Krizia

K R I Z I A

H Y P E R - F E M I N I N I T Y . H Y P E R - M A S C U L I N I T Y . F R A G I L I T Y . B R U T A L I S M . A N T O N O I D ' A N N A D A Z Z L E S W I T H C O L L E C T I O N O F C O N T R A S T S .

Antonio D’Anna continued his passionate exploration of Krizia’s history for Fall/Winter 2022, creating a unique synthesis of tradition and modernity by adapting elements from the brand’s archives to current styles and techniques. Following up a spectacular Summer collection that emphasized deconstruction and ornamentation, D’Anna focused on pleats and the texture of raw materials in designing a graceful and diverse set of winter looks meant for versatile women.

As D’Anna explained the inspiration for the collection, a recurring reference point was ‘brutalism. ” D’Anna’s methodical design process seems to start from the details; thus it’s not surprising that this brutalist influence was most evident when one examined the garments’ ornamentations at close range. Uniquely textured bags were covered with an uneven multicolored pebble surface. Bold silver and black ear rings referenced both metal as a raw material and the steel wire brushes used to “finish” it before use. The color palette, dominated by tans and grays, invoked analogies to raw wood and concrete; meanwhile deconstructed components of substantively structured garments hinted at industrial processes.

In many ways this collection represents a sort of postmodern self-actualization for Krizia. Through intentionally designing components of precisely constructed garments to appear unfinished, D’Anna has found the ethos of imperfection beyond perfection. Picasso once said “Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist. ” D’Anna is better described as an architect but the point stands: the combination of traditional designs with an a destroyed aesthetic has allowed him to operate on his own plane of “avant-garde classicism. ”

This could only be achieved who someone who deeply understands and respects decades of adverse fashions. It’s the essence of Issey Miyake and Givenchy merged… in a way that doesn’t offend adherents of either’s philosophy. It transcends generations and tastes. And it’s unparalleled in the Italian fashion scene at the moment.

This paradigm is best encapsulated by the fact that those unfamiliar with D’Anna’s work would likely have failed to guess the “brutalism” inspiration. The collection is sleek and feminine almost in spite of itself, with rigid structure balancing delicate materials and seductive details softening masculine silhouettes. D’Anna explained how the oeuvre is a study in hyper-masculine and hypermasculine contrasts…transparent silk and soothing shades of pink and aquamarine are placed next to broadshouldered jackets and a fire engine red sweater. Often masculine and feminine are combined in a single look; take the traditional men’s tuxedo shirt presented in slinky transparent black tuile.

Metal fastenings were the common thread in Krizia’s last collection and they remained noticeable in this one (a double-looped black belt around a sea foam green dress and the zipper on an asymmetrical mohair garment were particularly memorable). However, it was pleats, and a thorough exploration of their modern variations, that truly anchored Fall/Winter 2022. D’Anna played with materials and techniques: double pleats bonded with wool highlighted a couple of coats while an irregularlypleated dress of Japanese polyester was a showpiece. The designer was at his best combining regular and irregular pleats in one garment; the result was controlled chaos that felt both raw and sophisticated.

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The photographer in me delighted in imagining photo shoot locations for this collection. The lookbook itself depicted relatively non-descript locations that effectively captured the collection’s unlikely marriage of grit and grace. Concrete and wood were omnipresent. Several photos seemed to pair an infinity pool with a cold and barren landscape. The Black Sea, and the sleek modern architecture that has recently revitalized its resorts, was instantly called to mind…the melancholic romance of winter in Odessa or Batumi matched the personality of the clothes and their presentation. Wide-legged pants were contrasted by pleated Gaultier-reminiscent “bras;” who says one can’t combine hardiness and fragility in a cold but beautiful setting?

A creative collection both adherent to Krizia’s DNA and unique within the overall F/W 2022 landscape, D’Anna’s latest collection is an incontrovertible triumph. Versatile and elegant, it will provide staples for a variety of scenes and settings this upcoming season.

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From Krizia F/W 2023 Lookbook