The floaty chiffon dresses hemmed with delicate petal motifs worn by the Alberta Ferretti models weaving their way through the stuccoed Palazzo Donizetti were the perfect reflection of Lorenzo Serafini’s inspiration. “I decided to title my very first collection ‘Progressive Romantics.’ Instead of having a nostalgic approach to the DNA of the collection, instead of digging into the archives, I wanted to develop the message that Alberta Ferretti actually started many years ago. I mean, she was one of the first to have the courage to tell women to embrace their femininity, to not be afraid to show their feelings and not be afraid of being romantic. And she did it in a very specific period of time when she was surrounded by mostly men designers with overly sexy aesthetics,” said Serafini ahead of the show. He praised the designer, who in October named him her successor to lead her namesake brand and was in attendance at his debut, that “she was one of the first to actually suggest women they could also be more gentle, more discreet, and instead of being sexy, they can be sensual.”
Serafini succeeded in further developing Ferretti’s vision with his own aesthetics, which he honed for a decade at the Aeffe group’s Philosophy line and at Roberto Cavalli and Dolce & Gabbana before.
Cue the revisited smoking pantsuits, the capes and beautiful statement coats. Similarly, chiffon balloon underskirts worn under stretch knit skirts and deconstructed cashmere and wool raw-edge blazers and skirts in a chevron pattern looked fresh and sophisticated.
A sleek white column dress was embellished with a cascade of embroidered black jets that creating a floral motif, and soft plaques with a metallic sparkle added a modern touch to a series of chiffon dresses in a color palette that veered from rust to eggplant. Torchon details on silk gowns looked young and reflected parent company Aeffe’s craftsmanship. Ditto for long dresses with an architectural shape and feminine cutouts.
The silhouettes were fluid and the designer pursued lightness through deconstructed tailoring in double cashmere or georgette blazers and skirts, “so everything feels completely comfortable and sensual,” he said.
It was a convincing debut for Serafini, and the mood at the show, closed with a warm embrace and kisses between the designer and Alberta Ferretti, was promising and uplifting.
