Cortili Fall Winter 2021 | Behind The Scene
CORTILI Autumn Winter 2021 collection explores the shift in masculinity previously seen in the 1960s London scene, looking back at the rebellious wardrobe of neo-dandies and rock stars of the time.
A move towards an androgynous look can be seen by the use of statement patterns, flower prints and delicate colours mixed with traditional menswear items and textures, challenging conventions and finding a balance between feminine and masculine.
Once again the collection features limited edition pieces made of premium Italian fabrics coming from dead stock and manufactured in Portugal.
The t-shirts graphics are inspired by the photomontage technique typical of the Dada movement and are digitally printed in the UK on 100% certified organic cotton.
CORTILI Autumn Winter 2021 was released on Friday 19th February on the London Fashion Week digital platform and www.cortili.co.uk.
Creative Direction – Osvaldo Mercuri
Video – Leonardo Lami
Photography – Frederick Wilkinson
Model – James Edler @Nevs
Hair and Skin – Gaia D’Elia
Music – AveCoo / Pond5
The collection's early commitment to dead-stock Italian fabrics and organic cotton printing aligns closely with the circularity standards that have since become central to responsible menswear production across the industry in 2026.
The 1960s London Influence: Decoding the Neo-Dandy Aesthetic
To fully appreciate what CORTILI has achieved with its Autumn Winter 2021 collection, it is essential to understand the cultural moment the brand is drawing from. The 1960s London scene represented one of the most radical disruptions in the history of menswear. Figures such as Mick Jagger, Terence Stamp, and the habitues of Carnaby Street dismantled the rigid postwar dress codes that had defined masculine identity for decades, replacing them with ruffled shirts, velvet jackets, floral prints, and silhouettes that openly borrowed from women’s fashion.
CORTILI’s creative director Osvaldo Mercuri channels this specific lineage with precision rather than nostalgia. The collection does not simply reproduce the period’s visual vocabulary; it interrogates it. Statement patterns and delicate color palettes are layered over traditional menswear construction, creating garments that feel simultaneously familiar and subversive. This tension is the point. The neo-dandy aesthetic has always been a form of quiet rebellion, and in the context of contemporary menswear, where gender-neutral dressing has entered the mainstream, CORTILI’s references carry renewed urgency and cultural relevance.
The result is a collection that respects its historical source material while positioning itself firmly within the ongoing conversation about what masculine dressing can and should look like in the twenty-first century.
Sustainable Craft and Ethical Production: A Considered Supply Chain
Beyond its aesthetic ambitions, the CORTILI Autumn Winter 2021 collection makes a clear and considered statement about production ethics, one that has only grown more significant in the years since the collection’s release. The brand’s commitment to sourcing premium Italian fabrics exclusively from dead stock is a deliberate act of material responsibility. Dead-stock sourcing reduces the demand for virgin textile production, limits water and energy consumption, and keeps high-quality materials out of landfill, all without compromising the tactile richness that Italian fabric mills are internationally recognized for.
Manufacturing in Portugal adds another layer of integrity to the supply chain. Portugal has established itself as one of Europe’s most respected centers for quality garment production, combining skilled craftsmanship with relatively high labor and environmental standards compared to offshore alternatives. For a label built on limited-edition runs, this choice ensures that each piece receives the level of attention its materials deserve.
The t-shirt graphics, digitally printed in the United Kingdom on 100% certified organic cotton, reflect a similarly exacting standard. Organic cotton certification eliminates synthetic pesticides and fertilizers from the growing process, reducing harm to soil health and farming communities alike. Taken together, these production decisions align CORTILI with the circularity principles that have since become benchmarks for responsible menswear, demonstrating that the brand was ahead of an industry-wide shift rather than merely responding to it.
Dada Photomontage and the Art of Graphic Storytelling
The graphic language of the CORTILI Autumn Winter 2021 collection deserves its own dedicated examination. The t-shirt designs draw directly from Dadaism, specifically the photomontage technique developed by artists such as Hannah Hoch, John Heartfield, and Raoul Hausmann in the early twentieth century. Dada photomontage was an inherently political practice, using the juxtaposition of fragmented images and text to challenge authority, disrupt conventional meaning, and expose the absurdities of modern life. Importing this visual methodology into a fashion context is not a casual creative choice.
By grounding its graphics in Dada, CORTILI positions its garments as objects of cultural commentary rather than mere decoration. The prints ask the wearer to engage with ideas about identity, rebellion, and representation, questions that align directly with the collection’s broader inquiry into shifting masculinity. This intellectual dimension elevates the t-shirts from wardrobe staples to wearable art objects, each one functioning as a small manifesto.
The decision to execute these designs through digital printing preserves the detail and tonal range that photomontage demands, while keeping the process compatible with the brand’s organic cotton standards. It is a production solution that honors both the artistic intent and the ethical framework of the collection, demonstrating how craft decisions and creative vision can reinforce each other rather than exist in tension.
