Dreamy Francesco

January 6, 2016January 6, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

It’s not the first time when I admit that Italians do it better, in case cuisine, and their craftsmanship in fashion. Since Milan fashion week is getting better and better each season with exciting designers like Massimo Giorgetti, Alessandro Dell’AcQua, Stella Jean and Alesssandro Michele, the rivalry is strong – but Francesco Scognamiglio wins my heart with his spring-summer 2016 outing, which was all about dreamy, sheer dresses. The delicate lace details and ruffled sleeves of these flawless gowns are mesmerising. Magdalena Frackowiak, Aya Jones and Peyton Knight looked like angels wearing those sensual, white silhouettes… and if talking of Francesco, a big deal is coming up – during the upcoming haute couture week in Paris, the designer will present his first ever couture collection! So we can all expect an excessive dose of modern fairy-tale looks and one-of-a-kind pieces.

Monkeys at Prada

January 2, 2016January 2, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

2016 is the year, which according to Chinese lunar New Year belongs to monkeys. In Chinese zodiac, monkeys are characterised by their curiousity of the world and creative energy – so no wonder why designers make monkeys appear on the runways regularly. Back in 2011, the obsession about monkeys in fashion sparkled after Prada‘s colourful and bold spring-summer fashion show. Monkey motifs appeared on the architectural tops and pencil skirts, whilee the dresses with embroidered monkeys were hand-made in India. Moreover, Miuccia Prada went bananas that season, presenting the potassium-rich fruits on the frivolous mini-skirts and daddy-from-Hawaii shirts. Up to date, it’s one of my favourite collections coming from Miuccia, and now as it gained even bigger significance in 2016 – I adore it!

Cherish the Day. No21 Pre-Fall’16

December 23, 2015August 5, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

It’s again all about Alessandro Dell’AcQua – however, this time we are talking about the designer’s home-label, N21. After the festive pre-fall collection which he delivered at Rochas just a few days ago, the Italian designer took an interesting twist at N21, refreshing his house codes and bringing new motifs – like the kitty-kat prints and embroideries on knitted, chunky sweaters and mini-bags. Also, the current European weather, which is definitely not about a white Christmas, makes this collection look and feel perfect for the moment – long coats with strips of velvet, silk dresses in military hues, series of light, masculine shirts with lace sleeves and the flawless, parachute maxi dresses in red and green are the total highlights of the season. Also, the shearling jacket with delicate embroidery had a moment. Just like the bow-top, which is an exaggerated symbol of N21, the collection is full of toned, yet cheerful clothes. And surely, Alessandro and his studio have a reason to celebrate – 2016 will start with an opening the first European flagship store in the heart of Milan, and later on, the brand will set a launch of the childwear line. The optimistic attitude is visible in both, the pre-fall 2016 look-book and the designer’s Instagram feed!

Designers of 2015 – Stella Jean

December 12, 2015December 12, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Born in Rome and of Caribbean descent, Stella Jean’s aesthetic is a fusion of her Creole heritage and meticulous, Italian craftsmanship. As a designer who respects ethnical matters, Stella Jean should be praised not only for her breath-taking clothes, but for her idea of giving women and men around the world (from Burkina Faso to Kenya) a chance to do their craft in ethical and comfortable conditions!

AW15 – At the end of March, I went to Milan to preview Stella’s AW15 – the embroidery, the prints, the colour combinations looked impressive. And what’s interesting, thanks to mixing classical, Italian heritage with the Bollywood-inspired theme, the AW15 collection is absolutely avoiding the word “kitsch”. There’s nothing too excessive about this collection – basically, Stella delivered a set of wearable pieces decorated with mesmerizing embroideries and bold print matchings. These voluminous skirts look so great with the ethno-patterned knits and simple, checked shirts!

AW15 Men – For autumn-winter 2015, Stella focused on India and Nepal – warm colours, enchanting embroideries and oriental silhouettes appeared not only in her womenswear collection, but also in men’s. The boys look good in this lifey, printed splendour! The kaleidoscopic jackets, hand-stitched pea-coats and turquoise trousers rule. Also, this collection brings Wes Anderson’s emotional Darjeeling Limited mood to the men’s wardrobe.

Ave Cesaria by Stromae started to beat from the speakers. The ultra-modern venue of newly opened MUDEC Museum striked all of the guests. Just like the absolutely unexpected collection delivered by Stella Jean, the most bold and ethical-fashion thinking person in Milan. Stella Jean’s spring-summer 2016 collection marks the geographical and emotional map on which the main stages of Italian migrant identity are charted. And that’s not all. South America, North America, Africa and Europe are the destinations, that the Stella Jean woman reaches. As the show-note said, “the port of departure, so to speak, is Italy, represented by its sharp, sartorial qualities” – comfortable, wearable silhouettes were visible in over-sized pants and Euro-sleekness of polo shirts. Then, the journey continues, and Stella takes us to Brazil, full of raffia ruffles and Cariocan multi-coloured flounces. The imaginary “travel” itinerary is ready for the next place – the Andes, represented by artisanal and hand-painted motifs including pinatas, daily life of women wearing traditional bowler hats and striped tunics which reflected Andean style.

The ethnical beauty of the collection is contrasted by American varsity jackets and over-sized cowboy shirts, while trench coats and men’s formal striped shirts made a sign of London’s well-known Savile Row needle. However, it is worth to note that some of the fabrics were hand-made in Burkina Faso. Stella Jean and her SS16’s flowing dresses, boxy jackets and “amphora-like” skirts not only made a strong impression, but also felt very right for the current, migration conflict. The collection was like a melting-point of cultures, filled with beauty and creative freedom. Also, it proves that fashion can be politically important.

In a Pompeian Villa. Gucci Pre-Fall’16

December 10, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

The first Pre-Fall collection by Alessandro Michele dropped, and one thing is sure – the creative director of Gucci doesn’t follow the trends and continues to illustrate his vision. His woman for autumn is a aristocratic lady, who lives with her green parakeet in a renaissance Pompeian villa, filled with antique decor and impressive bisazza tiles. Artist and photographer Ari Marcopoulos captured the models wearing metallic leather pleated skirts, aloe hued plush jackets, heart embroidered Sylvie bags and beautiful pumps with red-mouth-detail straps. As usual in case of Michele’s collections for this luxurious Italian brand, every look has its own, romantic story and is ready for personal interpreatation. The hand-made patchwork on denim brought some 70s vibes, while the floor-sweeping tulle dress with hand-painted “tree of life” had me wonder about a September walk in the forest. As you see, the Gucci girl is keeping it true to her style, and that’s why Michele received his place on the list of the best designers of 2015, which you can see here!