If You Don’t Know Valextra’s New Collaborators Now, You Will Soon Enough

Massimo Alba, Simone Rizzo, Loris Messina, Arthur Arbesser, Carolina Castiglioni, J.J. Martin, and Sara FerreroPhoto: Courtesy of Valextra

Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons weren’t the only ones hot on collaboration at Milan Fashion Week. The Italian leather goods company Valextra signed up not one partner this season, but many. All of them were representing with their creations at the brand’s Via Manzoni flagship this past Saturday, a diverse group of designers including Carolina Castilglioni of Plan C, Arthur Arbesser, Massimo Alba (whose suits will appear in the upcoming James Bond movie), Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo of Sunnei, and J.J. Martin of LaDoubleJ. Together, they paint a picture of the city’s increasingly vibrant fashion community.

It’s not all legacy brands in Milan anymore, though Valextra certainly has its own rich heritage—intarsia work and leather printing being two of the specialties highlighted by these collaborations. Just don’t call these designers all Italian; Arthur Arbesser hails from Vienna, and J.J. Martin is a California native. Martin’s first big purchase when she landed in Milan almost 20 years ago was made by Valextra. “Delving into vintage archives is what we love to do and do best at La DoubleJ, so this was a dream collaboration for us,” she said. “I love that we can breathe new life into a 1960s shape with a 1970s print and end up with a product that is totally relevant and holds its own in 2020. It’s so Milanese, so minimal; it’s perfect.” Here, Martin’s decade-hopping bag, and other pieces from this season’s Valextra collaborations.