Today’s emojis are somewhat akin to the masks of ancient Greek theater, which Marco de Vincenzo blew up to the size of refrigerators and propped in a row down the middle of Etro’s fall runway.
To hear the Italian designer ruminate on how conflicted he feels about interpreting a heritage brand and balancing that with his own handwriting, you think of that smiley emoji with the bead of sweat on its forehead.
He titled his show “Act” to convey that in the theater of fashion, he strives to be himself in addition to being the designer of Etro, “so the masks are a symbol of how I feel — a symbol of interpretation.”
Nearly two years into his tenure, de Vincenzo can stop sweating because he seems to have found his groove. While honoring the brand’s rich textile legacy and its bohemian flair by blowing up the scale of prints and layering up a storm, he tamed all that exuberance with oversized tailoring, even daring to show some black coats and jackets.
The models conveyed a jaunty attitude in their swashbuckling boots, stray hairs plastered on their foreheads as they marched past the mega masks, dyed in the same spice shades as the collection.
De Vincenzo indulged his love of textile experimentation by stamping paisley motifs in gold foil on mannish tailoring, and shredding chiffon into dense ruffles that resembled feather boas trimming wispy gowns and sheer pants.
Quirky knitwear was a running theme on day one of Milan Fashion Week, and Etro had scarf-like protrusions spilling off overcoats, sweater sleeves, and an offbeat pencil skirt with a partial bodice attached.
The clothes became darker and more sober as the show progressed, with the exuberant prints worked onto bodysuits and leggings — a collaboration with Austrian hosiery brand Wolford. De Vincenzo seemed to be saying that you can wear Etro loud and proud at the front of the stage, or let its exotic prints be part of the backdrop.
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