Aelis designer Sofia Crociani kept things fresh for the latest couture collection for the Italian house, hosting a presentation in the garden of a tucked-away hotel particulier, which felt a world away from the hustle and bustle of this season’s relentless traffic.
Crociani presented her collection amid birdsong, to emphasize the house’s codes of being committed to protecting nature. Gowns were draped and pleated in the featherlight tulle that has become a house signature. This season she added high-necked, long-sleeved tops and structure with hemp-lined skirts for more heft and coverage than her airy creations usually carry.
The inspiration came from the rediscovery of an old jewelry box full of childhood dolls, and she wanted to mix styles and add color in an insouciant way. “I wanted to play and find that freedom of childhood, when you just mix up a lot of different things, but in a sincere way,” she said.
There were still plenty of her traditional rock-‘n’-roll touches with an embellished denim jacket and some hard-edged jewelry, sourced from found crystals and rose quartz, cascading down low-cut fronts or embroidered directly into necklines. One standout was an asymmetric caftan in quadruple layers of silk with the quartz worked into its single strap.
She also experimented by introducing outerwear, including a militaristic cropped number and a pink puffer filled with recycled cashmere, which felt as fluffy as a cloud. Crociani is maintaining her delicate balance.
