Missoni celebrated 65 years of fashion this season. A truly impressive anniversary from the house that brought us the renowned zig-zag style. To mark the occasion, they invited the fashion pack to a monumental convention centre, where little café tables sat salon-style in groups along the runway. Candles on each table, a skyline across the horizon, a balmy night, made it all very romantic.
As if things couldn’t get any more picturesque, the Missoni family had sourced Michael Nyman, the famed composer and musician of The Piano, to play live as the models walked. One might have expected a retrospective of Missoni, as Mary Katrantzou showed earlier in the season, a tour down memory lane of all that Missoni has carved out in fashion over the decades. Instead, what followed was a reminder that Missoni should be known for a lot more than the ‘Fiammato’ pattern. In fact, this was the season for research and innovation; none of the company’s extensive archive material had been used here.
S/S 19 was overall much lighter than usual, in colour, texture and mood: light, gossamer textures were layered and built on each look, cardigan and shawls were slung over the shoulder on one look, and worn as expected on another. Kimono coats with block patterns of orange and sage were belted to accentuate the waist, and appeared in a variation on both men and women. This collection felt effortlessly buildable - every item appeared as if it could be mixed and matched, wrapped or tied. For example, shawls were tied around denim jackets, on the neck or around the head. The muted colour tones gave an earthen feeling to the collection, as too did the landscape embroidery on Cuban style shirt, while long cardigans, soft fringing and fluffy sandals, all caught the light breeze and gave a soothing rhythmic flow to the show.
It’s quite amazing the impact that music has on the atmosphere. As the models walked in pastel tones, and delicate frayed hems and sleeves, the piano tinkled overhead. Such an enchanting sound transported one to a movie scene and it was as though each of these models were nomads, as if we were watching a movie montage of the returning explorers. Glossy opalescent shells - perhaps a found trinket from their travels - hung from the ear, and caught the light. Smears of sky blue on the eyelids added to the pacifying aesthetic. This show was dream-like but still rooted in reality with its wearability - a satisfying anniversary celebration.
