Piazza Sempione staged a presentation today that marked an official return to the Milan fashion week calendar. After some financial turmoil, the label was acquired by the Sinv group last year. Piazza Sempione was founded in 1991 by a family of well-off Italian entrepreneurs, and the house's style was archetypal Milanese—understated and focused on cut and quality; subdued yet tastefully colorful; masculine and practical with a feminine, creative edge. The family had a serious art collection and a bond with the artistic milieu of the time, with well-regarded photographers and conceptual artists producing imaginative advertising campaigns, staging performances and events. Hopefully, Piazza Sempione's link with the visual arts will be the fil rouge that brings back its luster and identity in the hands of a new owner.
Today's presentation was held at Palazzo Ponti, an aristocratic residence in the center of Milan. The backdrop was Rotation of Dancer and Parrots, a painting full of kinetic energy, made by the Italian futurist Fortunato Depero in 1917 while working for Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. Piazza Sempione's capsule collection was showcased in miniature theater vignettes. A pattern translated from the painting was transposed onto cotton canvas via a kind of pigment overprinting in black and white; dense embroideries and shiny embellishments with a 3-D effect were added to the prints, making for a strong visual statement. Shapes were simple and basic, with a geometric rigor; volumes were clean-cut and sharp. Elongated, sleeveless, masculine shirts in crisp poplin and boxy tops in thick canvas were paired with slim Capri pants or knife-pleated skirts. The presentation raised the bar for Piazza Sempione: To maintain the standard and navigate the treacherous waters of the art-fashion relationship will prove an interesting challenge in the future.
