Margherita Missoni’s emerging brand has already launched with retailers including Nordstrom and Browns. Now it has a pop-up space of its own in Milan. Sited by coincidence directly opposite the door to the Prada offices, the little “Spazia Macca” showcases the brand’s latest collections as well as a selection of Missoni-curated vintage accessories against which she styles them.
“I feel that because we are so small this is an opportunity to explore new ways of doing things,” said Missoni. “Instead of working to classic rules we’re adapting to work in ways that feed our needs and necessities.” Amongst the freshest pieces, her rails were also scattered with older stock: just like her last-season e-store offerings, these were not marked down. “The whole strategy and structure of the collection is to be sustainable from an ecological and also economical point of view,” added the designer: “and that’s never going to change.”
What has changed as Missoni defines Maccapani through these early seasons are some of the pieces she chooses to emphasize. Data derived from earlier drops revealed that most customers hail from the 25 to 35 age group. Furthermore, pieces that the designer did not necessarily anticipate would prove hot sellers regularly have. This collection reflected that by reviving and developing the netted bodystockings and house-print long-sleeve shirts that are already performing well. It also saw the development of Maccapani’s offer of modular dresses that have a sort of Swiss Army knife versatility depending how they are tied, draped, or set on the body. Her look-7 “backwards dress” plus the look-5 lace-edged embellished black lurex wrap were the stand-outs here.
All the predominantly jersey fabrics are dyed or detailed in-house, and the emphasis on lurex remains. A soft black unconstructed jacket in black jersey was a key piece which, like the dresses, created a foundation around which to build looks. Removable upcycled faux fur shoulder pads and cuffs plus a pink and magenta “portable train” (worn with the bodystocking) looked typical of Missoni’s atypical clothing. Maccapani is at least in part rooted in late ’80s/early ’90s era party/dancewear: Missoni mentioned Dimensione Danza and Todd Oldham, amongst others. As it warms up, the brand is steadily feeling its way into an alt-leisure rhythm all of its own.
