The Aspesi Chronicles
Aspesi was founded in Legnano, Italy by Alberto Aspesi in 1969. Born as a company specializing in production of shirts the brand later evolved into casual, military inspired clothes. Aspesi became known and appreciated for the use of exclusive fabrics with unconventional spirit and the "no-logo" philosophy. Fuss-free coats, sweaters, simply cut suits, shirts and of course field jackets, in far-from-normal fabrics.
Through avant-garde approach and continuous stylistic research the brand has written its own story with minimal yet sophisticated collections. Furthermore, Aspesi’s passion for special materials, sourced from obscure mills around the world, love of art and photography, is what attracts both customers and the creatives to the brand.
Their unorthodox and innovative approach dedicated to the products manifests itself in diverse artistic collaborations, starting with the advertising campaigns that have always chosen photographers who are able to capture and interpret the spirit of the brand.
For their Spring-Summer 1988 collection, Aspesi worked with Peter Lindbergh and the young Linda Evangelista producing truly beautiful shoots in Palm Spring, California.
In recent years, they saw the important collaboration with Paolo Roversi. His shots were profound, rich in emotional charge, in which there is no need to re-emphasize the presence of the talented models such as Stella Tennant. Roversi truly highlighed the Aspesi product with beautiful portraits of the models of the time.
The love for art remains a key value of the brand, from photographic images to architecture, with Aspesi stores featuring works by contemporary artists. The prestige of the creations by Mario Merz, Jannis Kounellis, Mimmo Paladino, Remo Salvadori, Pier Paolo Calzolari and Giulio Paolini is matched to a unique design: the shops have always been designed with sought-after and niche furnishings, as well as with a range of accessories and clothes from other brands, as to recreate a "small market".
In 2017 Aspesi was acquired by the Italian private equity group Armònia Italy Fund. In November 2020, Lawrence Steele has been appointed Creative Director, bringing with him a wealth of stylistic a personal experiences that will be enriching the emotional range and the future of Aspesi. The brand currently operates 15 own stores and is present in more than 600 selected stores across the world.