Gabriele Colangelo was in the mood for some arty-crafty gimmick for fall since several pieces in the lineup would deceive even the most fashion-savvy eye.
Exhibit A: A lavender slipdress had a leather inset that was barely visible until closer inspection, and which formed a torchon wrapped around the neck as if it were a silk scarf. Along the same lines, mouliné silk and viscose were worked into ‘90s-nodding body-hugging knit pants and crop tops, while shearling-looking exaggerated collars on ivory white topcoats were in fact knitted alpaca.
The designer said he took cues from artist Piero Manzoni’s “Achrome” artworks, where canvas soaked in kaolin would wrinkle and reveal a rough and uneven surface.
Inspired by how the arty process from the early 20th century manipulated the fabric, Colangelo came up with plissé silk velvet slipdresses printed on the inside to reveal an appealing and evanescent watercolor-like motif on the outside. He also pleated silk on duster coats lined in leather with a decorative martingale also in braided leather.
In keeping with his play on soft- and hard-edged fashion, he topped boiled wool cabans and overcoats with maxi leather collars, and combined leather paillettes and sequins to decorate the front panels of frisky midi skirts and minidresses. Together with the sculptural chunky necklaces in braided leather and golden spheres, they were the real showstoppers.
