It’s no secret that Italian society revolves around the concept of famiglia, a close-knit system of parental rules and regulations. The concept perfectly applies to the Marrases, a vast tribe of artistic personalities whose interaction produces an endless creative flow, punctuated by equally endless affectionate bickering. The Resort collection’s lookbook was shot by Efisio Rocco, Antonio and Patrizia Marras’s son and a budding fashion photographer (he cut his teeth chez Mario Sorrenti—talking about Italian tribes here), and the atmosphere on set was that of an exhilarating Italian commedia dell’arte of comic proportions. The family banter on every possible creative topic was relentless.
Antonio Marras was a storyteller way before the word became a mantra for exhausted fashion brands desperately trying to reposition, or a marketing tool for corporate CEOs concealing a lack of ideas or weak heritages. Resort’s title, “Scarlett O’Hara in the Sardinian Countryside,” could’ve been fit for an Italian B movie from the ’70s. “I just think she was the absolute best,” enthused the designer, referring to the headstrong, capricious heroine of Gone with the Wind. He translated the Southern flair of her dramatic dresses, made with thick velvet curtains and abundance of flounces and draping, into concoctions of embroidered brocade, silver lace, magenta macramé, ruffled pink and blue tulle, and bejeweled silk velvet. The array of fabrics and textures was head-spinning, fit for the trousseau of a Southern belle on her way to marry a Sardinian dignitary.
For the long and treacherous journey, Marras provided her with plenty of trenchcoats, eccentric enough in their askew tailoring, full skirts, and contrasting balloon sleeves. The luscious gardens of Twelve Oaks were printed postcard-style on opera coats with matching occasion dresses; crochet doilies were appliquéd on T-shirts for a DIY look that was mercurial, unconventional, and a bit bizarre. Yet a happy ending had to be around the corner, even for a brooding, rebellious spirit like Scarlett, in the form of a wedding. Marras concocted a full range of flimsy off-white wedding dresses, breezy and romantic, complete with huge straw hats and veils, fit for an irresistible, insufferable star.
