Maybe it was the relaxed tossed, wavy grubby hair that incited a response, but there was a rebellious streak to the Marni Fall RTW 2014 collection. It was helped along by the quizzical drop waists, and decorative prints of winter wonderlands and metallic military regalia. Coats are big – trimmed with fur, and paired with the pragmatist’s clunky shoes – had a dignity rivaled only by a snappy suit from Saville Row. And it seems, against that chilly washed concrete backdrop, there were traces of industrial accents, clunky belts beyond neoprene and canvas, and charming silver-tipped loafers, all of which looked like borrowed pieces from a newly crowned queen’s closet. But only stuff she wears during her private off days at a ski lodge.
This time, the focus was on the materials: the manipulation of Dutch duck feathers, the thoughtful use of fur in strategic positions, the tightening of obi knots. The stimulating bold prints that are usual staples are noticeably present. Perhaps Castiglioni was letting her collection speak volumes with audacious pairings. It meant the collection was much more versatile, to be taken apart and applied with less restraint. One proposal: Castiglioni’s dreamscapes of winter offered a pause for quiet meditation, and takes us inward to a place of experiment. Expect solace in the least conspicuous spaces.
