Emanuel Ungaro has a new creative lead after Fausto Puglisi’s exit earlier this year: Marco Colagrossi, formerly of Giorgio Armani and Dolce & Gabbana. His debut, Resort, looked to be on a more sophisticated track than his predecessor’s, while still remaining cognizant of Monsieur Ungaro’s tendencies for pomp and fanfare.
“It’s about happiness and positivity,” said Colagrossi. “I was thinking about giving a modern edge to a collection that is usually very ‘Madame,’ but I want to keep the ‘Madame,’ too.” He held up a pouf skirt with flower prints. It was fun and light, in fact made of the silk used to cut Ungaro’s foulards. He pointed out a white denim bolero with shoulder pads (ladies of the ’80s, check this one out). Yet, like he said, there were also contemporary editions. See a jade-flower deep-V dress, also vaporously light, with pleasing ruffles on its arcing hem; a standout pajama trench in candy stripes of pink and white; and a blood red sheer caftan with puffed sleeves thanks to insets of tulle. “It could be Paris, it could be Doha,” said Colagrossi. That broadness will serve him well: He thought of a lot of different girls and women in a lot of different places, even adding a sharply tailored all-black suit “for New York.” It was scattershot at times, but Resort collections need the legs to last and to sell. He says his first runway show in September will be much different. We’ll see. As for his premiere: While Paris is being crushed by a heatwave, Colagrossi is just warming up.
