25th September 2019

MFW – Marni S/S2020: Act II

Francesco Risso's new Spring/summer collection for Marni builds on the goals he laid out in his previous men's collection earlier this year

The evolution of Marni continues under the watchful eye of recently installed creative director, Francesco Risso.  Since taking over from original founder Consuelo Castiglioni in 2017, Risso has steadily re-shaped the Marni aesthetic in his own image.  As if to punctuate that point, the new S/S2020 collection has been given the informal title, Act II, signifying the second stage of his shift to more sustainable production methods to match the growing seismic shift within the industry.  The first act started with the men’s collection he presented back in June and this collection followed up on that promise of making subsequent collections from organic, recycled and excess archived material.

That back-to-nature feel is also fully reflected in the aesthetic for the new collection.  Earthy colours and tones are brightened up swathes of colours that seem individually painted on the (literal) canvas jackets and dresses with confident brush strokes.

The leather pieces came came in solid colours like blue and green for the dresses and tops but for the leather jackets and coats those colours were reversed to provide a smart contrast lining to the painted floral motifs on the front.

One of the reoccurring details of the show were the unfinished edges seen on many of the pieces – to no doubt reflect the raw nature the collection is trying to take fashion back to.

This effect worked best on the deconstructed knitted jumpers that were torn in strategic places – up the arms, around the collars and up the torso –  to create fascinating and exciting new off-the-shoulder shapes that were worn with leather skirts in matching colours and long slits at the front revealing virgin white petticoats underneath.

Perhaps the highlights of the collection were the long ultra-wide mesh dresses incorporating large flower or vine motifs .  Worn over a solid colour ‘under-dress’ the effect was transformative.  A lime green under-dress turned a black mesh dress into outfit that wouldn’t be out of place at Rio Carnival, whereas a white under-dress turned the orange one into something far more serene and contemplative.  It was a collection that spent a lot of time contemplating the environment in one way or another and, given the shift in world-wide sentiment on the issue, it was a collection that hit all the right notes for a modern sustainable world.

 

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