Department Five: Made in Italy streetwear

Tailored quality clothing lent to the modern streetwear style of the early 2000s, a decidedly interesting recipe! Department Five presents itself to the public in 2007 as the main link between these two worlds, which are only apparently very distant.
In fact, the brand immediately established itself within the sector as the avant-garde of a movement in step with the style of the new generations, who however do not want to give up the value and durability of a high quality garment.

Tailoring with a casual flavor

The brand has its roots in the historic Italian sartorial tradition, the trio of craftsmen and designers has in fact always promoted a passionate and spontaneous approach, supported however in technical skills. The result is an authentic activity, always in line with the latest trends and trends as it is passionate about fashion and style, a modern company that uses the most advanced production techniques without however ever straying away from the artisan culture from which it originates, profoundly rooted in the brand and its values.

The story begins way back in 1977 with an initiative by Mario Cangini who, as the great fashion enthusiast he is, founded the Space Number Five boutique in Milano Marittima, an institution destined to leave a permanent mark on the way of doing retail. The activity, initially dedicated to identifying unique pieces in various local second-hand markets, quickly adapted to the innovations in the sector, mainly addressing emerging designers or even first-time designers (managing to establish personal relationships with many of them, as happens with Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons).

The inspirations of the brand: modernity with a vintage taste

This universe, as rigorous in its own rules as it is independent of external ones, attracts Nicola Silvagni, a young talent passionate about music and fashion. From the meeting with Mario, a lasting collaboration was immediately born which would lead the former to join the Space team, which in the meantime had expanded with the opening of spaces also in the nearby towns of Ravenna, Florence and Cesena. The partnership, which then matured into a sincere, complicit and amused friendship, allows the two to develop an out of the ordinary style and a particular aesthetic sensibility that combines luxury and vintage elements without getting carried away by an exasperated retail trend common to the sector in those years.

The historical context and the creativity developed, as often happens, form the perfect storm and the brand immediately becomes one of the great discoveries of the fashion sector. The debut is initially dedicated to the men’s selection, this allows Nicola to satisfy his desire to define an immediate wardrobe, skilfully mixing the fascinating practicality of military and work clothing, with a selection of fabrics and models typical of the rock environment and particularly trendy at that time. Thanks to the partnership with Catria Confezioni, the collection then immediately manages to address the end customers, proving to be simple but with an important personality, also setting an extremely sustainable price range for the type of article, both in terms of clothing selection than for outerwear such as jackets and vests.

Personality and inspiration, the Department Five style

Since the first collection, Department Five has always shown an important creative imprint which, mixed with the strong practicality of its garments, has helped to project it among the great promises of the sector in recent years. Thanks to its unique and recognizable style, the incredible quality of the garments and the creative nature always in line with the latest market trends, the brand has over the years cultivated an increasingly varied clientele, impressed by the strong and extremely personal choices made thanks to a continuous trend research on the most exclusive scenes such as London, Los Angeles, New York, Tokyo and Paris. Since the first women’s collection in 2010 (created by combining menswear styles with the strong mood of the historical moment) the brand has demonstrated its ability to interpret the tastes and needs of a new target, transversal in its globalized entirety. After a decade of growing success, Department Five consolidated its position in 2018, inaugurating the new showroom in Milan and redefining the sales network for the years to come, with a particular focus on the Japanese market and, considering the previous successes, can only see a downhill road for this fantastic brand.

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