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An almost sacred place for Milan and for its tradition of shows, the Piccolo Teatro Studio, founded by Giorgio Strehler and now named after Mariangela Melato. On September 18, the Laura Biagiotti fashion house returned to show on that anomalous stage – surrounded by a “square” rather than an audience – founded by the stylist and entrepreneur, who passed away in 2017, and now led by her daughter Lavinia. «We present the collection for spring-summer 2024, of course, but this show contains many other suggestions, other worlds – explains Lavinia Biagiotti Cigna -. There is an ideal link between my roots and therefore the memory and teachings of my mother, and the present and future of the brand. My desire is to bring together typical elements of the Laura Biagiotti collections, such as knitwear, with small personal touches, linked to the vision I have of fashion and women.”
Light tones dominate on the catwalk, but illuminated by crystals and touches of color on bags and shoes. Very theatrical, we could say, are the coats and some light dresses, which with a gesture of the arms widen almost to give wings to the women who wear them. «There is an adjective that I don’t hear much about to describe women’s clothes and that is “practical”. I really like it, however, because practicality can be found in the detail, like a small unsuspected pocket in a grand evening dress – adds Lavinia Biagiotti Cigna –. Also practical is the apparently simple and austere coat, but which widens and becomes more enveloping, if the wearer so desires.”
Laura Biagiotti, the SS 2024 fashion show
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The suggestions Lavinia Biagiotti talks about are also the unprecedented mix between technology (a digital art video introduces the show) and history: some prints in the collection are inspired by the “grotesques” of the frescoes of the Marco Simone Castle, on the outskirts of Rome, the company’s historic headquarters: «They are fantastic and anthropomorphic figures, of extravagant animals mixed with vegetal motifs – adds Lavinia Biagiotti –. My mother discovered the 16th century frescoes under layers of lime: it took six years to restore them and the fine arts experts explained to us that the grotesques were probably created by students of masters of the time, such as Raphael. Bringing them back to life on dresses and shirts designed for contemporary women gives me joy and energy. It is in no way a nostalgia operation, but the demonstration that new fruits and new dreams can always arise from roots, whether personal or local.”