A watch that blends in with your suit. Hublot presents three new watches in the Classic Fusion Italia Independent collection. Together with 21st century style-icon Lapo Elkann, Founder and Artistic Director of Italia Independent, and the House of Rubinacci, maker of bespoke suits in Napoli, some very fashionable Classic Fusion models were made.
No logo, and you don’t advertise for anyone. I don’t believe in imposed luxury. I believe in built luxury. Something you refine with your own taste. Mass luxury is not my luxury.
“No logo, and you don’t advertise for anyone. I don’t believe in imposed luxury. I believe in built luxury. Something you refine with your own taste. Mass luxury is not my luxury.” Lapo Elkann is a strong believer in customization. And that shows in the six Hublot Classic Fusion Italia Independent chronographs Hublot has just presented. The watches show what you get when you mix the watchmaking expertise of Hublot, the limitless creativity of Lapo Elkann, and the treasures of the famous tailor Rubinacci. Since 2014, two collections have been born from the partnership between Hublot, Italia Independent and Lapo Elkann. The two previous collections were based on the Big Bang Unico model, but the fusion of traditional tailoring and watchmaking better suited the Classic Fusion chronograph with its sleeker lines.
Customisation and personalisation
“As a creator, I have always put customisation and bespoke designs, which for me represent real luxury, at the heart of my different projects. It’s with this in mind that I conceive and design unique objects, which meet my tastes and requirements, but also satisfy my clients. I like the fact that they become truly mine and that they are distinctive, and this is the case for the Classic Fusion Italia Independent collection,” says Lapo Elkann. And he knows what he’s talking about. Elkann brought Ferrari’s ‘Tailor Made’ programme to life, and he is continuing and expanding upon the concept with Garage Italia Customs; cars, boats, planes and helicopters, with a unique level of customisation and personalisation.
The “sartoria Rubinacci” was not chosen at random: since 1932, three generations of Rubinacci have been at the reins of this institution of good taste and masculine refinement: Gennaro, the founding grandfather, Mariano, the father who now manages the house from Naples and, of course Luca, master of the store in Milan, and one of the most photographed men on the planet thanks to his unique style. Between them they have dressed everybody from Royals tot rock stars, not to mention the Agnelli family (the Agnelli family is a multi-industry business dynasty founded by Giovanni Agnelli and one of the original founders of what became the FIAT motor company. They are also the owners of Ferrari, Lancia, Alfa Romeo and football club Juventus) of which Lapo Elkann is the successor.
Sprezzatura
The House of Rubinacci holds a beautiful collection of fabrics in its archives. It was here, in the more than 60,000 square metres of precious houndstooth, tweeds and other cloths that Hublot and Lapo Elkann found a collection of tartans—squared coloured wool weaves from the seventies—that they brought back to life by including them in the different versions of the 45mm Classic Fusion Chronograph in gold, titanium and ceramic.
The dial and straps have been made using the precious Rubinacci fabrics and the result can only be described by using the Italian word “sprezzatura” meaning studied carelessness; it looks like you just threw something on but everything was painstakingly thought out. The collection consists of the You can choose Classic Fusion Chronograph Italia Independent “Pied De Poule” (Houndstooth) and Classic Fusion Chronograph Italia Independent “Prince de Galles” (Prince of Wales) in titanium, the Classic Fusion Chronograph Italia Independent “Tartan” and Classic Fusion Chronograph Italia Independent “Prince de Galles” (Prince of Wales) in ceramic and the Classic Fusion Chronograph Italia Independent “Tartan” and Classic Fusion Chronograph Italia Independent “Prince de Galles” (Prince of Wales) in Hublot’s own King Gold alloy.
