A: At first, my concept involved combining modern elements with traditional ones to achieve a harmonious mix of the past and the present. For example, I wanted to highlight the use of stitching instead of using excessive glue for components like the pocket flap and peak visor. This approach would give the jacket a more textured look, with bulging parts rather than flat ones. It would also create an interesting play of light and shadow through the stitching, adding depth to the design.

A: The jacket is made from a robust Italian military-grade fabric sourced from one of Italy's top mills. This fabric has been laminated with an ultra-thin aluminium membrane, which serves multiple purposes. It not only imparts a shiny appearance to the outer fabric but also provides it with a distinctive crinkle memory shape and substantial thickness. Additionally, this aluminium membrane greatly enhances the fabric's ability to repel water, resulting in excellent water protection performance.

A: As the new director of experimental design, how do you envision pushing the boundaries of innovation within Henri-Lloyd's products? Matteo Alfieri: I think knowledge, research, and curiosity are the fundamental weapons to bring innovation in the product. My view is that the research has to be made looking at products that serve different functions. For example, if you are designing something for sailing, why not look at skiing or running stuff? I think you can find inspiration and some more advanced engineered parts in the other sport kits.

A: I suggest being curious, traveling a lot, and not looking only at the fashion market to keep the inspiration. Design is everywhere around us, and so everything can inspire the creative process.