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Marni S/S 2020

Art / Architecture / Design / Fashion

Marni

Spring/Summer 2020

Francesco Risso presented his Spring/Summer 2020 collection for Marni on the day of the People’s Climate March of 2019. But in a way, the show did more than overlap with this historical day of climate change protest. Rather, Risso participated in the fight for a healthy earth through Marni’s role in the fashion world. Risso’s models are not just modeling his lovely collection, but acting as peaceful protestors marching for the livelihood of a beautiful planet.

Posted April 20th, 2020 By Colby Mugrabi

This runway show was a love letter to Earth written by way of both material and aesthetics. Everything from set design to silhouette was done with sustainability keenly at the forefront of creativity. Seemingly inspired by the unparalleled beauty and color that exists naturally on the planet we call home, Risso’s runway was a modern art jungle. But the Marni SS 2020 runway set didn’t just talk-the-eco-talk. The jungle at hand was originally created of recycled material and repurposed from a prior set. Seats were made of recompressed cardboard. All the while, the collection’s soundtrack featured jungle drums and the sound of chirping birds.

With looks combining dresses, flip-flops, and oversized beach bags, the collection offers an abundance of the color, joy, and fun that we crave in the summer seasons. The whole collection takes an artful approach. Often this is done literally through the painterly patterns that appear on the silky textiles. But beyond the floral strokes of bold color, Risso included a collage-like quality to the garments. Aesthetically, the designer certainly seems to be winking at Matisse-esque inspiration. The result is playful, almost crafty, while maintaining the chic, high fashion luxury of the Marni brand.

Silhouettes were balloony dresses, flared layered skirts, and oversized collared jackets. Risso’s fabrics are worn tied with large knots. Skirts are worn like sarongs of raw, cut material. Midway through the show, Risso introduces dresses that featured nets, knits, and crocheted details. The clothes are sewn with raw (and rather imperfect) hemlines. Just as the strokes of paint are evident in the pattern, the garments appear as though you can see the makers hands in the fabric. Many of the cuts are unexpected and uneven, mimicacing, perhaps, the natural world.

To top off what was a wonderful collection regardless, sustainable practices were at the forefront of the Marni Spring Summer 2020 runway. Textiles from cotton to leather were made of upcycled and organic materials, making the collection both a participant in circular fashion as well as sustainable by way of quality. For Marni Spring Summer 2020, Francesco Risso introduces nature’s beauty to the artist's eye, presenting a coexistence that leaves the viewer inspired.