Review by Lucas Pantoja
For his latest collection titled “UNNATURAL” Italian designer Gilberto Calzolari presents to his guests an exposition or sort of TED-Talk on the dramatic four-way relationship between art, fashion, nature, and woman.
A collection where everything goes into detail and has its own underlying and poetical meaning; from the flower blossom embroideries made of recycled plastic bottles, a symbol of nature being trapped in plastic, to the “grid” patterns which reference Mondrian’s stylistic use of lines in primary colors.
Even the press release handed to guests comes in what seems to be an eco-paper of sorts, possibly composed of algae or seaweed due to its coarse touch and coating of oblong-dotted-shapes.
As for the garments, they stay true to all of the subjects referenced, as one ecstatic compilation or rather soliloquy coming directly from mouth of Calzolari, and into the construction of the collection.
Oriental kimono-like blazers and overcoats embellished with floral patterns and paired with contemporary art-style color blocking bottoms make for an intellectual and exotic look of a worldly woman.
The colors in the collections range across the rainbow, primarily consisting of the vibrancy of the three primaries: red, blue, and yellow — contrasting with the maturities of white and black.
Fabrics go into the furthest details of the collection’s depth: with noted GOTS certified silk, eco-sustainable denim, EVO nylon deriving from the seeds of castor plants, SEAQUAL polyester made of recovered plastics from the sea, and even the upcycling of netted food packaging into a few tasteful tulles.
All in all, the look which Calzolari presents is a simply put “fun” one, especially for a Fall/Winter collection which fashion could really appreciate nowadays. People can always use a little more vibrancy in their everyday, especially when the majority of society can typically be found wearing dark colors throughout the majority of the cold seasons.
With the many different contrasting elements, especially that of the exuberance and maturity, intertwined with the specifications of the materials and references, Calzolari’s pieces would shine walking around an art gallery or on a fashionista vegan dining at an outside cafe.
The Fashion Plate Magazine 