FASHION IN FOCUS: Antonio Marras

Autumn/Winter 2016/17

Bold jewel-tones. Stark-black leather. Dramatically clumpy mascara. I think I'm in love! And slightly scared...

The Sardinian-born designer features a melange of folklore elements and the occasional vintage touch. Collections commonly consists of luxury silky fabric, rich colour and bold prints. Whilst moody floral motifs are a recurring component within his prints, Marras also explores the eccentricity of irregular geometric prints.

It is quite rare for a collection to inspire me so much that I would immediately want to whip up a whole new post on it - considering my laid-back work ethic when it comes to this blog. Admittedly, the collection itself is not my style; not something I would steer towards in a shop or boutique, however, what makes this so striking for me is the imagery. A combination of the painted glass, patterned wooden panels and exposed distressed wood are what brings the entire look together.

As individual pieces, some stand out more than others; a few containing a stronger, more structured silhouette, others, a silky, natural flow. The patterns used for these garments, I would consider quite conventional, typically in the current trends, save for perhaps the shoulder patch on the burgundy blouse and the style and shape of the teal jumpsuit. However, I do feel standard silhouettes work here because it is all about texture and prints. The prints are what steal the show. Personally, I am a massive fan of mixing slightly mismatched prints. And although the country florals aren't to my taste, the stripes, chevrons and somewhat confused are my cup of tea.

Images all courtesy of Vogue

Ready to wear collection in full

More about the designer Antonio Marras

Vogue interview with Marras (2009)