For the N21 Spring Summer 2026 collection Back to Basics, Alessandro Dell’Acqua takes a quieter route. He moves away from fashion’s usual volume and strips the wardrobe to pieces that function without explanation. Clothes become tools for presence rather than symbols of identity. The collection focuses on a man in the process of becoming, someone not defined by image but by daily, deliberate choice.
Dell’Acqua frames the season around clarity. In a time when style feels overloaded with messages and contradictions, he chooses to simplify. Instead of proposing ideas through references or visual cues, he builds clothes meant to serve without commentary. This approach reflects a man who dresses with intention, not performance, and values pieces that support rather than speak for him.
Knitwear grounds the collection. Core silhouettes return, cardigans, trenches, sweatshirts, peacoats, tuxedos, but each arrives with subtle changes. Classic forms take on new texture and proportion without relying on nostalgia. Lightweight terry fabrics shape polos and crewnecks, while cotton Norwegian sweaters and riveted shorts bring weight and contrast without excess.
Trousers come in cool wool, paired with striped cotton shirting panels cut like boxer waistbands that sit above the belt. These choices build structure through repetition, not noise. Looks layer in controlled sequences: anoraks and shirts cut from the same striped cotton, bomber jackets designed to match shirts and shorts
Neoprene updates knitwear with a firmer structure. Fabrics double without adding bulk. Outerwear remains light, led by unlined dusters in cool wool. Cuts stay close to the body, clean and exact. The clothes adapt to movement but don’t chase drama.
Accessories stay aligned with the clothing. Shoes in leather and suede close with two buckled straps across traditional lacing. Metal hardware, grommets and studs, adds edge through detail, not decoration.
The collection’s single bag, the “Cabiria,” takes a haversack form designed without gender. Its practical design supports the season’s direct tone. Belts in ponyskin or smooth leather finish the look with metal studding that feels considered rather than ornamental.
