Everything for the Man – Enjoyment and Lifestyle Trends | Special Theme | Discover Germany
SLOW FASHION MADE 100 PER CENT IN ITALY The Italian/Swiss men’s fashion brand KA/NOA merges slow fashion with timeless, elegant style. At the heart of the brand is founder Bruno Grande, whose never-ceasing passion for sustainability, design and Italian craftsmanship has made KA/NOA what it is today. TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE
It all started with a dream with roots in Bruno Grande’s childhood. Watching his father, a passionate tailor, make the clothes for him and his siblings, spending time in the atelier and feeling the precious materials – all of that was the foundation of Grande’s dream. As he got older, he became a frequent traveller. He kept thinking about how handy it would be if he could simply pack his hand luggage in five minutes with high-quality, elegant yet comfortable clothes. “As an Italian, I am very much attached to my Piedmont roots, a fervent defender of Italian craftsmanship and ‘savoir-faire’,” Grande says with a smile. “One day, I said to my wife: it’s now or never. That’s how it started. First with a personal small wardrobe in August 2016. Then, one year later, with the first KA/ NOA boutique in Lausanne.” KA/NOA is named after Grande’s two children Kaia and Noah, an ongoing inspiration and tribute to his origins and late father’s passion. But it’s also a reminder of why sustainability needs to be taken seriously – not just for our own sake but for future generations. “KA/NOA is my small contribution to a better and more responsible world,” Grande adds. “A world where people would buy less but buy better, and where slow fashion would be the norm. KA/NOA is more than a brand, it is a philosophy, and my way to raise my children with values and respect for the things well-done, for hard work and for people.” MADE 100 PER CENT IN ITALY, FROM THE YARN TO THE LABEL We may have seen the ‘Made in Italy’ label many times before, but often this also includes multiple parts carried out elsewhere. KA/NOA is very different, in that respect. Here,
Travel bag. Photo: KA/NOA
December 2021 | Issue 88 | 29
