Gabriele Colangelo worked his love of the ancient world into his fall 2024 collection, which was built around octagons and modeled on the mosaics of the Roman-era Villa Giulia in Brescia.
In keeping with Colangelo’s approach, the fine craft and octagonal details were tiny, or hidden, which takes guts in an industry that’s all about appearances and instant impact.
“It’s a two dimensional world of Instagram images, but for me luxury is not about exhibition. It’s about detail,” said Colangelo, who created a seemingly simple collection that was full of pure lines and minimalist flair in a color palette that read like a café menu: matcha, cappuccino, crème de menthe and whipped cream.
Creamy white double-face cashmere coats and shapely claret sweaters came with rounded shoulders, while long and slim taupe coats had matcha green linings. The draped looks, recalling togas, were among the strongest.
There were racer-back dresses with a single sweep of fabric at the front, while a long cream coat adorned with a taupe cape called to mind a cup of cappuccino. The two-tone blouses, painstakingly stitched together with techniques usually used for cashmere coats, were worn with delicate leather pencil skirts.
Colangelo created the striking miniskirts and coats by linking small squares of leather with octagon-shaped perforations. Two-tone silk shirts were pieced together with the same precision as mosaic tiles, as were the small beads, which were arranged in tiny eight-sided shapes on the gowns that closed the show.
The jewelry was delicate, and featured a wiry, sculptural gold necklace that morphed into a belt, a polished jade charm wrapped in gold wire, and bits of jade — in green, lilac and black — for earrings. Those designed echoed the collection’s minimalist glamour and skilled craftsmanship fit for a Roman empress.
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