The Zodiac on the runway
Nothing escapes the influence of the stars … Not even our own creativity. On the contrary, this is the realm where our deepest energies, seething inside
Fashion and stars, then. The desire to exist under a new light every time, like yearning and productive souls, “captured” by storied, prestigious brands. To each brand their own sign!
VERSACE/ARIES
A collection inspired by the 90s, by a time of revival, full of expectations towards the upcoming Millennium. A truly energetic explosion of colors and optimism, projected towards the future,
"I wanted to do something disruptive, to break the rules" says Donatella Versace, "Because I feel that what worked well a few months ago does not make any sense now". A designer committed to conveying positive messages and to make us enjoy again all the beauty that surrounds us: beyond all the barriers, the fears, the grayness, giving space to the richness of one's DNA.
In this collection I have spotted numerous similarities with the features of the Aries sign: a great energy, that can be perceived clearly, the ability to start a new path with much confidence and purpose and, last but not least, knowing how to navigate life autonomously, without the need to adjust to predetermined rules, but rather by creating new, more current ones, in order to look to the future with a positive attitude, also by debunking new means of communication.
CHANEL/TAURUS
This is a runway show dedicated to the world of cinema and to its great stars and leading ladies, who for centuries have been interpreting the house’s iconic style, leaving an unmistakable mark on our collective imagination: reality that mixes with art and imagination and takes on new, unique and original nuances. True to its style, never corny, in this show Chanel focuses on romanticism and chooses prints and patterns that nod to the beating heart of the 80s.
In this dynamics I see the energy of Venus for its beauty, elegance, class and the ability to inspire. Venus, beware, is the planet ruling the sign of Taurus, whose main features are one’s roots, the faithfulness to one's ideas and a love for all things concrete, without sacrificing style, shape, beauty and all forms of art.
ISABEL MARANT/GEMINI
In this case, too, the show took me back to the 80s: to disco music, to Madonna and Cindy Lauper who debunked an aesthetic without rules, bubbly, young, rebellious, and unapologetic.
Isabel Marant has revived that style through all the characteristics of the Gemini sign: multifaceted, bubbly individuals who enjoy living their lives and having fun, without taking themselves too seriously. Men and women who never want to stay away from the others, quite the opposite: they love all kinds of communication, they love to socialize and share their own positive attitude towards life.
ALBERTA FERRETTI/CANCER
This entire collection is inspired by country style, but it’s quite the opposite of the glorification of a certain raw lack of openness to the world. Here the choices, the colors, the lines are seductive, enveloping, inviting: truly feminine, without any unnecessary reservation towards this magnificent quality. I can see here the promising features that only certain craftsmanship can produce: something that recalls the atmospheres of southern Italy, thanks to broderie anglaise and macramé. All this while preserving the clothes’ practical side, because everything can be interpreted in everyday life.
In this attitude I see the key themes of Cancer: romantic, linked to tradition and to one’s roots (which are recalled with a little nostalgia), ruled by the Moon. The feminine sign par excellence, very sensitive, that loves anything that can be made by hand.
DOLCE E GABBANA/LEO
A myriad of colors and a 90’s style mix and match, with super feminine and sexy multiple prints. The woman we see approaching stands out in the crowd: her feminine side is highlighted by macro flowers and a mix of fabrics and prints that echo the strong bond with Sicily. However, Dolce and Gabbana show us this last element as it was influenced by other cultures over the centuries, making it unique.
The reference to the sign of Leo is unmistakable. The Leo woman wants to be unique and to stand out, she likes to steal the show, she loves colors, combinations, she is feminine and super sexy and also much attached to her roots, her traditions. A woman who is capable of blending tradition and trends perfectly (like Madonna, a Leo).
PRADA /VIRGO
Prada’s style always remains true to itself. What really makes the difference are the fabrics and the nylons, which make the garments so special in terms of shape, prints and a great, almost obsessive research: nothing is left to chance and technology is exploited to give space to art, refinement, to insightful and lasting values.
The sign of Virgo is the one that best expresses these traits: discretion, great attention to the things that are never predictable or ordinary. The Virgo woman does not like to appear, but she wants to look different (a difference that, in her opinion, too many are unable to understand) and she loves art as much as the efficiency of the most suitable technical solution. In this sense, this Prada collection provides precise points of reference and allows for a solid yet appetizing experience. For precious human beings.
FENDI/LIBRA
Extremely elegant in its subtle beauty, this collection combines the sophistication of the fabrics that intertwine playing with the reflections of light, exciting sheerness and interesting shapes. The eye eagerly enjoys, explores and finally appreciates a sense of lightness and refinement. All elements that express, in the most liberating sense, the idea of "nobility".
Just like the sign of Libra, whose characteristics include poise, effortless elegance, lightness and an attention to details, neither ordinary nor conceptual. For a woman who seeks to involve those around her in a game where the rules are clear: she is ready to ensure aesthetic delight, and allow the right appreciation of others’ values.
MOSCHINO/SCORPIO
An unpredicted, versatile collection, capable to amaze every time with its style, while pursuing and playing out bold inspirations. Here we are looking at a theatrical, eccentric fashion composition that nods to 50’s couture. Moschino revisits the same power of rebirth at the end of the Second World War, a new beginning that affected deeply the whole planet and led it, firmly holding its hand, beyond a moment in which for too long painful distances had been experienced. The brand also conveys the need to find a common thread between one’s interiority, at last no longer compressed, and exteriority, knowing how to master and stage a unique show.
In this all I see the underground world of Scorpio, the ‘tranformist’ par excellence, who gives their best in challenging situations, from where they draw their overwhelming creativity, capable to transform, and transform themselves, like the Phoenix: insightful, thoughtful, capable of expressing brilliantly all the nuances of the soul.
DIOR/SAGITTARIUS
A fashion show that combines desire (which arises from the very idea of "disobedience", maybe even to the authoritative voice of the "stars" that may trace one’s destiny) with a functionality that is somehow bewildering, because it aspires to nothing less than to the outlining of a new lifestyle, and thus dares to present itself with unexpected lines. Dior conveys a need for freedom, openness, visibility and control over space: jackets swell, shirts grow longer, pants flare out.
Sagittarius is the sign that better captures the ideas of freedom, practicality and change. It expresses an energy connected to movement and to the need to change, renew oneself, and travel in total freedom.
GIORGIO ARMANI/CAPRICORN
The unmistakable, classic, comfortable, confident style that enhances and highlights the personality of the wearer. Fashion for those who seek to convey their uniqueness with class and style, but without wanting to stand out, thus leaving room to their own intense existential singularity.
It all seems to me very consistent with the style of a Capricorn: elegant, but understated, and precisely because it is understated, also self-confident, not needing any outside validation, and reliable, because it is well rooted in their own humanity; practical and pragmatic, often a natural leader, without the need to appear. Armani in Capricorn is for someone who achieves major goals without showing off, almost quietly, mastering the forces that many are subject to, going through them without any burden or contamination. The promise of a well-considered and well-kept - and therefore reassuring - direction, in an era of bewilderment and confused voices, pointlessly conflicting with each other.
VALENTINO/AQUARIUS
The show’s has a clear urban vibe, celebrating the diversity of people who coexist and share their experiences, each giving their own unique contribution. Every look is individual, carefully chosen according to one’s personality: sometimes romantic and elegant, others more laid-back, but always futuristic, open, never institutionalized or conventional or adapting to a "homogenized thinking".
These characteristics match with those of the sign of Aquarius, who loves freedom deeply, can't stand labels, is curious about everything that technology has to offer, and generates the future, because they are in love with the future. A person who does not like form per se, but knows how to quickly adapt to changes seeing them as an opportunity that cannot be missed, in no way.
BURBERRY/PISCES
The natural setting of a forest adds to this collection a dreamy feeling of freedom. It leads back to street style, mixing fabrics and prints and makes shapes and materials sparkle. Unconventional references to the sea stand out, because the designer loves to change.
The aquatic dynamics, mobile, transparent, with its countless interchangeable inspirations, is a metaphor dedicated to the sign of Pisces: dreamers by nature, they know how to vary and change, shifting according to circumstances and events. Pisces often leave their interlocutors speechless and know how to seamlessly incorporate the dream into everyday life, and in an instant they are capable to sink deep into the dream without anyone noticing; they are creative, unpredictable, unexpected. Impossible to take them for granted.