Francesco Risso’s Pre-Fall collection was his earliest outing as Marni’s creative director, presented quietly in January. On planet fashion, time flies at light speed, so insanely quickly you feel like you’re navigating a parallel warped universe. Since then we’ve seen two of his menswear collections and one women’s collection on the runway. Why, it feels like he’s already been there forever.
“I was thinking about mystery boxes,” explained Risso when asked about the inspiration behind that first collection. Talking to him is great fun; he’s generous with his insights. His synapses are definitely open. Risso likes found objects; designing is a process of discovery and surprise. “I imagined every outfit as being a warm cocoon that opens up to reveal a dense, intricate inside,” he said. Coats, capes, and parkas in vibrant colors were ample and comforting, but they exuded a deceptive calmness. Once opened, one was hit by a tornado extravaganza of prints and colors. Underneath were dresses with hanging hems; asymmetries and draping abounded, bows sprouted up in unexpected places, and polka dot foulards morphed into huge blankets. “I wanted to convey a sense of shock. A vertigo, a visual delirium,” laughed Risso. Well, he hit the mark; it looked quite brilliant.
Despite his carefully tended off-kilter sensibility, the designer has a bourgeois streak: If you’re Milanese you can detect it in a flash. It’s warped by a capricious urge that relishes rule-breaking—setting the visual bar higher in eccentric territory. The lavishly lined coats and suits that Risso concocted came with a pedigree, referencing the chic tailleurs that were worn in the ’50s and ’60s by the best-dressed ladies. Severe on the outside, perverse on the inside. Please come closer: You’ll want to take a look.
