CP Company | Brand Focus On The Goggle Jacket | Aphrodite1994

CP Company – Brand In Focus

CP Company

CP Company are an Italian Clothing Company whose main aim is to create a casual menswear brand to bring the traditional elements back into a man’s wardrobe. The company’s philosophy, ‘Function and Use’ is reflected in very piece produced by the brand, and has travelled through time with the changing fashion and expansion over the years.
The brand has become a designer name due to many reasons, one of them being the production of garments which are exclusively individual. C.P Company clothing is instantly recognisable and memorable which has helped it secure a place in designer men’s wear for the foreseeable future

Brief History of the Brand
Sportswear Company, which is the label under which CP Company, Stone Island and Boneville have been under, is an historical company in the Italian casual wear manufactures. 1974 saw the birth of this label, originally named ‘Chester Perry’ but in the last 70’s after a legal battle changed its name to CP Company. The change in name saw a slight shift in direction for the company but success and major growth followed. A company takeover happened towards the mid 1980’s by Rabaldo Tongna and GFT, followed by the arrival of Carlo Rivetti as managing director. This was the time the label was renamed Sportswear Company. Taken over fully by Riftex after the selling of the GFT in 1993, Carlo Rivetti was named company president.

Soon after its launch, CP Company became an essential point of reference for the fashion at that time, which has shadowed it through its lifespan and still applies to date. The way they mix function and wear ability is key to their stability in the fashion scene

Over the years the brand has been driven by two main strategic concepts:

1) Research into the functional and usable garments which have derived from the military style and work wear.
2) The transformation of fabrics and overall garments through the experimentation of colour.

The brands interests in military garments lead onto the creation of a number of highly acclaimed pieces from the brands collections. Uniforms and military wear are designed with the purpose to fulfil a job. Every little detail has been added for a function, combining function and elegance. C.P Company took this as their starting point, and after years of research, the brand has huge archives that has been built over the years, which they continue to experiment and take inspiration from. Dating from the end of the last century to now, this valuable heritage provide a solid base for much of the companies know –how’s. 

CP Company Illustrations

“At the heart of it all is experimentation and research into new materials, treatments and unique colour effects”

– CP Company –

 

CP Company Goggle Jacket possibly the most well-known jacket to date from the company, the Goggle Jacket is arguably just as iconic as the brand itself. Originally designed by Massimo Osti as part of the sponsorship deal for the world famous ‘Mille Miglia’ open road endurance race, which took place in the cites of Italy from 1927 to 1957. This is where the jacket gets its nickname Mille Miglia from. The original jacket incorporated goggles into the hood, which could be flipped down allowing the goggles to be worn directly over the eyes. When designing the jacket, Osti considered the beautiful and fastest roads which were included in the race track as inspiration for his ingenuous goggle hood idea. Along with the goggles, a clear lens was inserted into the sleeve of the jacket, named the ‘watch viewer’ so the racer could easily check the time.To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Goggle jacket, C.P Company teamed up with fashion designer Aitor Throup, to launch a special anniversary edition of the iconic jacket in 2009. Aitor Throup’s basis for the design was to take the jacket back to its foundations, the race itself. ‘I have taken a literal approach to driving ergonomics and functionality, with the aim of creating a piece with is even further informed by the driving concept than the original’.

CP Goggle Jacket

The overall structure and design of the jacket had been based on the human form, in a driving position which ultimately provides maximum comfort. This was gained by including slightly bent and forward arms mixed with extra volume built into the back. This extra volume enables the jacket to morph from the standard ‘standing position’ into a more complex’ driving position’. This is a complete unique feature to the goggle jacket and eliminates the build-up of awkward fabric when sitting, while creating a waterproof cover for the legs. C.P Company pride themselves in innovative designs, fabric dying and treatments, and this jacket is a stern example of this craftsmanship.

CP Company Goggle Jacket

Throups had previously collaborated with Stone Island on two projects which were presented at Milan Fashion week in 2008, followed by the C.P Company coloration in 2009. The re-design featured a fully ergonomic construction based on a life size sculpture of the human body in the driving position, focusing attention directly on the heritage of the jacket and its actual use. The design featured a unique transformational articulation built into the pockets, which allowed the jackets structure to morph into a driving position when required. The above image shows the original design installation by Aitor Throup for the 20th anniversary collection for the redesign of the C.P Company Goggle Jacket. To view a full collection of Throup’s work or the complete Goggle Jacket Collection of work please visit Aitor Throup Website

Aitor Thorup

CP Company Jacket

The hood has also underwent a complete re -construction and design, which not only results in the hood being a perfect fit over a driving helmet when the draw strings are relaxed, but it is an anatomically accurate fit to the human head. Ergonomics have played a huge part in the overall design and fit of the re-design of this jacket, not only in the body but the details including the goggles and watch lens. The goggles section has gained a deeper ridged nose and a closer fitting shape while the goggles have been given a circular shape, which mirrors the watch viewer, bringing all the details together for an aesthetic which is reminiscent of the jackets original racing origins.

CP Company Coat

The ‘watchviewer’ was also taken into consideration for the re-design, and now the driver can easily glance at their wrist whilst driving. It also interacts seamlessly with the detachable padded lining for a smoother smarter overall appearance.

The Goggle Jacket, like all other CP Company jackets has been crafted from top quality fabrics which manage to capture the integrity and authenticity of the concept of the jacket.
The material is a 3 layer GORE-TEX performance shell fabric with a waterproof membrane and every seam has been finished with a GORE-SEAM waterproof thermo-taping.

Goggle Jacket

The Goggle Jacket, like all other CP Company garments has been crafted from top quality fabrics which manage to capture the integrity and authenticity of the concept of the jacket.

The material is a 3 layer GORE-TEX performance shell fabric with a waterproof membrane and every seam has been finished with a GORE-SEAM waterproof thermo-taping. The material underwent a natural pigment garment dying process called ‘Tinto Terra’ which utilises natural pigments extracted from the soil and earth, which embeds the garment with the rich visual identity of the C.P Company brand.

CP Company’s main aim is to produce top quality garments, which are exclusively individual by using new fabrics and finishes. The research process that goes into every product has built up their archive over the years to enable them to fuse old and new together for seamless designs that are timeless. Continual experimentation into fabrics, weaves, colours and dying process mixed with advanced creative technology has catapulted the brand into the designer menswear, where they maintain to dominate and grow.
Clothing in today’s society has become an expression of individuality and a form of personal identity. C.P Company believes that their philosophy has become more actual – Function and Use has become a symbol of individuality, style and as always function.

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