Niccolò Pasqualetti pulled together his vast historical references to take the audience on a most unusual tour. “It’s a journey through history and inspirations. Everything has a double side that is recognizable from certain eras or icons, but they travel together as the opposites come together,” he said.
The collection melded his Florentine roots to textures with a futuristic bent, evident in the shapes and modern treatments.
Like a cloud, a white leather skirt was upturned at the oversize hem to reveal a silver lining; a foil-effect treatment he used on poufy, scrunched-up space blanket skirts that referenced the sculptor John Chamberlain. Elsewhere, skirts had subtle puckering at the back of cinched, embossed leather waists for added dimension, which jutted out at the hip and fell neatly back to create a slightly geometric volume.
A beaded vest fit as a harness that could be secured over the shoulder or at the waist, which meant models were wearing the beading as a macrame shield.
Tunic knitwear and sweaters with oversize sleeves felt comforting. Soft double-faced wool coats had an enveloping effect, with rounded shoulders and integrated scarves wrapping the neck, while he played with proportions in other outerwear with cap-sleeved coats over crisp white button downs.
Several looks had a gently cocooning shape, particularly on corduroy robes that came late in the lineup, with soft ruching at the front of the shoulder that gently rounded the shape and voluminous sleeves that recalled Venetian robes. He mostly stuck to a calming palette of grays and taupes, save the shiny silver dotted throughout the collection.
The designer is an LVMH Prize semifinalist for the second time running. He does shoes, too, and this season’s shape traced the foot in gentle almond flats.
A quilted black cape dress was modern and somehow sleek without bulk, both rigid and fluid. If these opposites travel together, pack a suitcase.
