Niccolò Pasqualetti is a sunny person whose fall collection was a kind of sequel to spring’s. The latter was a study of “lightness and transparency,” this one, they said on a call, was an exploration of “radiance within shadows.”
The “dark side” is new territory for the designer, and it “reflects a bit the circumstances we are living.” Yet Pasqualetti was not conjuring sadness when deciding to use a lot of black through the collection; rather the designer had been looking at and admiring the “simplicity of the silhouette and the shape” of Giacometti sculptures and found the tone enabled them to achieve the effect of “something quite sharp” and with an edge. This was best achieved in the monochromatic looks, such as the second exit, an embellished leather dress in which the primness (a pilgrim collar) and glamour (glittering sequins) were unexpectedly yoked. It would have been a good opener, actually; the first look, a white dress worn under asymmetric knits in neutral colors was rather tame.
Pasqualetti’s practice is unique in that they combine jewelry and garment design. The most dramatic example of this for fall was look 21 in which full leather pants that tapered at the ankle were worn with a sweater and a magnificent “ruff” worthy of Queen Elizabeth I, made of coils of wood beads. Several models wear necklaces that incorporated antique perfume bottles, which had a similar intangibility and transience as shadows. Dappled light was best evoked by a sparkling column (note the ingenious mini brush bag the model carried) and by an openwork material with a dark-pewter shine that, when worn over white, had the effect of medieval tracery or chain mail. Also somewhat armor-like was a tabard-esque dress with snap details on the sleeves and an incredible top painstakingly constructed from dozens and dozens of rectangular pieces of gray suede, with sleeves finished in a woven. The designer was successful in combining a variety of materials in different ways, and adding unexpected touches, such as ruffles edging a “tough” leather vest.
The brand’s last few collections have brought together asymmetric drapes—many based on square patters—and a more utilitarian direction (cargo pants and pockets). This offering had the same mix, but things somehow felt less crisp. The somber palette tempered the radiance the designer was searching for.
