The sizzling Milan heat took a breather (so to speak) at Club Gommino, Tod’s open-air lounge opened in the lush garden of Villa Necchi Campiglio to fête the spring presentation. Guests, iced drinks in hand, let portable fans work overtime. Models were arranged in languid poolside tableaux. A tennis court was set up under a (thankfully refrigerated) canopy to display the accessory collection.

Matteo Tamburini kept his cool—quite literally—during a garden press conference that had editors daydreaming of the seaside escape images he had pinned on the moodboard. A native of Pesaro, a resort town in the Marche region, he’s familiar with the spirit of Italian villeggiatura—sandy beaches, striped ombrelloni, and lazy afternoons under breezy tents. For spring, he channeled that summer ease: think refined casual wear inflected with a laid-back vibe.

“The silhouettes follow the idea of balanced comfort,” Tamburini said. “Each piece has a calibrated functionality, a kind of relaxed sartorial flair, with just a dash of sportiness.” His warm, elegant minimalism feels like a good fit for Tod’s. Rather than chasing trends, he’s refreshed the brand codes with natural polish. Working within the familiar framework of classic casual wear, Tamburini emphasized fluid movement using soft yet structured fabrics: travel-friendly wool, suede in sherbet hues, and striped silk canvas.

Shirts carried the breezy lightness of deck chair coverings; the color palette drew inspiration from the chromatic studies of Josef Albers. “These are hues that meet and transform,” said Tamburini, “just as light changes the way we perceive things.” Who knew Tamburini isn’t just a sharp designer, but something of a poet too?