What a location! Set on the top floor of the Pirelli Tower in central Milan, Sunnei’s first co-ed show was a reflection and celebration of Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo’s nineties youth. The imposing architecture in which we sat is a landmark the duo walk past every day coming home from work. It was a sweet 360-degree moment for the brand to show the first womenswear collection in a building that has witnessed the designers’ journey over the years.
Some might have read the doodled press release and thought, nineties? Haven’t we had enough of this moment? Wasn’t the return of the Buffalo shoe the last straw? Fret not, Sunnei revived and refreshed the reference with their personal touches and the mix of past and present.
The womenswear platform sandals and clogs, which were an absolute delight, harked of an Onex shoe or Steve Madden from times gone by. Wide leg trouser and baggy jean also issued a pang of nostalgia. Both were updated with the now signature Sunnei stripe in shades of cobalt, baby blue and neon yellow to great success. The stripes, whooshing past to the sound of iconic nineties house, transported one to both the fresh sea-air of the Mediterranean and the strobing lights of a basement club.
Still young in its roots, Sunnei is known for a sporty, casual aesthetic, but beige double pocketed skirts, duck egg kick-flared suiting and cinched neon apricot blazer was a developed progression for the house. These sophisticated additions alongside poppered pants and drawstring trainer gave a duality to the collection that simply shone. One of Sunnei's core values is that their designs are all made in Italy; an element of tradition that anchors these two stirrers of the system.
Sunnei’s S/S 19 collection added fun, light, life and joy into the quite stiff schedule of Milan. Sure, there are whiffs of Marni and Prada about these colour palettes and patterns, but this duo provides a truly exciting, new and refreshing element to Milanese fashion. Watch this space!
