MILAN — Feather details, lame effects, furs, floral prints and patchwork fabrics were among the trends for fall-winter 2017-18 at the ninth edition of Super, the women’s ready-to-wear and accessories trade show organized by Pitti Immagine.
The three-day exhibition, which ended Feb. 27, drew more than 5,100 buyers, of whom 20 percent came from outside Italy, from almost 50 countries.
“We presented an innovative, completely reinterpreted exhibition layout and most importantly, we reformulated the fair’s brand proposal, starting with the number of exhibitors,” said Raffaello Napoleone, chief executive officer of Pitti Immagine. “This was to allow us to focus on an innovative fashion selection dedicated to the most demanding international buyers.”
Since the September edition, Super has been held in a new location, called The Mall, in an agreement between Pitti and fashion body Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana.
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A project realized by Andrea Caputo, the space covered around 45,360 square feet, and housed 144 exhibitors, of which 50 percent were from outside Italy.
“Research without compromise,” said Agostino Poletto, Pitti Immagine’s marketing director. “This is the guideline that characterizes the work of Pitti Immagine, an approach that is valid for all our fairs. A key element of Super is the high level of attention paid to up-and-coming designers and the scenarios of contemporary fashion that we will be presenting in the special Super Talents areas. Then we have New Countries to watch selected in cooperation with Sara Maino of Vogue Italia and Vogue Talents, and More Dash: Eye on the East, our focus on the fashion proposals from Eastern Europe, and other special projects, like the ones we are launching at this edition on the world of digital start-ups and social media.”
Daria Shapovalova, founder and creative director of the Mercedes-Benz Kiev Fashion Days, was pleased about the agreement struck with the Pitti Immagine team for Super. “Their expertise and experience is great, the level of the organization is outstanding and we are happy that designers have such a great opportunity to be presented during Milan Fashion Week thanks to Super, which is the most effective launchpad for our young Ukrainian designers including Anna October, Anna K and Paskal to enter foreign markets.”
Shapovalova emphasized the importance of functionality for the fall-winter season and the knitwear trend. “Anouki and Flow the Label, for example, showed really nice pieces with a touch of minimalism. Monochrome colors, florals, denim and handmade details are other strong leitmotifs.”
She said she believed Super offers an opportunity for designers to better understand the market and their own product. The color palette for this season, she said, hinged on mostly pink, lilac and white, in sparkling tones. “Femininity and grace are always central in our collections. Pastel hues give delicacy to romantic silks and tulle as well as ruffles, silk batiste blouses and raw edges,” she concluded.
Kinabuti, an ethical fashion label established in Nigeria in 2010 with the aim of empowering women in Africa, was one brand that was part of the Countries to Watch area.
“We wanted to give the possibility to local artisans to work and to improve their craftsmanship, so we founded this brand in Nigeria that is a social, nonprofit business,” said cofounder Caterina Bortolussi. “It aims to develop fashion, giving young people a chance to learn professional techniques and know-how and at the same time create a collection by using beautiful fabrics, plenty of colors, prints and tradition,” added cofounder Francesca Rosset.
Super is supporting ethical brands such as Jo. This is the first collection created by a group of young Jordanian designers, a project set up with the support of the European Union and United Nations Industrial Development Organization and See Me by Caterina Occhio, another ethical luxury brand producing jewelry and accessories handmade by women who survived violence.
Among the other highlights at Super was the presentation of the accessories capsule collection by Kartell and Italian-Brazilian designer Paula Cademartori. “The mood and the trend of this season with Kartell is without any doubt the color,” said Cademartori, whose brand is now part of Renzo Rosso’s OTB stable.
“I like to use many colors and mix them in order to create unique combinations even in winter collections, and the flowers remain the leitmotif of the collection along with the stars. The clutch suitable for summer evenings and the boots proposed with a chromatic contrast between the sole and the upper are the products that characterize this capsule.”
Kartell was also present in its collaboration with N.21, founded and designed by Alessandro Dell’Acqua, showcasing the knot sandal.
The names of the Super Talents this edition were: Alexander Arutyunov, Inês Torcato, Jirawat Thamrongkittikul, Julia Seemann, Kinabuti, Little Shilpa, Loh, Neous, Percy Lau and Takara Wong.