It’s been five years since Fausto Puglisi emerged on the Milan scene with his raised-on-Versace sense of embellishment and opulence. The milestone became a sort of reckoning point for him. “Why do people call me?” “What shapes do people like?” “What sells the best?” He said these were the thoughts that animated his new Fall collection. He showed it in a presentation format, with outfits on mannequins and inspirational materials like books, DVDs, and his must-have Coke Zeroes arranged on wooden plinths. The setup suited the effusive Puglisi; his passion is animating. He also said it freed him up from a theme, which can be constricting. That’s an observation we’ve overheard elsewhere this season. Will fashion look different in a post-runway world? Probably.
In the here and now, this was a survey of Puglisi’s greatest hits: the A-line lampshade skirt, the cocoon coat, gladiator dresses, moto jackets—all given the ancient Greek and Roman treatment. As anniversary collections tend to do, this one had Puglisi thinking about his origin story and his obsessions. It was typically bold and graphic, with no shortage of the intarsia patchworking, metallic and crystal embellishments, and strong prints he favors.
At a glance, the panoply of black-and-white pattern here seemed to suggest Puglisi had quickly shelved the softer lace and linen experiments of his last collection. Wrong. There were relaxed, long linen dresses, and they were among the most tempting pieces in the offering. In an industry led by large corporations, it’s not easy for independents to make it, but Puglisi has learned that slow and steady wins the race.
