Francesca Ruffini, the designer of F.R.S., is an avid reader and traveler--both highly compatible activities, since a good read could become the most exciting journey, at least within your imagination. “I dream of sailing around the world, seeing it from the sea,” she said. Being fond of books, she has amassed an impressive archive of 3,000 tomes, all safely stored in the basement of her Milanese flat (which, by the way, is just as impressive). A bounty of inspirations and references coming from that fabulous library was infused into her collection, an evolving lineup that seems to become more consistent every season.
For Spring, Ruffini was fascinated by antique Japanese gravures of landscapes, suffused with a sublime, melancholic elegance. “I adore Japan, its sense of discretion, its silence, the sense of calm refinement,” she said during the collection’s presentation, where Japanese prints were featured on silks, jacquards, moirés, and sumptuous brocades. The traditional kimono was the shape around which the pajama jackets were re-worked, elongated to become dusters, hostess’ dresses, and robe manteaux—all with the possibility of being worn 24/7 and mixed and matched to one’s choosing. Versatility is definitely one of this label’s key words: Pajama dressing is comfortable, practical yet elegant, and suited to different body types. But don’t be fooled. Even if it sounds quite democratic and modern, the look here was racy and sophisticated, with a dash of decadence.
Japan’s languid, delicate refinement wasn’t the only reference on Ruffini’s mind this season; she was also keen on exploring a more instinctive, magnetic side of things. The tropical jungle served as metaphor for intriguing mystery, beauty tinged with a frisson of danger. Flamboyant prints of lush emerald green foliage and red hibiscus flowers made a striking counterpoint to the serene, cerulean Japanese palette, giving chromatic variety to the lineup. Trousers came in different versions, from slim and cropped to fluid, extravagant palazzo pants. A light padding was added to a few pajama jackets, making them more substantial to enhance the all-season wearability factor. Ruffini is definitely fastidious about details (they’ve got to be exquisite), quality of fabrics (all rigorously made in Como), and vibrancy of prints and motifs (they’re all absolutely exclusive). Today her flat, where the presentation was held, was packed with editors and buyers; clearly, the fastidiousness is paying off.
