Vibrant ghosts of demure housewives strolled the Rochas Spring 2014 Ready to Wear runway. Five year veteran of the house, Marco Zanini, blew airy freshness into what has become his signature ladylike look. Grounded in that retro vibe, Zanini leveraged his delightful technicality with never-seen-before fabric creation: jacquard velvet bonded to duchesse satin and thermo-sealed with Swarovski crystals. A name that long should not yield a textile so divine, but it does.
The palette was reflective. Pale, yet vibrant, the range started with white and citrine contrasting on a jacquard, then moved through gentle blues and pinks. Even chartreuse, often garish, simply supported the glittering crystal strands on nearly every look.
Zanini’s rumored move to lead the Schiaparelli revival may be on point. His designs hearken to an earlier age, but stay ahead of our own time when they leap to new heights with their play on proportion. His sense of humor, evident in feathered slippers reminiscent of the lowly fuzzy slipper, aligns well with the envelope-pushing history of the legendary house. Diego Della Valle, chairman of Tod’s Group (which acquired Schiaparelli in 2006 with plans to relaunch this year), has already shown his design and market savvy by appointing Alessandra Facchinetti to follow Derek Lam at Tod’s. Perhaps Zanini is his next smart choice.
Images courtesy Style.com
by Alison Santighian