an honest aspirational portrait of the most refined version of Italy - and Armani - the master of the universe when it comes to the area of elegant cleanliness. Even if the brand started as a restricted collection made of cashmere crewnecks and later on became a wider selection of other items and materials such as cotton, the intent of heart is detectable throughout every step of the way. Every single detail concurs to create the ideal story that Baroncini is planning on telling. The name - as we said already - is the first sign headed in this direction.
Communication.
If you went to their profile, you’d instantly have a feeling of something old yet polished. The feeling of satisfaction in cleaning up an old piece of furniture, or refurbishing an old garment hidden in our grandpa’s closet. That’s what Ghiaia Cashmere seems to stand for. The attempt at giving recognition back to what can be considered outdated. The style used on IG is not one of the most edited we have probably ever seen, but still, it works. The fact of being true and transparent perfectly brings us back to that universe of emotional memory, making us look at an aspirational fairytale rather than a simple clothing label. The content is perfectly balanced between pictures of the most stereotypical yet accurate portrait of Italy - made of good food and nice-smelling coffee - the centrality dedicated to the quality of the products, and frames of personal life.
Ghiaia Cashmere store, IG
The Physical Store.
Brands can be as good as they want at communicating their message online. But even the best marketing campaign will never overcome the power unleashed by the presence of a physical store. In this marketing campaign will never overcome the power unleashed by the presence of a physical store. In this case, the one opened at 2557 Mission Street in San Marino (California) played a pivotal role in shaping the public perception of the brand. Set in the small town of San Marino, this turned out to be the perfect location for Davide Baroncini. Drawn to the natural beauty and old-style look of the structure, the founder decided this was the most suitable place to convey that feeling of heavenly environment Ghaia Cashmere stands for. The Fashion Network magazine sat down with the founder for a quick chat, and in his own words the logic behind the store started from the intention of “making you feel like at my home”. That’s why the inner layout of furniture and spaces seemed to be structured exactly in this direction. Featuring a set with a central fireplace, the store softly creates that cozy atmosphere reminiscent of the traditional living room. Welcoming visitors with a charming entrance porch, the location takes you then in a friendly space where the old charm of the walls completely captures your attention. The fireplace shelf showing photos of Baroncini’s family, a stove where to cook after hours, tables and chairs everywhere, and a cafe/bar counter, really insert any visitor in an unusual shopping experience, where the clothes themselves become secondary.
Ghiaia Cashmere store, IG
The Looks.
Starting from the way collections are presented - simply by dressing up mannequins - the line of products deeply widened over time. If at the beginning the brand offered only cashmere sweaters (as the name implies), experience and time brought another take on fashion. That’s how the range of garments came to include other pieces like joggers, jeans, shirt jackets, cardigans, and desert boots, adding another piece to the growing long-term vision of the label. But it’s not about the styling itself that makes the brand this good-looking. It’s the feeling, the vibe, or the attitude that those clothes convey. The dustiness, softness, and warmness emanating from the fibers, add a touch of antique and precious, that makes Ghaia Cashmere the holy grail of timeless beauty.
Ghiaia Cashmere website
