hLam
(Photo courtesy of hLam-FWD)
Send this photo as a postcard.

Jul 17, 2002 /FWD/ --- The Italian flair for style and superb fabrications is a gem in itself, but marry it to the Swedish mastery of form and proportion, and you've really got something special.

It is this formula, in fact, that is catapulting the high-end sportswear label hLam into the territory of fabulously stylish and well-designed clothes.

At the helm of the five-year-old label are life-long partners Pierangelo d'Agostin (he, the Italian dreamer) and Gunn Johannson (she, the calmer Swede), who took the independent plunge after completing successful stints together at TSE Cashmere and Malo.

"We had both worked in fashion for over 15 years and the time came for us to create something that truly reflected our own personalities," explained d'Agostin.

The name hLam, which the duo picked up during a chat with a gypsy in Morocco, signifies "desire" or "wish."

Their wish, he relates, was to "provide an alternative to daily dressing - easy and comfortable pieces which also reflect innovation and evolution in design."

Their most recent Spring '03 menswear collection does just that.

Presented to FWD in their chic Christian Liaigre-designed showroom, the line hits the money with a clever mix of stylish tailor-made suits and sophisticated casual wear -- perfect for what Johannson describes as a "stylish man with a personality - someone who likes fashion but is never a victim."

Apart from the modern cuts and unexpected detailing, the most striking part of the collection is the fabrications.

"I am constantly researching to find the special touch that makes us different," says an enthused d'Agostin. And hLam's use of exclusive fabrics (created exactly to their specifications and produced and sold only to them) for almost every piece in the line is a guarantee for stand-out status.

In the hLam world, simple cottons, for example, get a complete make over in super fine varieties that look luxurious and soft as silk on zip jackets.

The linen pieces, either crisp or natural, come washed and coated in countless new methods.

Lean, deconstructed suits take on a bright personality with the heavy striped texture of herringbone.

And great jacket bodies (motorcycle, car and army styles) get an even bigger upgrade in special structured nylon or featherweight cotton -- some oiled, some washed -- all with coated linen linings.

"We do all of the research ourselves and we're only two people," says d'Agostin of hLam's innovations.

And the pair's workload doesn't stop there.

D'Agostin also serves as head menswear designer for Strenesse, the German sportswear company, while Johannson is the brains behind all of those highly wearable pieces put out by Marzotto lab.

The duo stress, however, that their true baby is hLam.

With a brand new factory in Beilla (guaranteeing production and delivery improvements) and retail expansion planned in Europe, the US and Japan, the duo says, "We are finally transforming ourselves from a design studio to a real fashion company."

And thankfully so, for all of us.