Emilio Pucci’s vacation essentials

The list of labels whose pieces you can instantly identify based on pattern and print alone is pretty short, and Emilio Pucci – with its signature swirling geometric patterns and warm Mediterranean colors – is at the top. Founded in 1947 (making it Italy’s oldest ready-to-wear fashion house), the label has long been synonymous with impeccable jet-set glamour. And it’s still a getaway essential for women who want to make an impact by the pool and on the beach, thanks to its pieces being both light – all the better for packing in your suitcase – and gloriously eye-catching. So it’s a no-brainer that the label has conjured the ultimate vacation capsule wardrobe for SS18.

“Funnily enough, the brand was born on the ski slopes,” says Laudomia Pucci, Image Director for the label and daughter of its founder. “However, the following year it was already feeling at home in Capri and developing a new, original sportswear look.” The island of Capri is intertwined with the label’s rich history, which is why pictures of Emilio Pucci spending summers there with his fashionable friends made it onto the moodboard for this season, alongside arresting, color-saturated photographs of Italy by Slim Aarons, and prints drawn from the labels archive depicting everything from beach huts to mermaids.

The collection is packed out with clothes that are both timeless and contemporary. Each of the prints, for example, is newly designed but with an irresistible vintage feel. These are ultra-versatile pieces that will take you from beach to bar, day to night, whatever your personal style. “The Pucci woman is confident and international; she enjoys travel and life, art and colors,” says Luadomia. “She’s also ageless – she can be very young or grown-up.” So, she’ll be packing the vibrantly printed silk shirt-dresses that she’ll wear to the market or to dinner, and the chic capri pants that she’ll pair with colorful embroidered blouses and kimono-sleeved shirts. And then there’s the fluid wide-leg pants, and the irresistibly elegant striped maxi dress – both perfect poolside attire and just the thing to slip over your kaleidoscopic bikini. “It’s Pucci-perfect!” says Laudomia. We couldn’t agree more.