MILAN, ITALY — To call it a green thumb would be putting it mildly. Filippo Cascinelli’s new Spring 2027 collection was a riot of flowers and a study of functionality. The designer drew on botanical laser-cut details and stitched them onto nylon fabrications, so those looks bloomed from their neutral essence to colour, ranging from one panel to another.
Cascinelli was interested, he said, in the durability of nature’s fine elements and their representation across fashion, hailing from Northern Italy (specifically, Trentino-Alto Adige, a region steeped in green pastures). As flowers layered on flowers, so pieces layered on pieces—a shift for this young label, which specifically focuses on outerwear.
“I’m presenting womenswear for the first time,” says Cascinelli. “In fact, we’re presenting women’s shirts, and it was great to conceive this idea in this place because I studied here,” he shares. “From the point of view of the setting, I wanted to recreate what my childhood memories once were, linked to the tenement we have in Trentino, and therefore to compose these romantic scenes that always match with the look, just a little more functional.” He provided plenty. Each look comprised several technical details, and the collection is increasingly layered.
Here, the pants were long and short, and the toppers featured new shoulder pads with different volumes. “This time round, we tried to play a little more with the material and colours, but obviously the flower remains the key element,” he says. On the key elements of this season’s lineup, he shares: “Well, certainly the development of the men’s shirt,” he reflects, adding, “so a super classic shirt with long sleeves, where I’ve put pearl buttons to play a little with this contrast between a classic shirt for men and a pearl button to give it a more romantic look.”
On the female iteration, Cascinelli has also embroidered contrasting lace ribbons on the necklines and on the wrists. Lace, above all, was what he wanted to bring forward as an element against the contrast on display.
The prettiness and sportiness together jarred in an appealing way, and the emphasis on separates epitomises a solid commercial opportunity. Both aspects were pleasing—and if anything, the presentation veered off into a good thing. There were quite a few great pieces to look at, each of which took on a frantic energy. A few more wouldn’t have hurt, but offering these refreshingly accessible wardrobe foundations marks him out as a fast-maturing talent.
by Chidozie Obasi