Referential design is nothing new. It is a standard practice among brands today to create garments that balance nostalgic appeal with contemporary freshness. Too often, however, the reference is merely performative – a superficial exercise in aesthetic nostalgia that falls short of capturing what made the original garments so compelling in the first place.

With Fortela, the Milanese brand founded by Alessandro Squarzi – one of the most photographed figures in modern menswear street style – referencing the past is far more fundamental. It lies at the very heart of the brand’s ethos and is given the utmost respect. This is largely informed by Squarzi’s extraordinary personal archive of vintage clothing, amassed over 40 years, which is arguably one of the most impressive in Europe, if not the world – and we gained exclusive access to it to coincide with the brand’s arrival at MR PORTER.

Fortela is, in many ways, a product of Squarzi’s life: an expression of his enduring passions for denim, military clothing and workwear. But rather than simply reproducing garments from his archive based on their visual appearance, he approaches them with an almost forensic attention to detail. Every element is studied – from the cut and construction to the fabric, hardware and finishing – before being painstakingly reinterpreted.

Crucially, Fortela works with fabric mills, hardware suppliers and manufacturers either in Italy or Japan, and nowhere else, who can preserve the techniques and machinery used to produce these garments decades ago. The result is clothing that does more than just look vintage. It retains something of the character, authenticity and functionality of the originals, while being made for the way we dress today. And in time, it will appear vintage with the same qualities and characteristic traits that Squarzi is so drawn to.

As we transition into autumn, there are many items from the collection worth considering, starting with down gilets. Perfect for days when you don’t really know what way the weather will turn, the vests are inspired by the legacy brand Eddie Bauer, which, for collectors of vintage pieces, is one of the holy grails of down-filled outerwear. Offered in navy, Fortela’s version features the same quilted design, zippers and density of down as the originals. Similarly, the deck jacket – which we’re confidently predicting will be a key trending garment for AW26 – is also made with the same cotton canvas and in the same shape as the originals.

Denim is Squarzi’s main passion. No surprise, then, that Fortela’s denim is entirely produced in Japan and is guaranteed to age like those great American-made jeans of the past. Offered in four different cuts and washes, these jeans are designed to be worn, beaten up and cherished – the ageing process only makes them more appealing.

For Fortela’s first season at MR PORTER, the collection offers some of the greatest menswear hits that made Alessandro Squarzi one of the leading authorities on 20th-century fashion.