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No. 21 and Calcaterra show passion and elegance in Milan
On Wednesday, the Milanese catwalks unveiled some very attractive collections for women who like to express themselves through their looks. For spring-summer 2023, designers had fun working with different female sensibilities. Like Alessandro dell'Acqua, who explored passion, or Daniele Calcaterra, who focused on a more mature and confident woman.
This season, the designer and founder of the ready-to-wear brand No. 21 has put the figure of the lover and/or mistress under the radar, photographing through a very cinematographic language, and with a pinch of humor, the different states of mind of a secret love affair, where his muse, distraught with love, is alternately adored and then abandoned.
Perched on vertiginous mules with no visible heels, the models interpret the games of love through their outfits. The mesh suit lined with bright red sequins expresses passion, while certain floral or feathered outfits express joy. The tight skirt and powder pink mini-top ensembles, with their bare stomachs, evoke eroticism, while sex is suggested by several skin-coloured pieces, such as a ruffled nightie or lace blouse. In particular, a sinuous flesh-coloured skin-tight dress glistening as if the model had just got out of her bath naked.
Sadness and pain are embodied in "dark lady" looks, via dark minidresses and jumpsuits with plunging necklines, and a whole series of clothes in transparent black rags. Not even the wedding dress is missing, which evidently was never used, so it was torn apart in a rage, as illustrated by the last models. These are ultra-short white outfits, - skirts, jackets, underwear and strapless dresses - disheveled with threads and unfinished, which have been made from dismantled and reassembled vintage wedding dresses.
"It's a collection made up of states of mind, where you go very quickly from one expression to another, from the most absolute sweetness to total hatred," laughs Dell'Acqua, who worked a lot on attitude, imagining his character caught in the act, obliged to sneak out with the little cardigan buttoned askew, the crumpled shirt, which comes out of the jumper, the zip of the skirt left open, which lets a pair of red pants show through. Not to mention the brightly coloured retro satin bras and panties, which protrude cheerfully from the bodices and play the starring role under the transparent shirts, while the nylon stockings, badly put on, pull on the calves.
Calcaterra offers a totally different approach, working this season on volumes. As if inflated by the wind, the inspirational element of this collection for spring-summer 2023, the garments take on extra-large dimensions, while this airy spirit is also reflected in a series of macramé pieces made from woven raffia, including tunics, jackets, trousers, bags with long fringes and boots.
The blazers are loose and rounded, the classic sleeveless men's jacket is oversized with large armholes, becoming a giant waistcoat. The white shirts, also sleeveless, are tightened at the waist with a black belt for an hourglass effect. Trousers and Bermuda shorts are also worn very loosely.
Daniele Calcaterra plays on contrasts, layering different weights, from linen and leather to silk and ultra-light chiffon. The outfits are mainly monochrome, predominantly white or black, with occasional infiltrations of caramel-coloured distressed leather suits, bottle green dresses and a few lemon-yellow ensembles.
"My woman is always very androgynous, with this masculine side that I love, but this season she reveals strong accents of sensuality," says the designer backstage.
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