As with any brand that has been around for over four decades, Iceberg is due for its next phase as a fashion label — and creative director James Long is at the helm of bringing the Italian brand toward it. Two years in and the designer has noticeably brought about a more jovial mood. Spirited collections full of color, logo and, most importantly, sportswear galore, are making for one splashy comeback with the youth.
Iceberg has always centered around a sporty aesthetic, so playing up its history at a time where athleisure is dominant is both strategic and advantageous. Since its founding in 1974 by Giuliana Marchini and husband Silvano Gerani, knitwear has been at the core of the San Giovanni in Marignano-based brand. Its in-depth experience with the fabrication makes for a more mature background than explosive newcomers like Off-White, though veterans like Fila — 63 years its senior and staging a revival of its own with the help of a popular “dad” sneaker and its first runway show — are no rookie in the activewear landscape. That said, aesthetic consistency will be a requirement as Iceberg repositions itself alongside its more prominent cohorts and aims to make a believer out of the masses.
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Long’s recurring ideas thus far have been bold, primary palettes featuring enlarged logos, Peanuts cartoons, and motorcycle jackets (complete with helmets to rev up his spring 2019 show, which was themed around the Gerani’s private collection of vintage cars). The concept has landed; since his spring ’19 men’s show (in which he also gave a peek of the women’s pre-collection), there’s been a noticeable increase in Iceberg-centric street style. Holding said men’s event this June at London Fashion Week, which was a first for the brand, may have been one of the crucial steps in its reintroduction to a younger market.
Three months post men’s market, Long returned to Milan Fashion Week where the streets have been peppered with oversized “Iceberg” emblems. Right outside of his latest women’s show (another co-ed production), fresh faces sported head-to-toe branded looks — seemingly seeded, yet stylish nonetheless. But for where the brand is modernizing its message, it equally won’t let anyone forget its heritage. “1974” is just as prominent among the T-shirts, sweaters and jumpsuits as is the trademark name.
The footwear has also been on par with leading trends with the spring ’19 showcase featuring vinyl heels, color-blocked sock sneakers and chunky sandals. Snoopy made a cameo or two as well, or at least his alter ego “Joe Cool,” which is somewhat a poetic interpretation of Iceberg’s reinvention in itself.
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