Marco De Vincenzo took the Milanese runway last night to present his FW23 collection for Etro. At first glance, the collection celebrated the freedom land of the 70s, with its boho-hippie inspired dress, but there was more to the story here. De Vincenzo took the opportunity this season to dive into the Italian brand’s roots, with the mindset that what it was will define what it will be. In case you missed it, here are the key takeaways from Etro’s FW23 collection.
THE ARCHIVES WERE DELVED INTO
For De Vincenzo, there is nothing more important than connecting with your roots. Creating a conversation about what Etro was initially created for and what it is today, the creative director performed an “archaeological undertaking”. This was translated into the collection through non-structured, free-flowing silhouettes and heavy patterns and textiles that have been previously been used by the brand, notably the paisley which has initially been introduced in the 80s.
ETRO DOES NOT WANT YOU TO CATCH A COLD
An item that stood out from this collection were the blanket scarves. Presented in many patterns, some featured a traditional check while others just featured vertical lines, and in many colours, from yellow to orange, red to blue, the choice was plentiful. Many were paired with ruffled dresses, adding extra layers to the look without making it look too convoluted, while others were seen with the reimagined clogs and skirts.
A 70S LOVE AFFAIR
The breezy dresses, the earthy tones mixed with a pop of vibrant yellow or blue, the psychedelic prints… Etro’s collection screamed 70s. Looking back a key decade for the house, De Vincenzo made bohemian cool again with his use of sheer materials, such as on a black ruffled dress with crosses placed on the models chest, and unconventional shapes, such as on a grey button-up jacket. The freedom flair of the 70s was modernised for the 21st century hippie, notably with the revamping of the aladdin clogs turned into attention-grabbing thigh high boots.
IT WAS A RADICAL PROCESS
Etro was founded in 1968, a politically charged year in history, with an uprising in protests worldwide from students and young adults forming what would later be called the hippie movement. For its FW23 collection, Etro not only dived into the bohemian aesthetic of the late 60s and early 70s, but also its core identity. Radical here is looked as stripping away from everything that was not present at the inception of Etro. What Etro once was will define what Etro will be, which is exactly what De Vincenzo has done for FW23.
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