Troubled times we are living through do not allow for experimentation and market uncertainties, but rather call for a sense of security and comfort. Alessandro Turci speaking It is striking how in fashion there is neither research nor a desire for change. Probably, the troubled times we are living through do not allow for experimentation and market uncertainties, but rather call for a sense of security and comfort. The fact remains that entire collections seem totally unnecessary—indeed, even excessive, if we think in terms of what is essential. When fashion places itself on the level of utility, it diminishes itself as clothing, losing the appeal of dream and desire, now confused with the acronym FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), more suited to a fast-consumption society. This is not the case with Michael Kors, who has always adopted the philosophy of attainable and easily marketable beauty, a tradition of American Style. But we like to remember the greatest genius of US fashion—with a capital F—Roy Halston, who combined chic and practical everyday outfits with a cultured exploration of origami-like construction that anticipated, already in the 1970s, the inimitable Issey Miyake. Fabrics folded back onto themselves and then again and again, following new cutting perspectives with few seams. A concept so couture that it was executed not by controlling fabric waste but by focusing on the effect that resulted from it. The famous hammered satin sheath dress of Lee Radziwill had no seams at the sides or back; instead, they ran obliquely in a spiral across the entire body. What can we say about the collaborations with Elsa Peretti for accessories and jewellery, as well as the very famous bottle of the legendary eponymous perfume? Ziggy Chen The flattening of markets now generates confusion for those who want to develop a business, also with a view to creating an avant-garde. Nevertheless, among so-called “research” brands, there remains a widespread inclination toward artisanal textiles with a vintage look, rediscovering a passion for textile tradition with an ancient—if not “lived-in”—appearance. A vision of organicity that contrasts with a world inevitably moving toward a highly technological and high-performance future. Uma Wang The feeling that pervades us when faced with the collections of Sacai, Uma Wang or Ziggy Chen, and many others—generally Eastern designers—resembles nostalgia, as well as gratitude for the wisdom of traditional looms. Sacai A legacy still deeply felt in the East, in those countries where the highest thoughts for the growth of the human spirit were born, and which now seem to provide support in times so confused and sadly resigned to profit rather than to quality. Both of life and of fashion. Alessandro Turci speaking
