Massimo Giorgetti is a natural-born optimist, which is refreshing in our jaded fashion world. Yet backstage today before the MSGM show, he was in a more upbeat mood than usual. “I feel excited and happy. I’ve been able to finally focus on my collection entirely, with no distractions,” he said, probably referring to the energy-consuming ups and downs he had recently been through (he left Pucci’s creative director position this past April). This sense of focused, fresh, almost raw energy was on display in Giorgetti’s Spring collection—definitely one of his best so far.
“I never give collections a title, but this time it felt right to do so,” he said. “It’s called Hue/Saturation. It’s the key you hit on Photoshop to manipulate tonal hues.” The title had the artsy vibe Giorgetti favors; he’s fond of contemporary art but is no cerebral designer—he just follows his feelings. Which this time brought him to an energetic celebration of color: saturated, intense, unfiltered. It was fashion chromotherapy at full speed.
Single-mindedness can go too far, but Giorgetti was able to strike the right note here, translating his current obsession for color (perhaps a by-product of all the hours spent delving into Pucci’s archives) into a well-edited, cool collection. Street style was given a crafty, human, less industrial feel—raw hems, gently distressed fabrics, tie-dyed imperfect finishes. Brash Pantone hues, carefully sourced and numbered, were smartly tempered by more subtle touches of beige, olive, and white; a couple of oversize trenchcoats in beige laquered cotton with contrasting colored belts and asymmetrical panels cascading on one side will be hits.
Frédéric Sanchez provided the show’s soundtrack and also played artist; his Instagram snaps of recording studios were turned into patches on the backs of outerwear jackets and trenchcoats. Osman Hassan, a young former boxer turned painter, whose dripping technique is achieved via relentlessly punching canvases with boxing gloves drenched in color, was enlisted to provide patterns, which were printed on denim pants and oversize trucker jackets and shirts. If it was somehow reminiscent of Sterling Ruby’s artistic collaboration with Raf Simons, Giorgetti gave it a fresh take. With this collection, he seemed to come into his own.
