Collections —Woman / Prêt-à-Porter

“I have sought decoration… Not just an addition, useless, an extravagance of affectations, but the sign of an evolution in which there was space for new volumes and a new silhouette. A different attitude in short, which does not limit itself to seeking the functional, the practical, the useful, but faces this forbidden idea, this zone in the shadow of the decoration. Which I have interpreted increasing certain elementary designs and certain volumes. I have enlarged the sports jacket with a drawstring and the bush jacket, I have simplified the pullover rendering it a scarf wrapped round the bust and the arms, I have joined opposing lines and facets which however could live together, as taught by certain oriental cultures which mix essentiality with the manifold pleasure of the forms. Colour too responds to this decorative concept: grey – a new neutral for me – diminishes in deeper shades, with an important plastic feeling, and serves as a background for a range of pure colours. Red, turquoise, violet, yellow… The colours of town traffic signs, of the industrial city and, paradoxically, the most noble, those with a great tradition… The colours of the mandarins and of the Japanese emperors… Because I wanted to demonstrate, overcoming several aesthetic notions, that the form is the substance and that a style may develop without altering.”

Gianfranco Ferré

The essential. The silhouette designed from the uniform: the Maolike suit in grey flannel, clinging and slim.

The soft volume. The straight marocain coat with a soft black mongolia lining, perfectly closed by a horizontal border.

The neutrality. The buffalo trousers with a high waist which is not marked (like those of skirts) but clings to the body, and the dimension of the melton sports jacket on top.

The contrasting ideas. The full baggy overcoats, in clean vibrating colours of oriental lacquers, over the uniform grey.

The new dress. Box line, slim and snappy, with a jacket effect at the back, doubled and closed at the fastening.

The cut which gives fullness. The elk sports jacket which is structured through tucking, and the ’86 detail: the scarf with abstract volutes, confirmed by a play of tucks.

The mature colour. Red right through for the pressed facecloth coat, unlined and light, with rounded cuts which give richness to the slenderness of the shoulders. Or turquoise right through for the velour overcoat over a shirt-dress, from which a segment of a black skirt flashes out. Or multicoloured right through for the pullovers with contrasting bands, long and loose.

The structured sweater. A sense of volume, effects of softness and natural volutes, almost spirals.

The gigantic bush jacket. Unexpected colours and soft cashmere gathered by a drawstring at the bottom.

The emphasized form. The tracksuit in jersey tricot with a fabric stitch, clinging to the body due to an unusual combination of cuts.

The sculptural quality. Super-shiny on opaque: with the lacquered sheepskin coat and the comfy shirt in double crepe with a full soft touch and fall. Puffiness on softness: the taffeta waterproof mac lined in wolf, with a fullness built up by pleats and a drawstring.

The illusion. Little velvet shirt printed like broadtail with wide trousers in multicoloured wool.

The comfort. For private evenings and secret relaxations, the long circular skirt in grey flannel with a super-long cardigan. And the printed silk shirts, which are tightly crossed-over like scarves.

Evening, variations on style. From the simple little suit, with a jacket embroidered in bead spirals and the scarf of black gazar, to the bustier-dress with a volute of satin, from the black sweater – collar and cuffs embroidered like new jewels – over grey flannel trousers, to transparent organza blouses with spirals of braid, from the striped satin blouse which seems “torn” on the back to the black marocain sheaths, emphasized by the scarf with stiff volutes. Twelve ways of being Ferré.