Dimmed Glamour. Ferragamo AW24

February 26, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Now on his fourth collection for Ferragamo, Maximilian Davis‘ vision of the brand is coded with some distinct signifiers. Once again, Davis found inspiration in the brand’s founding decade, saying “the 1920s used clothing as a way to celebrate freedom. And that expression of freedom is something that resonates with me, my heritage, and with Ferragamo.” Visual references to the 1920s – raised hems, fluid fabrics, touches of fringe, relaxed cuts and dropped waists – reflected the “era of emancipation,” modernized with masculine cuts, utilitarian elements, and Lotta Volkova’s styling. As a result, this particular expression of freedom through clothing was one anchored in shape, with a strong focus on sleek eveningwear, drapery and structured tailoring. There were two lovely shimmering flapper dresses that appeared to be adorned with thick fish scale-style sequins, which were meticulously constructed from leather covered in a special metallic finish. Throughout, these hyperfeminine sensibilities – like sensual, sheer touches – were juxtaposed with masculine shoulders, thick knit jumpers and fisherman wader-style boots. Davis is intrigued by Old Hollywood, given Salvatore Ferragamo’s history with actresses; autumn-winter 2024 is a singular homage to ’20s icons like Joan Crawford and Greta Garbo.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Repetition. Gucci AW24

February 25, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

In the latest Gucci show, I literally saw three things, repeated in different, trendy-looking colours and subtle lenght differences: a peacoat in exaggerated, rounded shape; a long, masculine coat (eventually embellished with sequins); and a wool dress with lace inserts. Well, Sabato De Sarno has a thing for repetition, and we’ve experienced that already with his first menswear collection that was a mirror reflection of his debut womenswear. Will the autumn-winter 2024 variations on three wardrobe staples sell? Probably yes. But is it fashion that’s worthwhile of a more complex consideration, delivering any food for thought or sparking emotions? Not really.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Chic Commuter. Tod’s AW24

February 25, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

At Tod’s, a very promising debut by Matteo Tamburini. This is one of these Italian brands that struggle to find their path to ready-to-wear. Walter Chiapponi had some solid ideas, but it just didn’t click. Tamburini’s autumn-winter 2024 was an ambitious observation of Milan commuters’ style. His office-bound travelers were a runway fantasy, but there’s certainly something undeniably chic about how Milanese people dress day-to-day, and this Tod’s outing was a convincing reflection of that. The motifs that ran through this collection were the belts featuring gleaming hardware inspired by vintage Alfa Romeo grilles, and the house’s emblematic driving shoes that came with enlarged and more robust gommino traction on the soles. Some of these shoes arrived with extravagant leather fringing, a detail that was echoed further down the line in leather scarves. Just as the Tod’s shoes came with that finely-calibrated customization to take them beyond the norm, Tamburini applied strokes of subtle oddness – double-collared shirting, hyper-break pants, four layered wool and silk falling-off charcoal “twinsets,” pushed proportion leather-panel trenches, knits in stiff boiled cashmere – to almost every look. If you’re not still persuaded to step into a Tod’s store, then at least you might want to get inspired by some of these styling tips.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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No Hard Feelings. Tom Ford AW24

February 23, 2024February 22, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Peter Hawkings‘s sophomore collection for Tom Ford leaves you with a hard pressing question: what’s Tom Ford without Tom Ford? Unfortunately, the designer who used to work with the legend doesn’t reinterpret his legacy, but tries to mimic it, imitate it, in a very commercial, unreflective way. And that doesn’t work. The autumn-winter 2024 collection, presented in Milan, is bared of any emotions or feelings. What’s the point of all these proper, handsome peacoats and party dresses if there’s no charisma behind them? Some AI generator could do a far more creative piece of work. If Tom Ford, the brand, wants to thrive, it can’t move forward in such uninspired manner. Or else it will lag.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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intensità. Etro AW24

February 22, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

The first day of Milan Fashion Week was hard to watch: messy and silly-looking Diesel where the Y2k-mania starts to feel stale; Kim Jones’ Fendi that left you with no impression (a worst feeling a collection can give); lots of Prada knock-offs and a couple of emerging Italian designers that literally have no direction.

A light of hope was seen at Etro – metaphorically, as the venue was bathed in darkness. Marco De Vincenzo‘s vision for the Italian label is taking shape. Sometimes, designers really need time to find the right balance at a brand. The autumn-winter 2024 show had huge, slightly disquieting effigies of masks inspired by Greek tragedies placed in the middle of the runway. The collection was called Act. “It’s that in my role as Etro’s creative director, I feel torn between authorship and interpretation. It’s a constant struggle that sometimes takes an emotional toll, yet it’s deeply generative. The masks are a symbolic manifestation of this inner turmoil.” The co-ed collection had an almost somber undertone, as if De Vincenzo had tried to unearth a darker, unknown side of Etro, bringing the brand along on an unmapped journey of self-discovery. Colors were muted, progressing from sensuous earthy tones to the intriguing depths of pitch black – a first for Etro, a brand which is usually affiliated with chromatic exuberance. But De Vincenzo is keen to experiment, and he feels confident and mature enough to chart new paths. His penchant for quirk can be both disconcerting and surprisingly fresh. De Vincenzo’s take on the brand is also much more radical and unapologetic rather than romantic. Silhouettes were kept fluid and unstructured, yet draping and plays on asymmetries read as a bold statement, counterpointed by oversized tailoring that had presence and charisma. “I’ve felt the need to raise the bar,” said De Vincenzo. “I sense around me the desire for more intensity in fashion, for a creativity that doesn’t have to justify itself but can just be, that doesn’t seek perfection, but rather emotional expression.”