Dusan Paunovic has built his independent label steering clear of obvious industry norms, sidestepping the glare of visibility, and avoiding social media overexposure. Still, he’s no hermit, and his solid business is proof of how well he has been able to carve a niche for his label. He keeps a keen eye on the industry’s fickle tides, but muses, inspirations, and moodboards are conspicuously absent from his presentations. “They’re clichés.” he stated. Yet, if there’s one designer whose influence he openly acknowledges, beyond the obvious debt to his longtime master Zoran, it’s the late Giorgio Armani, who passed away last month.

“Back in Milan in ’91, Armani was everything. No one else had a style so instantly recognizable,” he reminisced. “His ‘non-colors,’ those muted Milanese shades, and loose, fluid shapes were so inspiring. I’ll never forget when he came up with ‘Blue 1041,’ a midnight blue so dark it almost ate the light. His silhouettes were sharp, androgynous, pure Milan. Practical, elegant, stripped of fuss—a style that lasts a hundred years. I followed the same path, chasing Milan’s urban tones. Bright colors? Forget it. Every time I try to introduce one, it dies on the rack. It’s just not my thing.”

Not surprisingly given the man’s rock-solid convictions, this collection riffed on his repertoire of fluid, unadorned pieces. Wool and cashmere chiffon were crafted into cloud-light tunics; voile wool was twisted into sarong skirts; crisp silk-wool twill sharpened the kimono trench. Herringbone turned soft in an unlined jacket-and-pants set, while satin linen was cut on the bias. Even the classic windowpane overcoat got a luxe upgrade in linen, wool, and silk. The palette leaned cool and powdered: Mao-blue dusters, ink-washed denim tops, rice-white sweaters, lilac satin shirts, and khaki uniforms. Evening drifted seaside: a square-cut top in black iris silk and satiny white trousers were Dusan’s idea of elegance boiled down to essentials.