In Antonio Marras’s far-reaching imagination, there’s no space for boundaries; he believes in a common ground connecting disparate and apparently divergent cultures. For pre-fall he drew a visual parallel between the traditions of Sardinian and Native American communities. The narrative was inspired by Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and an ’80s album by the Italian singer-songwriter Fabrizio De André, in which he celebrated Sardinia’s fierce sense of independence from the continent, as well as the Native Americans’ fight for their land.
The theme translated into a quintessential Marras collection, where references to both worlds were intertwined; patchworks, intarsia, jacquards, and embroideries reprised and reinterpreted traditional Sardinian imagery and Native American graphics. “Animism, mysticism, legends, and symbologies were shared dimensions between these two indomitable populations that fought hard to protect their diversity,” said the designer.
Protective garments such as capes, shawls, and blankets were treated imaginatively and rendered into pieces boasting abundant embroideries and appliqués. Opera coats in textured floral jacquard and oversized outerwear hinted at a sense of safety and refuge. Playing with contrasting textures, sequined tulle was layered over tartan on masculine blazers, while macramé lace was lined with dry gabardine wool in feminine apron dresses. Elsewhere, denim was given the softness of dévoré velvet, leather had a vintage, lived-in feel, and brocade in dark tones was used for trench coats with plissé inserts at the back. Marras definitely cannot be mistaken for a minimalist.