Vitelli RTW Fall 2023
Mauro Simionato characterized fall as Vitelli’s first proper “white box” runway show and as a step forward, replacing the rave-y format of the past that featured a short show followed by a nightlong party.
The Simionato-led collective’s radical approach to fashion — hinged on the power of craft — was never pretentiously antiestablishment, but rather about charting one’s own course. Said the designer: “This collection is not a U-turn on our trajectory, it’s more about completing it. Evolving sometimes means taking a more conventional route, and I’m totally fine with that.”
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To be sure, compared to the run-down, suburban locations of the past, the tony apartment, a stone’s throw from Via Montenapolene, where guests were welcomed Sunday was a serious shift. So, too, were the clothes, hinged on easily recognizable wardrobe staples. In lieu of the bulbous artifacts and articulated silhouettes, here were blazer and pant combos, proper coats, handkerchief dresses, gorgeous sweaters and tops and even denim, a first for the brand.
Vitelli didn’t hold back on fabric manipulation, core to the brand’s crafty ethos. For one, denim was needle-punched for a tactile and fuzzy surface, often doubled with upcycled silk, and turned into straight-leg jeans paired with raw-hemmed elongated blazers and open-weave knits. Frescolana, a men’s suiting fabric, was treated the same way and turned into lightweight gauze-like handkerchief tops and sheaths. The Doomboh Mesh regenerative textile was plied into street-ready bomber jackets and cargo pants, anoraks and mountaineering backpacks, while asymmetric knit dresses and tunics, often shoulder-revealing, added a languid touch.
Like other Milan-based designers of his generation this week, Simionato said he cares little about being “on trend.” But he does want to ensure a future for Vitelli and his team of 12 and is seeking investors. “I want everything to remain as is, but with more structure,” he said. Fingers crossed.
Launch Gallery: Vitelli RTW Fall 2023
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