Marni RTW Spring 2022

In February 2020, he put himself in the shoes of the White Rabbit guiding Alice down the hole; a year later, he was a writer dedicating poems to his loved ones. This season, Francesco Risso, barefoot and wrapped in a yellow striped blanket and flared, striped pants, took the catwalk of his Marni runway show — which was billed as an experimental multidisciplinary performance — like a sort of guru leading a community of diverse individuals.

Marni invited all the guests of the event to attend a personal fitting a few days ahead of the show at the brand’s showroom to pick an outfit to wear Saturday night, when, except for a few editors and executives, the entire audience was dressed in upcycled garments hand-painted with stripes. Guests blended with some performers, seated in a circular arena made of recycled wood.

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Kicking off with a live chorus, the show opened with models in all-striped outfits, including sliced-up asymmetrical dresses, oversize blazers, deconstructed chunky sweaters and bandeau tops matched with flared pants.

Suddenly, another performer took the stage reading a poem. His knit pants decorated with naif daisies anticipated the theme of the collection’s second group. Daisies blossomed on an array of items, sometimes matched with the lineup’s signature stripes. The flowers, featuring a childlike vibe that is a defining feature of Risso’s aesthetic, came as fabric applications on cotton tank dresses and baggy shorts; popped up as intarsia on adorable retro leotards layered over striped catsuits with flared pants, and were crafted in leather and assembled to create exquisite frocks and sets. Biker jackets with graphic motifs and striped fluid dresses were also included in the lineup.

As a singer took the stage, the last group of models walked the catwalk in Risso’s interpretation of eveningwear. Fringed knitted dresses with intentionally unfinished touches were embroidered with maxi sparkling daisies, which also peppered the sensual cutout satin frocks and a fabulous black and white hand-painted silk gown.

Accessorizing the look, knitted shoes were enriched with trompe-l’oeil motifs reproducing the silhouettes and the details of classic footwear styles, from sneakers to loafers, while bags came splashed with allover daisy patterns, adding commercial appeal to the quirky collection.

Closing with all the performers gathered together at the center of the arena in a festive celebration, the show again revealed Risso’s desire to express his creativity in different ways beyond the normal runway show.

Launch Gallery: Marni RTW Spring 2022

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