Print’s Charming
In a beautifully eclectic collection, Marni’s Francesco Risso gets experimental with color and texture
It is no mean feat to take the helm at a label previously led by its founder. Yet since Francesco Risso was appointed creative director at Marni in October 2016, replacing Consuelo Castiglioni who launched the label in 1994, he’s succeeded in preserving the Italian house’s offbeat prints, modest silhouettes and intellectual vocabulary, while adding his own idiosyncratic and ultra-modern touch.
The Italian designer referenced Siamese twins in his fall/winter 2018 show notes, which transpired on the runway to be a play on sartorial duality. Throughout the collection, lustrous PVC was paired with super-soft cotton, while ‘unfinished’ raw cut threads dangled from otherwise precise silhouettes, as if Risso was deconstructing the past and experimenting with it to find his own Marni identity. Amid the newness, there was no shortage of the conceptual separates and vibrant colors that the Marni woman has come to know, love and rely on.
Contemporary, glossy textures punctuated the collection. A striking patent midi skirt with contrast stitching is the kind of subtle statement piece that will take you from day to night with ease. For extra style points, team it with animal print, FW18’s must-have pattern, which came in all styles from zebra stripes to snakeskin. By day, take your cues from Marni’s quirky-cool aesthetic and pair the look with architectural slingbacks and preppy ankle socks. Come evening, simply slip off the socks and add a pair of statement earrings. Marni’s sophisticated mini Trunk bag is the perfect finishing touch, and an ideal size to store all your essentials in.
The piece that turned every head on the front row was a patent coat in Yves Klein Blue with white contrast stitching. Emphasize its artistic feel by pairing it with the label’s sculptural slippers in a blush pink hue. It looks super-sleek with simple jeans and a white T-shirt, but if you’re feeling bold, shrug it on over a floral print dress. Remember – the Marni memo is always ‘more is more’.
Risso hasn’t strayed far from the explosive floral prints that are a hallmark of the brand, either. This season’s graphic ‘Deco Flower’ prints bloomed across dresses and blouses, lending a free-spirited mood to fall dressing and reminding us why the brand has become synonymous with women in the art world. Embrace the elegance of the label’s outsized silhouettes and wear the dress with elevated flatforms. Cut in Italy from fluid jersey, it’s the perfect power piece to give you a confidence boost for big meetings, while its versatility makes it ideal for Saturday nights and Sunday brunches, too. If you prefer separates, indulge in Marni’s love of prints and clash the poppy printed top with a snakeskin skirt.