Alber Elbaz has created a capsule collection for Tod’s Factory calling it “Tod’s Happy Moments.” Capturing the iconic Tod’s driving shoe, Elbaz has transformed its true spirit for the next generation.
“Tod’s Happy Moments” illustrates the happiness the brand brings at different times of the day or at different moments of one’s life; and Elbaz gave the pair his own spin by making it aerodynamic, bright, and unstructured.
The Tod’s driving shoe is now mounted on sneaker soles, and printed with logos — with creative details like neoprene for a fresh and modern look and metallic finishing for a sprinkle of shine.
Elbaz’s idea of happiness is all-encompassing in the collection, touching everything from the logo to the packaging, from shoes to bags and T-shirts. To him, happiness is contagious and is immediate and by allowing Tod’s to be a part of one’s daily moments, the brand is able to touch and energize one’s life with style and ease.
Bringing happiness around the world, “Tod’s Happy Moments by Alber Elbaz” will be unveiled in Paris at the beginning of July and will subsequently tour other international capitals, landing in the shops through two different in-season drops.
Here’s a quick Q&A with the designer himself:
How did the collaboration with Tod’s happen?
“I was introduced to Diego [Della Valle] a few years ago by our dear friends, Franca Sozzani, whom I adored, and Anna Wintour, whom I adore just as well. They both thought we should meet each other and we did. We’ve kept in touch over the years and had many dinners together in Paris as we both love food and fashion. It was during one of these dinners that Diego invited me to work on a capsule collection for Tod’s, and I said I do.”
What convinced you to accept the collaboration?
“It was all Diego…..He truly knows what he wants! One day, Diego invited me to his hype‐modern, really impressive factory in Le Marche to show me around to see what they were working on and to meet the workers. Behind the concrete walls, I met a group of passionate and dedicated individuals, true artisans, who bring new projects to life. I met the family of Tod’s but, in reality, I met Diego’s “family”. I truly appreciated and respected Diego’s vision. It was there that I knew I wanted to collaborate on a special project with him.”
Why “Happy Moments” and what is a happy moment?
“We all need a bit of happiness in our lives….And today more than ever. But can we be happy all the time? I’m afraid happiness doesn’t always come in big packages but sometimes in small drips‐and‐drops. When Happy Moments do come, no matter how small they are, we need to embrace them, cherish them and remember them. That’s a happy moment for me.”
Did you follow any inspiration for the collection?
“My initial intuition was simply to make people happy in different moments of their lives, or just different times of the day. I wanted to capture a few happy moments like happy to be in love, a big happy family, for instance. My starting point was how to transform but keep the soul of Tod’s iconic driving shoes for today.
I am a designer, not an Instagram celebrity, or a social influencer, so I approached the project as a designer, reinterpreting the Tod’s DNA in my own way. Driverless cars will be the future and I wanted to create new shoes for everyone for everyday ‘driving’.”
Do you have a specific customer in mind for the Tod’s Happy Moments?
“I’m not a marketing person. When it comes to customers, I am completely transparent and democratic. I love all people of all background, age and body shapes. That was one of the reasons I was attracted to Tod’s collaboration: to be able to ‘dress’ everyone in Tod’s shoes.”
How important are the Tod’s factories to the story? What did you find there?
“All the magic happens at the factories. Without the talent and the dedication of these artisans, this capsule collection would have not been possible. At the end of the day, it is always about people and the simplicity of people willing to pour their heart and hard work to achieve the best result. I found them all at the Tod’s factory.”
What makes Tod’s so perfectly Italian?
“Italians do not give up on new challenges. Diego was completely open to everything, and so were the Tod’s artisans at the factory. They always said ‘Come no?’ which means ‘Why not?’ even if the idea was a bit crazy. When I proposed doing neoprene for the loafers, for instance, they didn’t hesitate to give it a try even though Tod’s never used neoprene for shoes! As a designer, ‘Come no?’ is a music to my ears! We have to experiment with new ideas to go forward.”
There are no sneakers in the collection. Is that deliberate?
“The market is flooded with sneakers and adding another pair in this capsule didn’t seem so important. More relevant for me was to add the rapidity, the aerodynamic design of the sneakers that we all love to Tod’s DNA, creating a hybrid of new comfortable shoes.”
Instead, there are a lot of logos. Why?
“The logo is reassuring, even more so in our confused times where there are thousands of new products from every design and price points in the market. Logo should represent the best of the design and craftsmanship. I added my own whimsical touches to Tod’s iconic logo.”
What happy moment would you like to get from this collection?
“Many hours of working with Diego and the Tod’s family creating not only great shoes but also creating a beautiful story about people. It’s not just about the products but a story that moves people, a story that makes people happy.”
The video for the launch was filmed in Roma. Why?
“How can you resist the beauty of the eternal city where Fellini filmed many of his movies? We wanted to imagine the Italian spirit and Roma is the perfect place to capture happy moments on camera.”
How would you sum up this experience?
“Super happy and super fun! It was a relevant exercise dialogue between design, craftsmanship, commerce, and to think about how to build a strong bridge to connect the past and the future.”
In the Philippines, Tod’s is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc., and is located at Greenbelt 4, Rustan’s Shangri-La, and Shangri-La Plaza. Follow @ssilifeph on Instagram and visit www.ssilife.com.ph for more information.