MAGIC MAN

With a dose of whimsy and wonder, Tim Walker shows the craft behind the creation of Tod's most iconic pieces.

- Jeffrey Yan

Italian craftsmanship and English creativity come together in the most brilliant of ways in Tod's latest project, "The Art of Craftsmanship," as envisioned by the photographer, Tim Walker. The work is a visual story that spotlights artisanal know-how-a key pillar for the House, which has always prided itself on its Made in Italy credentials. With his distinctive style-a blend of humour, fashion and fantasy-Walker showcases a new facet to the creation of the brand's signature products, namely, the Di bag (named after and made famous by Princess Diana) and the Gommino loafer, a pebble-soled driving shoe that has been an icon since its introduction in the Seventies. With a Surrealist approach that focuses on proportion play, the series of images foregrounds the tools and techniques that go into the making of these pieces.

Walker is, of course, fashion's preeminent storyteller. More than any other photographer working today, he understands the magic and transformative potential at the heart of the most compelling of clothes, and captures this essence in shoots that are like fairytales come to life. The spectacular sets of his past work are mini wonderlands unto themselves, though his more recent work has focused on studio portraiture-more stripped back, but equally spellbinding in the way character, costuming and narrative come together. His photographs aren't just published in the most prestigious magazines, they are also collected by the world's most renowned institutions such as London's National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria & Albert Museum.