Joseph’s new creative director Mario Arena is taking the brand back to its founder’s roots in Morocco.
He’s come in tearing away at the brand’s recent neo-minimalism past and starting afresh with shrunken silhouettes and rich bazaar colors of paprika, olive, cinnamon and pomegranate pink.
“I’ve had a great affinity with Morocco and I’ve taken references from the way the sun changes throughout the day to the color of the stones,” said Arena, who analyzed Joseph’s archives and set his eyes on the ‘90s.
He started with the brand’s hero pieces and fabrics including coats, trousers, silks and leather, then homed in on the feel and touch of the pieces.
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Arena is creating his own vocabulary through sensory fabrics: glazed lamb skin that looks like dinosaur skin; fuzzy cashmere; smooth double-faced satin, and silk jacquard.
The designer said that working with fabrics has been a big part of his career. He was most recently at JW Anderson, where he was director of product and design for ready-to-wear, accessories and runway. Prior to that he served as director of design and innovation for rtw and accessories at Nanushka. He has also served as head of rtw at Christopher Kane.
Joseph is accelerating its accessories arm with help from Arena. He used a coffee bean that he pressed his finger into as the thesis for the jewelry collection that consists of chains, bracelets, cuffs, rings and earrings.
The hardware elements of the jewelry have also made their way into the small details of the dresses from zippers and buttons to belts.
“I wanted to bring in something that’s a signifier, so that from 20 meters someone can tell it’s Joseph,” said Arena.
The designer has his workload cut out for him and the considered details he’s introduced look promising for a brand that’s starting over.