The courtyard of the old palazzo where Iceberg staged its coed Spring show boasted a display of flamboyant, high-gloss-epoxy-painted vintage race cars. The expensive-looking fleet of Jaguars, Maseratis, Alfa Romeos, and Porsches were all part of the private vintage collection of the Gerani family, Iceberg’s owners. Their lifestyle of fast cars and motorbikes is typical of a certain area of the Italian Emilia-Romagna region, where the label’s factory is located and which is known as a popular center of racing competitions. Creative director James Long was clearly fascinated, and had the collection revolving around the rather testosterone-driven hot rods.
A parade of tough-looking would-be racers wearing zippered sporty jumpsuits or tracksuits in endless variations stormed the runway, cheered by a raucous posse of local rappers. The zippers often opened to reveal knitted glossy-color sweaters, where the Iceberg logo was slashed and reworked in a riot of reassembled fonts and graphics. The girls sported an equally fierce attitude, wearing sexy pleated skirts with lacquered logoed panels or leather race suits embroidered with sparkling sequins.
The show had an assertive vibe; James Long is doing well at Iceberg, revitalizing the label’s heritage with energetic irreverence and a clever understanding of the house’s codes. Yet the collection, though cohesive, would’ve benefited from a tighter, more compact edit; such a strong, fast and furious message would’ve been better served in a less diluted version.
