Armani, Ferré , Gucci, Pucci, Valentino, Versace (to name but a few): Italian designers have long been at the centre of the fashion map.
Yet while these iconic names remain arbiters of taste for an international style-seeking clientele, Italian fashion also has an eye on the future. A new wave of designers – reared on Italy’s extraordinary heritage of art and design - is determined to showcase the best of the country’s contemporary creativity and flair.
“The Italians are masters of craftsmanship,” says Ali Chisholm, contemporary and denim buyer at prestigious department store chain, Harvey Nichols. “Through programmes like the Prada Foundation and Armani Foundation, we are seeing a real investment in the next generations of designers coming out of Italy.”
Support for new talent – mentoring, training, funding and publicity - from some of the most revered design houses allows the stars of tomorrow to make their mark, she adds, citing the examples of Alessandro Michele, creative director at Gucci, and Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli at Valentino.
In many cases, young designers go on to establish their own labels – a trend which Chisholm says, “has really rejuvenated Italian fashion and made it relevant again”.
Stella Jean, a Rome-based designer of Italian-Haitian heritage, has been considered one of Italy’s most exciting names since winning a Vogue Italia competition in 2011 with her arresting mix of classic Italian tailoring with traditional African prints and bold colour. Two years later, Giorgio Armani personally selected her spring/summer 2014 collection for a Milan fashion week presentation – an unprecedented endorsement of new talent.
Another Armani pick, Au Jour Le Jour – designed by Diego Marquez and Mirko Fontana – has gone on to make similar waves with its mix of cartoonish prints, timeless design and luxurious materials.
The influence of Italian fashion history, says Chisholm, remains fundamental to its regeneration. “It is led by the Gucci powerhouse that is dominating the market right now. This definitely impacts contemporary designers and you see the influence filtering down in the most recent shows for the autumn/winter 2016 collections.”
Contemporary Italian brands currently stocked by Harvey Nichols include MSGM, Vivetta, No. 21 and Mr & Mrs Italy. “They offer vibrant, fun and experimental design and have been huge success stories for us,” says Chisholm.
When buying into Italian fashion, she explains, she looks for brands which will add energy to the store’s contemporary offer and appeal to a wide range of customers. “That means we can be more playful with the buy, take risks when buying into their collections. It is important to offer our customers a good mix and encourage them to be daring in their style choices.”
Customers demand the highest quality as well as exemplary design, she says, and Italian fashion’s reputation for this is strong. “Our customer is looking for items that have standout design features.”
Vivetta, created by Vivetta Ponti in 2009 (after a period with Roberto Cavalli), fuses the unexpected with clean lines. A distinctive hand and face motif runs through the collections. “The intricate detailed embroidered finishes showcase the design quality our customers look for when buying into our Italian brands,” says Chisholm.
At MSGM meanwhile, Massimo Giorgetti, another of the designers shaping Italy’s fashion future, has met with widespread international appreciation. Spotted early by both Vogue Italia and the prestigious menswear showcase, Pitti Uomo, Giorgetti has spoken about the advantages and obstacles facing Italian designers. “Launching a new line in Italy is easier in terms of production, especially thanks to the know-how that distinguishes us. It’s much more difficult, however, to establish it. Countries such as France and the UK are much more used to supporting young talents.”
The situation though is changing, with investment in the stars of tomorrow paying real dividends. “Across the board, Italian brands are having a moment,” confirms Chisholm. “There is a really strong and fashion-forward aesthetic coming through from the contemporary brands.”
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