Review of Etro Spring 2022 Fashion Show
Veronica Etro infuses her collection with a nostalgic kaleidoscopic lens.
By Lizzy Bowring
There is tangible happiness bubbling up through the Milanese collections this week; as one photographer and a designer put to me today, everyone is so happy to be back.
You can see and feel the euphoria from the designers, including Veronica Etro. The collection she presented today was inspired by the times she experienced in London in the 90s. Yet, it was not just that era that excited her modus operandi; she also drew on the 70s for a kaleidoscope of colour and print. Interestingly, designers continue to be fascinated in the seventies, probably because one can draw parallels; it is an era that evokes a carefree time and a time of change as the world shifts its paradigm in so many ways.
Etro is traditionally a house known for its paisley prints. Still, in the hands of Veronica Etro, she took the signature paisleys and reimagined them with vibrant colour, infusing the patterns into fun, very wearable silhouettes. In many ways, it reminded me of the heady imagery of Talitha Getty.
The opening silhouette began with a tailored jacket, cropped top and patchwork drawcord trousers, exuding the comfort factor that is still evident in many collections.
Then, colours quickened the pace in a palette of reds, oranges and yellows as the swirling paisleys took on a new dimension. The utility trench coat with inset blocks of hot orange and the ensuing short set in vibrant yellow was as youthful as it gets for Etro.
But there was also a provocative level of sophistication in this presentation. The boho-chic was modernized; a fluid column dress with a halter neck offered just the right skin exposure. There were several jackets peppered throughout but classic masculine suiting in white, teamed with a sheer long tunic, and just subtly caught at the waist caught my eye. Patchwork, a continuation of A/W 21, gave way to sensual cuts with skin revealing shapes. Brief crochet bralettes, long fluid skirts, and nostalgic handkerchief tops had that spring appeal, but the prints made the most impact in large optical swirls.
It’s true to say that Etro is a brand that is adapting quickly to the needs of a younger customer and as the show continued with a high energy level, the silhouettes changed.
Inspired by youthful escapism and a spiritual sense of nostalgia, here is a brand with its eyes firmly set on the future. The drum beats that closed the show resonated with that.