Marni designer Francesco Risso’s battle cry for a more sustainable ethos couldn’t be more different from what other designers are doing or saying (or not doing and not saying) about the issue. He does it his own way, speaking the oracular lingua franca of the visionaries, through a narrative vortex layered with trippy hyperboles and genial metaphors, challenging you to find a method in all the apparent madness. Which, by the way, there is.
Starting from facts, he gathered today’s show guests in the industrial Marni headquarters, and had them stand on a floor dotted with giant red and yellow polka dots. A humongous fishnet was hovering about their heads, full of plastic debris collected from the oceans and from waste. The visuals hinted at a clear message. Called Act1, the Spring show was a conscious approach to engage in a deeper conversation on ethical values and a sustainable fashion practice: “We are here today to confirm our position in the world and to move towards action,” said Risso. “Let’s be vocal about our beliefs.“
Backstage before the show, the designer, sporting a white shirt with a hairy Bugs Bunny’s head patched on its back, was in cheerful mode: “Welcome to the wedding!” he exclaimed, starting his narration, which went as follows:
“We’re here, standing under the brutality of this Plastic of Damocles, to celebrate the marriage officiated by MCMagma, a shamanic non-entity which is the spirit of transformation, between Truman Capote and Ernesto Che Guevara. One day, Truman decided to leave his Swans and his life of lost beauty to free himself, joining Guevara in the rebel radicalism of the jungle guerrilla. The dress code is camouflage meets carnival, the marriage being between inventive rebels and ‘50s control freaks, all looking for the Noah’s Ark in a completely corrupted fauve nature. Our nature. So there is rebellion, bur it’s a beautiful rebellion and beauty is also rebellious.”
And Marni’s lanky rebels did indeed look beautiful, like endangered eco-parakeets sporting a fabulous plumage of crazily stunning ritual totem-hats, made by artist Shalva Nikvashvili out of discarded anything: paper, feathers, plastic, fur, leather. Pinned on the lapels of slim tailored suits or knitted scarves were objects of beauty, like silver brooches made by Japanese artist Kazuma Nagai, depicting mutating animals, dancing crocodiles, or the extinct flightless dodo bird wearing a gas mask “ready for the emergency, as we all are,” explained Risso.
The marriage between Truman and Che actually produced some pretty smart clothes. The graphic formality of tailored suits alternated with safari suits splashed with fauve brushstrokes, and cashmere and alpacas were mixed with plastic and brocades in hybridized suits in a vivid color palette. It all blended into a rather elegant, controlled chaos with an artistic vintage flair.
Having witnessed Act1, we’re eagerly waiting for Marni ActTwo, when artist Judith Hopf will forge a new artwork regenerating all the plastic collected and displayed at today’s show. Today’s show raised expectations: One hopes that statements will be followed by consistent, honest, and incisive actions by the label, bringing about true and meaningful changes. Risso definitely has the creative stamina to put his poetic, powerful vision to good use.
