Ilenia Durazzi is letting loose. The designer is gaining confidence as her brand grows from strength to strength, as demonstrated by her fall 2024 collection by revealing a more eclectic side to her sartorial-filled world.
A sense of wildness ran through the line, adding new flavor to the equestrian inspiration Durazzi has anchored the brand and its sharp sartorial hand on.
Imagining a traveling theater troupe crossing snowy landscapes and desolate winter deserts inspired the designer to experiment with artisanal fabrics, whose irregular surface she enhanced with loose threads and handmade techniques that injected a tactile quality into the overall graphic lines that mark her work.
The same goes for the patchwork skirts that appeared alongside saddle-shaped Durazzi features, and performance textiles like waxed horsehair used in utilitarian outerwear like raincoats and parkas. The leather versions on the theme of outdoor activities stood out.
With a slightly more relaxed cut that lends a more urban appeal to coats and blazers than usual, the tailored pieces were also adorned with braided leather inserts. The concept was also seen in a statement dress that Durazzi said was a nod to stage costumes. The skirt's feminine, full design was covered in brush strokes that fit her dedication to the arts.
“Theatre has become an obsession for me; I've been looking for it a lot these last two years and it really inspires me,” said Durazzi, who presented the collection in a three-part performance. To delve deeper into different artistic disciplines, Durazzi is preparing the opening of a new space in Milan, designed by her and intended to be both the brand's headquarters and an aggregation point for the city's cultural community.
With his own tribe taking shape, his brand expanding, and soon also having a home, he has a lot to rely on.
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