Techy, sporty clothing might be at the heart of Arnar Már Jónsson, but the idea of a life well lived is certainly the brand’s soul. And for that—just add wine. After vertically integrating its business in an Italian factory, founders Arnar Már Jónsson and Luke Stevens found themselves taken with the rakish style of Northern Italian guys they spotted around town, the sorts you find haunting a sidestreet bar around midday, nestled deep into a chianti and a conversation. The designers refer to them as maestros, but we all know the type: Middle-aged Italian guy, sweater over a tatty button-down, chinos, blazer, and not a care in the world.
Jónsson and Stevens adapted Italian sprezzatura to their collection, ballooning out the shapes of cropped jackets and creating beautiful marled knitwear that feels almost outside of time. Corduroy plays a key role, used on both sides to create color-blocking and dimension in tracksuits and trousers. Working more closely with their factory has given the designers the license to create from the fabric up, as well as to rethink each material’s purpose and function: For the first time they have a truly 100% waterproof puffer, now in rich coral, and a new winterized tracksuit with mohair wadding.
At first pass, the move into lifestyle clothing and away from sport-centric garments might seem drastic, especially to fans who have paired their AMJ with other devotedly outdoorsy labels like Arc’teryx and Acronym. But what Jónsson and Stevens acknowledge with their slight shift to the center is that fashion is no longer an either-or game. Brands aren’t sartorial or gorp, streetwear or luxury—a successful fashion business is a little bit of everything. A successful fashion brand must touch the many facets of a life. That’s something those so-successful-they’re-drinking-at-noon maestros have known for ages, and something the new guard of fashion’s impactful designers are wisely bringing into their new visions for fashion’s future.
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