Harmont & Blaine strengthens in Middle East, debuts in India, US wholesale

Italian label Harmont & Blaine is expanding worldwide and is active on multiple fronts, according to CEO Daniele Ondeggia, who spoke to FashionNetwork.com at the presentation of the label’s Spring/Summer 2027 collection during Milan Fashion Week Men.

 
“We debuted on the Indian market with the Spring/Summer 2026 collection, after signing a deal with one of the country’s leading retail groups, the owner of department store chain The Collective. The operation was set to begin with the Fall/Winter 2026-27, but they liked our collection so much they decided to start a season earlier,” said Ondeggia. “India is a huge market with great potential; we’re currently present in four stores, and our plan is to reach 20 addresses in three years, between monobrand and multibrand retailers,” he added.
 
Harmont & Blaine is next set to première in US wholesale, aiming to establish a presence in department stores. “Again, we see a lot of potential, because the US is already our second-largest market in terms of online sales,” said Ondeggia. Finally, the label has also set its sights on boosting its position in the Middle East: “We already had a presence there, but now we believe we’ve found the right ‘travel mate’, one of the region’s top three players. We’ll start with them with Spring/Summer 2027, and we’ve settled on an expansion plan that will see us reach 40 monobrand stores in five years across the Middle East,” he added.
 

The label’s plans are ambitious, and are supported by a reorganisation strategy aimed at boosting the company’s efficiency, according to Ondeggia: “The market is realigning, so we’re rethinking our collection, our positioning, our retail and wholesale distribution, and the supply chain. For example, our near-shoring effort is well under way. Two thirds of our Spring/Summer 2027 collection is produced in the Mediterranean basin, giving us a competitive edge in time-to-market terms, and making us less dependent on market dynamics that are outside our control, like tariffs.”

Harmont & Blaine is also highly focused on e-commerce. It has invested heavily on its e-shop, wholly internalising direct e-tail management with a view to deploying a multi-channel strategy. “Direct online sales currently account for about 3-4% of total revenue. We want this channel to account for no less than 10% in three years. After a flat 2025, the first few months of 2026 were extremely promising, and we posted 35-40% growth rates,” said Ondeggia.
 
Collections-wise, Harmont & Blaine has invested to further augment product quality, putting the emphasis on craftsmanship, fabrics and materials, starting with the Artigianalità a colori (colourful craftsmanship) capsule collection for Spring/Summer 2027. The collection, 100% made in Italy, is another example of how the label collaborates with specialist workshops and local artisans. It is a curated reinterpretation of evergreen outerwear like the safari jacket, featured in lightweight wool and in a linen-silk blend, alongside fine knitwear and tailored trousers.

 
The ‘Low Tide’ range is characterised by breezy matchups in which a palette of brick-red, ochre, beige and taupe, brightened by green, lilac and blue accents, is used to fashion casual looks with 70s-inspired motifs. The fabrics include high-quality wool and silk, soft-shell stretch nylon, denim, and garment-dyed cavalry twill. Cotton and cashmere-cotton blends are used for knitwear, enriched with jacquard motifs, inlays and striped patterns, while the shirts feature a variety of fabrics, from micro geometric designs to colour-block panels.
 
In the ‘Rising Tide’ range, the palette veers to dense, saturated shades like red, yellow, pink and apple green. Its nautical vibe is defined by a pared-down aesthetic and sportswear feel. Striped fabrics come with different-sized bands and colours; certain items blend crêpe cotton and linen with performance fabrics; and monogram patterns alternate with appliqué and graphics inspired by the marine world. The range’s highlights include jeans with wave-like embroidery on the back pocket, and the Vietri polo shirt, redesigned for the Piazzetta concept, featuring collars embellished with assorted shirt-style striped fabrics.
 
Finally, linen takes centre-stage in the ‘High Tide’ range, interpreted in a bright, luminous palette that veers to lighter pastel shades, occasionally lit up by orange, purple and blue details. The t-shirts feature a 3D version of the label’s dachshund logo, beachwear comes with micro-patterns and marine prints inspired by the cyclical motion of waves, while trousers and shorts are made in lightweight parachute nylon and ultra-fine cotton.