Antonio Berardi recently opted out of the catwalk format, choosing instead to present his collections by appointment in a private space in Milan. It’s a smart way of taking direct control of every aspect of a label’s operations, from communication to distribution, which appeals to high-end designers with experience, a strong vision, and an independent mindset. In this choice, he’s definitely not alone: There are quite a few creatives in fashion today embracing a more personal way to relate to their audience.
Berardi was born in 1968 and, as with his Pre-Fall collection, he took that groundbreaking moment in time as a starting point. “It was tumultuous, a year which changed so many attitudes,” he said. “And where so many new ideas were born.” Indeed: the riots in Paris; a man orbiting the moon; the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy; the Black Power salute at the Olympics. “There are so many similarities to now,” Berardi said. We cannot argue with that; today’s reality is certainly as intense as those years were.
The end of the ’60s also marked a major shift in style—in a there’s-no-going-back move, high-fashion met the street for the first time. “The safari jacket, the jumpsuit,” Berardi continued. “Fashion then was geometrically precise, yet soft, romantic.” He wanted to capture that spirit of freedom and haute bohemia while treating sensuous fluidity to the exact, razor-sharp cutting technique at which he excels.
The collection, focused on eveningwear, had the designer indulging his penchant for dramatic style. He played with contrasting overblown volumes and feminine shapes, which were rendered sculptural and chiseled. Undulating, shapely frills and ruffles on a short shift dress exuded a theatrical flair, more couture-ish than whimsical; a flowing chiffon caftan printed in pink camouflage motifs had a built-in bejeweled bodice and jacket. Highlighting the inventive work on shapes and cut, a sinuous long dress in flame red silk cady had a balloon cape; and a figure-hugging number in bougainvillea pink paired with a matching sleeveless round-shaped cape-jacket had billowy slit sleeves. You could easily picture an Oscar-winning actress looking fabulous in it. Ditto a white silk cady column dress with a sexy bejeweled lace-up motif on one side, apparently inspired by the 1968 YSL safari jacket.
Strong personalities are naturally drawn to Berardi’s sensational creations, from Lady Gaga to Olivia Colman. That’s one reason why he has chosen to shoot the lookbook’s images on real women, whose characters resonates with his aesthetic. After having involved his editor friends and the Swedish artist and activist Arvida Bystrom, this season he had the collection modeled by Australian-born, Paris-based stylist Catherine Baba. “She looks more French than a Parisian,” he mused. Her personal look relates to a certain idea of glamour that this collection exuded. “Clothes definitely need to be interpreted by a strong personality and become part of someone else’s universe to be given life,“ he said. “Those clothes, they will have experiences all of their own.”
