Review of Capasa Fall 2022 Fashion Show
Unselfish Style
By Mark Wittmer
Though his just-launched brand may bear his own name, Ennio Capasa delivered a much-awaited collection that felt like a selfless and humble contribution to contemporary style, and was supported by a brilliantly stripped-back presentation.
Famed for launching Costume National in the early 90s – which defined the decade’s sense of effortlessly yet endlessly, downtown-cool minimalism – together with his brother Carlo (who managed the business side of the brand, and currently leads Italy’s Camera Nazionale della Moda), Capasa hasn’t presented a collection since parting ways with the brand in 2016, when a change in ownership hampered both brother’s belief in their ability to continue working with integrity and honesty to themselves. Appropriately named, the Fall 2022 debut of Capasa proved to be something the designer can be very proud to put his name on.
Entering Milan’s Arcimboldo Theater, we walked through the seats and onto the stage, beyond the front curtain into a liminal world of simultaneous performance and preparation. There was no boundary between backstage and set, meaning that there was no backstage at all: stylist and makeup artists buzzed about just beyond the runway putting the final touches on the models’ looks, who waited in front of postings of the collection’s moodboards and sketches. From start to finish, conception to presentation, Capasa Fall 2022 was laid out for us to be taken in by a single gaze.
In a sense, this was almost a cheeky opposition to Costume National’s very name: if there is no distinction between clothing and backstage, there is no such thing as costume. But the name was always a bit tongue-in-cheek, and Costume National became so iconic and coveted in the 90’s due to its lack of pretense around embodying style pure and simple.
Ennio Capasa’s history as a designer distinctly shaded the feeling of the night, from the buzz around his unexpected return as the first show from Milan, to the collection itself.
All this backstory and reimagining of presentation made it feel like the clothing wasn’t the main event. Despite this, however, Capasa still delivered a strong collection with a steady hand, primarily anchored by the reimagined tailoring he introduced for Costume National, reconsidered for a contemporary landscape. Blocky yet slick, the jackets were not quite relaxed but nowhere close to corporate, a shape sure to be admired by fans of Raf Simons’ recent work with Miuccia Prada.
Thoughtful details could be felt in the placement of pockets and buttons; a fastener-closed jacket gave hint of today’s lust for bondage hardware, while a deconstructivist ethos peeked through frayed edges and unexpectedly placed panels.
The tailoring was accompanied by outerwear pieces that combined smart dressing with a balanced edge of sportswear and post-punk street style. Smartly minimal jewelry, which emphasized a sense of asymmetry, complemented many of the looks. A commitment to gender fluidity throughout was welcome as well.
“The one move that felt out of place was the animal (or animals) print that graced a few suits and bomber jackets. “
So why now? Why wait until now to launch the eponymous brand? While the collection itself doesn’t fully answer this question yet, looking at the presentation as a whole can begin to help us recognize Capasa’s thinking, and why he may resume the role of a figure today’s fashion desperately needs. Self-aware yet completely unpretentious, his presentation felt humble, a gift whose wrapping paper we can see through. It showed a refreshing sense of honesty and a commitment to style for its own sake.
With this solid foundation, we look forward to seeing what Capasa puts his name on next.