Marni

High Quality, Marni Mens Spring-Summer 2009, Runway Pictures

Backstage Marni Mens Spring-Summer 2009

Video, Marni Fall-Winter 2007 'Full Length'

It was early this morning when Marni was the first fashion house in line to present its runway show. Around 9 A.M the show began and the garments astutely conceived by Consuela Castiglioni slowly started to appear on the runway. Worn by young models, whose age is hard to determine, the garments appealed the eye of the usual spectators who attend season after season to see similar creations.

Consuela Castiglioni is one of the very few high-end designer who gets away with presenting the “same” outfits season after season. Now, you might be thinking “why on earth does this woman keep on doing similar pieces?” The thing is that the average Marni consumer is extremely attached to the aesthetic that has been presented over the last years, and people who run Marni, as well as the diverse buyers from all over the world, are somehow afraid that a change in the label’s image might cause them to loose a big chunk of clients. So when the buyers and others applaud after the runway show ends, it’s not because they are amused by the new pieces and so, but for the fact that they are almost sure that they will keep their regular amount of customers.

Let’s analyze a little bit Marni’s latest menswear line. The youngish innocence that has been the concept behind the previous couple of seasons is once again present. The long shorts, the high socks, the squared shoes, and the short-sleeved minimalist meets Amish looking shirts are essential pieces for creating Marni’s aesthetic. Sometimes I think of it as a more “relaxed” version of Raf Simons; you see, while he plays with minimalism by doing it hip and modern, Consuela does the opposite. I think the only difference with this collection is that Consuela has gone too far, entering the “boring side“. I don’t see the appeal this season, and I know that Marni dresses the simple - which I think that rocks - but this season her garments lack of the minimalist juvenile fun that the other collections evoked. In addition, while everybody used strong vibrant colors, she opted for a soft color palette. And that’s a major error, her winter line had more color for crying out loud!

Marni is a high-end label that can easily be worn by almost anyone within the ordinary boundaries of style and persona. Very down to earth, and extremely successful, Marni has become after vast seasons of glorious presentations.

The look Consuela Castiglioni portrays is rather simple, but very refined. Anyone who fits rightly on her garments, is able to just throw anything on without worrying about how they will look, and look very casual and confident, and still appeal the eye of the gold diggers.

The Fall collection - hitting the stores soon - sustains the prominent Marni aesthetic and lifestyle, and offers a profound selection of items; from military green coats and cashmere sweaters to polished suits and graffiti like t-shirts - that expose an immense reminiscence of the famous mainly European artistic movement: Art Brut - this current menswear line presents the "wardrobe" any man could effortlessly adore. The only items that do not appeal to my style judgment are the shoes. These are to round and lousily classical. My perception indicates that these are more something Chuck from accounting would use, than a vogue item.