Review of Gabriele Colangelo Spring 2022 Fashion Show
Made In Italy with love.
By Lizzy Bowring
Today marks the end of Milan Fashion week, but it also heralds a new chapter in fashion. So as I close out from a week that has been full of excitement, game-changers and above all, a genuine feeling of positivity, there are moments that I will not forget. First at Giada and then his eponymous line, Gabriele Colangelo.
Colangelo is a young man that speaks from the heart. Today’s presentation demonstrated his deep understanding and affiliation for the precise craftsmanship that is the DNA of Italy. Inspired by the expression – Made in Italy – this collection is about tailoring and attention to detail; from the first exquisitely crafted piece to another.
There is a type of seduction in several collections in
S/S 22, be it bold or overt. Yet, in the language of Colangelo, his is a discreet seduction, tangible in the movement of the clothes and the way they interact with the flow of the female body.
Colangelo’s minimalist approach to construction, with pure, clean lines, create a perfect canvas for his details.
Courtesy of Press Office 
Courtesy of Press Office 
Courtesy of Press Office
In addition, Colangelo uses materials that emphasise the elements of fluidity and soft architectural structure. The first piece, a tailored jacket cut in a liquid viscose, the designer pointed to the hand stitching in the back that drew careful attention to the waist. Inset Metallic rings were omnipresent throughout, each one braided in leather by hand. The exact details carried through into a liquid columnar dress with an open back caught seductively at the side of the waist and held by the most delicate ties.
In describing the next silhouette, Colangelo explained developing the plisse knit –the viscose is finely pleated and then overprinted to release the colour when opened. For me, this provides a sculptural, beautiful drape on the body.– Gabriele Colangelo
An open weave dress of handwoven interlaced strands took three days to create; the underdress cut in brown silk organza to showcase the contrast of blue on brown. The details continued, a blue coat with back detail interest replicated the opening blazer silhouette, a leather jacket with fringes on the sleeve:
I love that the fringe is like the soft movement of a woman. It’s at this point that it brought home just how Gabriele understands femininity.
Colangelo developed a unique fabric and technique for this season. The jacquard fabric overlaid with a soft silken thread is colour blocked and overprinted; the hem cut to loosen the threads and create movement while at the same time exposing different layers. A top also in the same jacquard viscose displayed varying colours when opened. Here, Colangelo shared the importance of the contrast between the organic strictness of the organza shirt and the fluidity of the jacquard.
Courtesy of Press Office 
Courtesy of Press Office 
Courtesy of Press Office
The colour palette of Lime, Malachite green, pale lime, blue and brown worked in perfect harmony, including off white; a coat and a dress of the identical hue bore the exact handcrafted details; every strand tied and knotted by hand to reveal long loose tendrils that floated around the silhouette.
Colangelo’s work is love at first sight. From something simple, intricacies are imagined, and with meticulous handcrafting, timeless pieces are born.