Over the span of three years, Nicola Brognano’s tenure at Blumarine has had its various stages, ranging from the girly and the Paris Hilton-y to the femme fatale one-off and the Gothic mermaid. When one thinks that there can’t possibly be any other way to reinterpret the Y2K style, Brognano always pulls out a new filter to cast a different light on it.
Or rather darkness, in this case. “She’s a rawer woman, not too perfect,” said the designer about the tougher muse who inspired his pre-fall 2023 collection. “Volumes are more real, which doesn’t mean boring but that a woman can wear every day.”
Think of longer hems (but not necessarily higher waistlines), plenty of pockets and an easy-to-approach trifecta of denim, jersey and knitwear to express this daywear focus.
The utility vibe played loud via pocketed denim separates, extra-flared cargo pants and the unexpected fashion exhumation of knickerbockers — all rendered in shades of black, gray, military green and purple.
The frills and ruches that in the past adorned girly frocks were here turned into denim or inserted in knits to wear asymmetrically off the shoulders. As a counterpoint, embellishments on long jersey dresses were minimized, heightening these pieces’ sensual body-con effect.
Further drifting away from the brand’s archives to follow his gut, Brognano also injected a veiled punkish undertone with metallic eyelets punctuating minimal ribbed tops, denim dresses and belts giving a little edge to essential looks. Sleek, fierce and wearable, this part of the collection proved that the designer’s intuition is still his most valuable asset.