Perspectives on the quotidian, poise and ease led the charge. They conveyed substance, with a somehow ‘drowsy’ undertone.
FOR ALL the Italian points of reference appearing on the recent Tuscany inspiration board (Barbie, mysticism and reverse practicality), the corresponding collections presented in Lucca over its cultural weekend didn’t quite amount to an Italo-inflected pastiche. Instead, it seemed as if designers treated these style cues as raw ingredients, simmering, brewing and provincializing them so that its faithful gamines would feel right at home.
That was rather a shame, but an equally interesting touchpoint that got these young minds thinking about the future of fashion in the age of saturation. “It’s certainly a tough moment to be an independent business, but we somehow manage to plod through the downturns by creating feel-good pieces for our loyal clientele,” Francesco Corcione, founder and artistic director of Saman Loira told Glass.

Saman Loira
Like many of his peers, Corcione is preoccupied with the current state of our times, and found an appealing angle by conjuring craftsmanship with sweet, subversive escapism: amid this season’s quibbles lay a reassuring sense of optimism, which designers were able to convey through simple creations that leaned on fuss-free aestheticism.

Saman Loira
But moving onto dramatic and flamboyant territory, it was interesting to see Saman Loira’s iconic garments in the flesh, which unfold a tale of contrasts: from darkness to light, tactility to abstraction, garments incorporate a pleasing mix of handcrafts, meticulously crafted embroidery, inlays, applications and origami from sartorial techniques to upcycling processes. “You feel a soul as sharp as it is delicate with the gaze turned towards infinity, a chromatic scale from the darkness to the light, passing through the nude to the green meadow,” noted Corcione.
For the brand, the penchant for nature becomes manifested in the inspiration and choice of raw textiles, creating a surreal limbo where human and nature-driven instincts become the embodiment of the brand’s attention to craftsmanship and precision.

Maria Patrizia Marra

Maria Patrizia Marra
An element, that of precision, that’s heavily recurrent in Maria Patrizia Marra’s jewellery. “It’s a sentimental tribute to southern Italy,” she notes, which has a taste of conviviality and carefreeness that celebrates the Italian summer and its authentic lightness. Crafted in bronze, silver and polychrome enamels, Maria Patrizia Marra’s capsules express the desire to get lost in the paths that lead to the sea.

L’Eight Studio
A path worth exploring in L’Eight Studio’s lane, which looks to colour as its key hallmark: here, colour comes to life from the intertwining of threads, and the engravings on the jewels are inspired by auspicious tribal symbols. Jewels are composed of rigid bases in gold and silver-plated stainless steel, completely hand-embroidered.

Invaerso
Timelessness was a key mainstay: something that designers were constantly considering, just like the creative mind of Invaerso, the brand that brought forth a collection of rings that represents the synthesis between contemporaneity and timeless design. Stones and geometric lines embrace the ring with a simple and elegant gesture, with a shape that’s easy for those who decide to wear a design that goes beyond the constant pursuit of cyclical fashion.

Bottega Bernard SS25
Moving onto the functional-led ground, Bottega Bernard’s Spring 2025 outing echoed “a voice of one’s inner self flow, fully learning oneself and discovering the beauty of one’s individuality,” according to the notes.
Through tousled tailoring, which featured standouts such as lapeled jackets in neutral hues, backed by a slew of breezy fabrics which gave an interesting volume play, “breaking the silence is the statement at the base of the collection, likewise finding the courage to embrace emptiness,” the designer commented. Composed predominantly of black and white hues, tailoring stretches from denim to cotton lace, combined with a relaxed vein and clean lines, giving character and dynamism to the garments.

Rovi Lucca SS25
On a similar note, Rovi Lucca showcased its Spring 2025 outing in Lucca’s botanical garden, paying homage to the display cases that house botanical specimens within the garden. It was brilliant. “These colours and border techniques serve as the foundation of our collection, echoing the richness of nature,” said Italian designer Fabrizio Taliani and artistic director Bradley Seymour.
Drawing on the wonders of nature, the materials reflect this philosophy: showstoppers included Irish linens combined with British cotton twills, blended into a summer palette which introduces two new additions to the uniform-inspired apparel. Rounding the collection was the Rovi Lucca Garden Jacket, a hallmark of functionality complemented by shorts, pants and essential lines.

Rovi Lucca SS25
Amid the chaos, there was a kicky modishness to the whole, with the cute craftsy details, the whimsy and characterful jewellery, and the rigour that was present in the tailoring and lineups. And the city’s vibe was infectious: You could practically hear Puccini’s arias within its walls at night, in conjunction with an über cool bunch of zingy locals.
by Chidozie Obasi