At the beginning of 2022, a group of astronomers discovered a new celestial body whose existence had been predicted by mathematical modelling but never previously observed. The rather extraordinary event made Massimo Giorgetti’s imagination spin, triggering an emotional response and a flurry of ideas.
“During the pandemic in the last two years, I’ve often looked at the sky and at the stars,” said Massimo Giorgetti backstage before MSGM Fall show. “It was often a soothing moment, as if I were looking for a wider space of hope somewhere far from the familiar, escaping from a reality of difficulties and stress.” Unfortunately, we aren’t done yet with difficult times, as the situation in Ukraine makes clear. The collection was designed by Giorgetti months ago, with the idea of escape in mind. The events of the last week call for an adjustment of perspective. “Now it isn’t only about escapism. Rather, it’s about a desire to get away from everything terrible that’s happening, creating a mental space where a better world is possible,” he said.
For true creatives, ideas and inspirations quickly transform into obsessions. That’s what happened with the image of the newly discovered celestial body, which Giorgetti became intoxicated by. His collection was a single-minded ode to everything starry, luminous, translucent, dazzling, and reflective. Constellations, galaxies, comets, sidereal spaces and planets were part of the picture, translated into prints, cut-outs, intarsia, jacquards, and sequined embroideries.
But the collection’s mood wasn’t all shine and glitter. Moody and dark, nocturnal and minimal by MSGM standards, it was tied by an undercurrent of sensuality, more grown-up and elevated than the label’s typical youthful cheerfulness. Tailoring was prominent and well executed, signaling a step up and an elevated detour from the usual street-inflected bold attitude. A standout was a black, wide-legged evening pantsuit with a loose-fitted sartorial blazer studded with a diamanté Milky Way, as well as a traditional masculine daywear option in grey fresco di lana, delicately embroidered with shooting stars in tiny crystals. MSGM’s vitamin-like, acidic palette was also ditched in favor of black, and of a subtler chromatic register of amethyst, quartz and zinc yellow.
The show, held in MSGM’s new headquarters, was kept small and intimate, with only a hundred guests. “I didn’t want to make any big statement this season,” said Giorgetti, reflecting on the present situation. “Fashion must go on, because it must. But the time for action will surely come soon enough.”
