When Nicola Brognano exited Blumarine at the end of 2023, a question mark hung on the fate of the Y2K aesthetic the Italian designer brought to the brand. The appointment of Walter Chiapponi as his successor suggests the label will likely pursue a more sophisticated, understated direction – one that’s so on-demand right now.
Before Blumarine’s new chapter kicks off next month with Chiapponi’s debut, the in-house design team was tasked to ferry the label between tenures with a transitional collection. It hit a sweet spot by already offering a more elevated and bourgeois image without forgetting the lessons Brognano’s era imparted and that propelled Blumarine’s revamp.
Brand signatures such as feminine dresses, fuzzy knits, lingerie-inspired details, rose embellishments and leopard motifs were restated with wearability in mind, translating into credible looks that could exist beyond an Instagram post.
Fluffy jacquard cardigans and twin sets with floral patterns evoked Blumarine’s heyday, while its femininity and romantic nature was exalted via hand embroideries on Lolita-like frocks, flower prints on ankle-gazing satin dresses, and maxi bows popping up on a cool wool number. Marabou finishes added a frou-frou touch to many pieces, including a pair of knickerbockers, an item that Brognano exhumed from fashion oblivion last year.
Other key elements of Brognano’s lexicon – cargo pants and denim – were updated and softened in their appearance, with the former stripped back of their raw, street attitude for a leaner appeal and the latter bearing satin and lace inserts for more delicacy.
Ribbed knits, leggings, and burgundy vinyl sets and trench coats rounded out the collection, which offered a pretty palate cleanser.