Some of contemporary fashion's most interesting labels are the ones shaped by the shared chemistry of those behind the scenes. Whether old friends like the guys from Our Legacy, romantic partners like the duos behind Story MFG and A Kind of Guise respectively, or even siblings like Susanne and Andreas Holzweiler, it's these deep connections that lay the foundations for creativity. Manchester's Buetti goes a step further.
Founders Valentino and Lorenzo Brunetti's relationship began in the womb. Twins with a shared passion for vintage clothing, their respective careers took them to different ends of the same creative spectrum − Valentino in graphic design and Lorenzo in garment design. Between them, they've worked for some big names in the menswear space, and an 2023 they decided to carve their own path with Buetti. OPUMO caught up with Lorenzo to learn more.
What do you feel is Buetti’s USP?
Buetti’s USP is the connection we have with the consumer who’s buying into the product. We do yearly pop-ups in different locations and we feel it’s a great way to meet the people who support the brand. Looking after customers is number one for us. You can have amazing product, but if the service isn’t there, you’re not getting the full package. We feel like the experience of buying product needs to go back to how it was years ago, where brands spoke to customers about what the product is, how it fits and why the brand exists in the first place.
Photo Credit (above): Dan Watson
What does good design mean to you?
Good design, for us, means a garment someone can wear daily without having to think too much about what it goes with. They can chuck it on whenever and it becomes a main piece for them. The block of the garment, as well as the fabric, are the first two things we look at. Then we move on to graphics, if it’s T-shirts we’re designing. Me and Valentino tend to look to the past for inspiration around garment fits and graphics, and I think that research goes a long way. You end up with something distinctive and it gives you a different tone of voice in a market that’s so saturated.
Who or what outside of fashion influences you most?
We really love film at Buetti. We grew up watching all sorts of things, and our dad was a big film guy. His favourite film was The Godfather, so I’m sure we watched it about 20 times before the age of 12. We actually took a quote from another film, Scarface, and placed it on the back of our caps. ‘Every dog has his day’ was the original quote, but we changed it slightly to ‘every dog has its day’. It’s a nice, subtle nod to the films we were watching growing up. Film is also a great place to look for inspiration when it comes to colours, quotes, graphics and even fabrics.
What object do you consider to be perfect?
Food. For me, it would have to be a Margherita pizza. Some people like messing around too much with a pizza, but sometimes it just needs to be simple. Nice tomato, nice cheese, cooked really well with a good crust. You can’t beat it.
How does an idea become a Buetti product?
It normally starts when we’re out vintage shopping. Me and Valentino love vintage, and places like Manchester, Newcastle and London have some great spots. We tend to buy items that inspire us, whether it’s the finish of the fabric or the graphic colours. We then have a meeting about what we think our customer needs or what the market wants from us. We try to identify gaps, if there are any, so we can fill them with something different. After that, we go to our suppliers and work with them to find the best fit, fabric and quality. That relationship with the consumer is really important to us. We can design the product, but we’re always trying to improve, and listening to feedback from the community is a big part of that.
The best advice I’d give to anyone wanting to start a brand is to just get it out there and keep perfecting it by bringing out better versions over time. That way, customers can see you’re trying to get the product right for them, and they appreciate that.
Which current piece feels closest to Buetti’s DNA?
We’ve just released some really cosy, fuzzy knitted polos for winter and they’re one of the best products we’ve made. They’re super soft, with minimal branding on the chest and really lovely buttons. We made them in green, red and cream. They’re quite festive, but they’re also the colours of the Italian flag, which is mine and Valentino’s heritage. We really love playing with colour in our collections and this was a perfect example of how to work with garments and colour together.
Where do you see Buetti in 10 years?
We want to build a brand that genuinely resonates with people. If we keep doing what we’re doing, innovating and bringing out new products slowly but surely, we believe people will keep coming to us to buy clothing. We don’t want to throw it down people’s necks. We want Buetti to be a place you feel comfortable coming to when you want to make a purchase. We often look at Duffer of St. George and how they built their own community in London in the late 80s and early 90s. It’s really inspiring to read their story and see how they created garments that people genuinely loved. Ultimately, we want the brand to grow to a point where we have a handful of good stockists who understand how to tell that story and a solid base of people who are really interested in clothing.
Favourite non-Buetti piece you own, and why?
I have a 2001 Neighborhood bomber jacket that I picked up on Vinted for a steal. It’s such a nice piece, olive nylon patchwork with a quilted lining and a really heavy leather zip. You get that feeling every time you put it on where you just feel great wearing it. It’s from an era when things were done properly.
One current design trend you love?
I’m a big shoe fan and I’m really into low-profile formal leather shoes at the moment. There have been a few brands using natural leather soles, like Colbo NYC’s collaboration with Sperry on a classic boat shoe. Then there’s Foot Industry, who make a really lovely low-profile leather shoe with a similar sole. I’m also seeing a lot of deconstructed footwear, shoes with no lining that are collapsible. They’re great because they show the natural character of the leather, the way it sits and folds.
And one you can’t stand?
I don’t really have any that I can’t stand. I think people should be able to wear whatever they want, as long as they’re comfortable and feel good. We live in a world where everyone is judged on what they wear, but people should just let others crack on.
Next up: OPUMO chats to Bergur Guðna of 66°North.
