Federico Cina's *Colors of Nothing Fall 2024

*Runway
FEDERICO CINA
Colors of Nothing / Fall 2024

written Monica de Luna

Federico Cina's Fall/Winter 24-25 collection, Colors of Nothing, brilliantly captures the dynamic interplay of innovation and tradition in the fashion world.

This profound narrative of change, acceptance, and the essence of being, resonates deeply with the themes of brutalist architecture and the minimalist philosophy of ornamentation. Cina's latest offering is a masterful expression of transformative vision, seamlessly blending contemporary ideas with timeless allure.

The collection, a harmonious amalgamation of inspirations ranging from Adolf Loos's functional simplicity to Bill Viola's transformative artistry, and Salvatore Settis's classical touch, is a testament to Cina's ability to weave diverse influences into a cohesive sartorial statement. The runway, transformed into a minimalist landscape, set the stage for a journey through the physical and emotional layers of change.

The models seemed to emerge from an intangible fog, their forms becoming more defined with each step, mirroring life's journey from uncertainty to clarity. Federico Cina's designs, characterized by their stark lines and vivid cuts, spoke volumes of a renewed geometric precision. The show was a narrative woven in fabric, a story of shedding the old to embrace the essential self. The rigid construction of jackets and coats symbolized the structural integrity of self-discovery, akin to the iron framework of a building standing tall against the winds of change.

The fabric choices further emphasized this theme of transformation. With compact weaves that held folds as if set in concrete, the collection echoed the brutalist appreciation for raw, unadorned surfaces. The color palette, a blend of stone, fog, and the occasional burst of color, was not just a visual choice but an emotional exploration, representing the winter of life cut through with the colors of growth and evolution.

A key highlight of the collection was the Tortellino bag, a piece that brilliantly symbolized the merging of tradition and modernity. This accessory, with its soft yet sculptural structure, epitomized the collection's theme of transformation, marrying the classic with the contemporary.

Federico Cina
FALL 2024 COLLECTION Runway

Federico Cina has not only presented a collection of garments but has invited us into a narrative of self-realization and acceptance. The Colors of Nothing collection stands as a bold statement on the beauty of change, the strength found in vulnerability, and the inevitable journey of growing and evolving.

all images
(c) Federico Cina, Fall 2024 Show

Giorgia Giannotta Interview - PITTI UOMO

*Interview
Giorgia Giannotta

interview + written Chidozie Obasi

“Tradition promotes the birth of art without any particular means: it comes naturally and can spring from nothing.”

Giorgia Giannotta

As Polimoda announces the “Best Collection of 2023” after its Summer show held during the last edition of PITTI UOMO, LE MILE caught up with the designer Giorgia Giannotta, to unpack all-things inspiration, craftsmanship and future hopes. Read away.

How do you think Italy has defined you as a designer?

What certainly marks out Italy is that you can do fashion here by identifying with a tradition. My grandfather was a tailor in southern Italy. He started learning the trade at 14, in a shop, and then moved North, where he opened his own tailor’s space, at home, eventually making clothes for famous people of the day. This is what Italy has rendered onto me. Tradition promotes the birth of art without any particular means, it comes naturally and can spring from nothing. In my own small way, I created my collection in a home measuring 15 square metres, and I feel great about it.

Where do you go for inspiration?

I always try to have not one but many sources of inspiration. What I try to do is integrate these inspirations to give me the tools to tell a three-dimensional and human story. So normally my inspirations aren’t tied to a particular place. I try to filter them through people, stories and events and then integrate them as organically and naturally as possible.

How do you construct your pieces?

I try to start by transferring the constructions perceived by my inspirations to the structure of the garments. At this point, I find a basic silhouette and from that I develop the real forms, changing them and producing as many variations as possible using sketches and collages. In any case, I always try to follow that special something I only realise I’ve found when I see it, often after many attempts and lots of work. I try to listen to both the garment and the concepts as they tell me which way to go.

There seems to be a lot of craftsmanship and engineering in your work. What are the techniques and processes that you use in your practice?

Manipulations are often a key aspect of my work and I tend to approach them as if they were an alchemical process whose purpose is to modulate the vibrations produced by the garments. I always experiment a lot, on both the fabrics and the material I apply to them, most of the time using the characteristic properties of organic substrates. In the case of leather, for example, I tried to exploit its reaction to heat and cold, combining the whole with different paints and in various stages. For a single manipulation, I once had to use everything from dry ice to boiling water and all kinds of synthetic and recycled materials. I’ve used plaster, paper torn and pressed onto felted wool, and much else besides.

Tell me about how you go from concept to finished product?

Because I have many sources of inspiration, I often have too many ideas, and having too many ideas means I’m then forced to discard a lot of them to be able to find the right way to connect what I’m doing to what I’m thinking about.

What’s next for you?

At the moment I’m really happy with the results I’ve had and hope that in the future too I’ll be able to enjoy my present. Maybe by working for a brand that’s seriously open to art.

A Valentino Fairy Tale Unfolding at the Château de Chantilly

*Haute Couture
Pierpaolo Piccioli Is About To Serve Haute Couture Magic in a French Castle

written Mark Ashkins

The fashion supernova that is Maison Valentino is preparing to shake up the Haute Couture universe once again. This time, the place to be isn't just any old runway - it's the storied Château de Chantilly, a French architectural goddess, 50 kilometers from the heart of Paris. Pierpaolo Piccioli, Valentino’s boundary-pushing creative director, is set to inject the age-old walls with a fresh pulse of Couture come July 5th, 2023, at 7:30 pm.

Bathed in the vibrant echoes of its decadent past, the Château de Chantilly is a time capsule, oozing with opulence and tales of regal splendor. Valentino's choosing this time-warped venue is pure genius – it's history meshed with haute, a mix as intoxicating as it is audacious. Who wouldn't want to see their latest Haute Couture collection spring to life in an ancient French palace adorned with Renaissance bling and royal canvases?

In true Valentino style, the fashion house is pushing boundaries and pulling down walls, figuratively speaking. The usually elusive world of Haute Couture will be brought to your screens, as the Fall/Winter 2023-24 show will be streamed live on Valentino.com and the brand’s social platforms. This is not just a runway show; it's a global invitation to witness Couture in its most mesmerizing form, right from the comfort of your own home.

Speculation and anticipation are rocketing sky-high, with fashion junkies and Valentino devotees waiting in high suspense for what Piccioli is about to unleash. The blend of Château de Chantilly's antiquated charm with Valentino's cutting-edge aesthetics is set to cause tremors across the fashion stratosphere.

Mark your calendars, set your alarms, and get ready to plug into an unforgettable Valentino spectacle. The stage is set for a historical collision of the past and the present, with Valentino at the steering wheel, driving us into the future of Haute Couture. Come July 5th, the Maison's magic spell will emanate from the heart of Château de Chantilly, casting a wide net of fascination on fashion lovers worldwide. Stay tuned for a Valentino-infused fashion fairy tale that's about to rewrite history.