Twenties. Alberta Ferretti SS27

Roaring Twenties in 2026? Groundbreaking. But in the case of Lorenzo Serafini’s latest Alberta Ferretti collection, this really is a deal-breaker. His collection was just so sincerely beautiful. Léon Bakst and the Ballets Russes were obviously on the moodboard, but in Serafini’s hands, the references didn’t end up looking Yves Saint Laurent, but purely Ferretti: romantic, with a hint of wanderlust, and completely unpretentious.

The breeziness of the low-waist gowns, the simple elegance of languid kimonos. Serafini wanted each of the clothes to weigh less than 20 grams, so that on the body everything floated and fluttered. I also loved how some of the looks felt very Romeo Gigli, the Italian designer at his 1980s heyday who himself looked to the 1920s for inspiration. The tie-dyed shawls, pleated trousers and satin cummerbunds evoked that particularly sweet era of Italian fashion.

All collages by Edward Kanarecki.

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Dream, Dream. Alberta Ferretti AW25

Lorenzo Serafini‘s debut collection for Alberta Ferretti wasn’t the loudest, but certainly was persuasive. “It is the big dreams that make people big. Small ones are desires. One should not be afraid to be ‘exaggerated’… at least in dreams.” Serafini used this beautiful Franca Sozzani quote in the notes for a show that represented, for him, the actualization of a very big dream: his new role at the Milan-based brand founded in 1981. The Sozzani factor was thanks to the late great Vogue Italia’s friendship with Ferretti, and her inspirational status for Serafini. Alongside the founder, Sozzani acted as the spiritual muse for this collection. You could actually imagine these dreamy, billow-y gowns and oversized suits on the pages of Franca’s Vogue, maybe photographed by Sarah Moon or Paolo Roversi. Serafini also delivered some of the most fascinating evening numbers we’ve seen this season – especially the unobvious-looking draped dresses that had a little of Romeo Gigli in them.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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