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Eleventy fashion looks effortless, but a lot of thought goes into every piece.
That’s one reason co-founder and creative director Marco Baldassari calls it “smart luxury.”
Take the brand’s clever-as-can-be linen joggers. With adjustable drawstrings tied at the waist, they look casual and cool. But when the drawstrings are pulled through eyelets and hidden inside, the pants transform into formal trousers that can be topped with a belt. A “magic” cotton jersey jacket with a zip-out hoodie — as soft as a sweatshirt with the tailored silhouette of a blazer — goes from flight to board meeting to dinner, presto chango.
“We try to make the best version of everything for our clients,” explains Baldassari. “It’s comfortable, but still very elevated and sophisticated.”
Elevated, after all, is part of the label’s identity. “Eleventy stands for elevate yourself,” Baldassari tells Alexa. “And as a brand, we always want to improve and update. I want to make the highest-quality product at the best price and provide clients with incredible service and everlasting friendships.”
The brand was founded in Milan nearly 20 years ago by Baldassari, a fashion-world veteran, and his close friend Paolo Zuntini, Eleventy’s women’s creative director.
Today, Eleventy has 20 stores globally, including a boutique at 769 Madison Ave. in NYC, a Southampton store at 66 Jobs Lane and a Miami boutique at the Bal Harbour Shops. The label is also carried at Tenet in East Hampton and at many other retailers.
Celebs and athletes appreciate its understated elegance: Matt Damon wore an Eleventy suit to the “Crime 101” premiere in February, while Novak Djokovic and John Krasinski are both fans.
As a globe-trotter and endurance athlete who often lives out of a suitcase, Baldassari is the perfect beta tester for new looks and fabrications. He prefers lightweight constructions and materials, often with stretch for ease. The sophisticated neutral palette is carefully considered — everything goes with everything from season to season. And the pieces, whether ready-to-wear or made-to-order, lend themselves to layering.
Baldassari even created pants with a versatile fit: The trisize chinos, cargos and shorts cover a range of three sizes thanks to a hidden elastic waistband.
Now that’s ingenious luxury.
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