A glossy, superfast race car isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of MSGM; what Massimo Giorgetti extracted as inspiration from the competitive world of Formula One superstar pilots wasn’t the aggressive glamour of their lifestyle, but rather the concept of speed. Just to make the message clear, the show’s invitation was a Niki Lauda–style sporty cap emblazoned with the word turbo, reinforced by the slogan “If everything is under control, it means that you’re not going fast enough.”
Was it an ode to the breakneck speed at which today’s world is crazily spinning? “Not really,” said Giorgetti. “I intended it more as a provocation. The world is definitely going way too fast.” To bring home his point, he quoted the lyrics of Italian progressive post-punk bands Confusional Quartet and Kina, which provided the show’s soundtrack and were quite telling of the designer’s mindset: “These years are running/ Like crazy cars/ You hear them coming/ You turn and they’re gone.”
The years are surely running fast, and MSGM seems to be expanding at a quick pace, as reflected by the collection’s confident, bolder attitude. The sporty racing theme was in evidence in the eco-leather side-striped pants, and the allover flame prints in fire-engine red on no-nonsense poplin shirts and matching straight pants. Oversize knitted jumpers were emblazoned with slogans like “More Speed” or “Run Away,” highlighting an ambivalent attitude towards the idea of velocity. Running, but where and in which direction?
One target the label is moving towards is a more elevated attitude, which was perceivable in today’s lineup. Sporty pieces in eco-leather, such as bright-colored parkas and trucker jackets embossed with Milan’s Duomo skyline, had an upscale, almost luxe feel. Yet for street-native labels the elephant in the room today is tailoring being back in favor, including for younger customers. Giorgetti is a designer with his finger on the pulse, so he was quick to address this trend, offering a series of well cut boxy city coats and suits in classic tones of gray and beige. Worn under humongous padded eco-leather bombers or huge zebra-printed fleece sweats, they looked like if they were running in the right direction.
