At Etro’s show, towering cast-iron and concrete agaves in full bloom lined the center of the stage—a nod to a plant that flowers just once before producing seeds and dying. This botanical marvel, which freely grows along the Mediterranean coasts, holds deep significance for Marco De Vincenzo. “I’m from the south, and that’s where my heart belongs. Sicily is my birthplace, but I feel connected to places like Andalusia, Seville, and Greece,” he said during a preview. Though he left Sicily at a young age, he’s finding himself continuously drawn back. Agaves were a constant presence in his childhood; they’re also symbols of rebirth. When they die, they leave space for something new. It’s a metaphor for the never-ending cycle of fashion, said De Vincenzo.
The spirit of the collection leaned decisively toward the south without anchoring itself to any specific geographical reference. De Vincenzo layered these influences instinctively, indulging a maximalist métissage with sexy boho undertones. He went bold—almost explosive—with bursts of saturated color, while prints were blown up into abstract floral patterns evoking a sort of psychedelic pagan symbolism. The silhouettes skimmed and sculpted the body with tight-fitting, sensual shapes—flared and sinuous, reminiscent of flamenco dancers—incrusted with lace, laminated, richly embroidered, or veiled in dark, sheer fabrics.
Visually impactful, opulent, and unexpectedly sensuous and seductive by Etro’s standards, the collection felt as though it was enveloped in the powerful, almost overwhelming soundtrack performed live by Sardinian musician and singer-songwriter Daniela Pes, who mixed electronic textures with popular female vocalists and arcane lyrics drawn from ancient Gallurese phonemes.