At a particular level of society, there are certain brands that become a go-to. Until now, Loro Piana has been the ultimate “stealth wealth” operator. Its fabrications are exceptional, but its aesthetic is discreet – there’s no obvious branding, no “LORO PIANA” splashed across the back of that puffa in graffiti-style. Instead, it’s only when you touch a garment you’ll realise how expensive it feels. Crucially, to men like Putin, it’s stylish without being “fashion”: a manly way to wear a high-end luxury label without diluting your toxic masculinity with anything even so daring as colour. That said, fashion insiders have rumoured that he’s no stranger to having custom-made items from the brand made especially for him, including a baby-blue cashmere leisure suit.
Will such adorable-sounding ensembles still be delivered, now there is a growing petition calling for the brand to “publicly denounce Vladimir Putin”? LVMH, the luxury goods company that owns Loro Piana, was criticised for not withdrawing its goods fast enough from Russia when the war began, but has since donated €5 million in aid to Ukraine.
Much has been written lately about the irony of Russia’s president, a man who purports to be of the people, and who has spoken favourably of his Communist predecessors, living a life of quite staggering opulence, full of palaces, superyachts, secrets and alleged plastic surgery. He decries Western decadence, but wearing a Loro Piana coat is the stylistic equivalent of flashing your membership card to the Eagle Ski Club – if you have to ask, don’t even think about applying.
Other fans wearing its fine cashmere and immaculate suits include Jeff Bezos and, of course, the Roy clan. Succession’s brilliantly accurate costume department chose Loro Piana outerwear to display that the dysfunctional dynasty are part of a nomadic, “soft-power” elite who demonstrate their clout with plush jackets, not structured suits.
It works for Putin, but that he chose one of Loro Piana’s coats for his incendiary rally in Moscow is, to put it mildly, dismal publicity for the house, whose representatives have yet to issue a statement. The Telegraph has asked for comment.
Residents of Mariupol shiver in their bomb shelters and die on the streets. Russians live in fear, ignorance and financial ruin. But Vladimir Putin is warm, trussed up in fine quilted cashmere. Loro Piana coats use its trademark Storm System® technology. “Thanks to Storm System barrier, your fabric will always be protected,” its website boasts. If only the same could be said of the Ukrainian people.
