February 26, 2025 |
Alessandro Dell’Acqua didn’t just flirt with excess at No. 21’s Milan show – he tied it all up nicely with an oversized bow. Childlike whimsy tangled with grown-up polish, as innocence wove itself into sharp, knowing silhouettes. Dell’Acqua toyed with the very idea of dressing up, using the bow – a symbol of sweetness and decoration – as both a subtle detail and a bold statement.
The stage was set in hushed tones, a minimalistic space where the only dialogue materialised through the clothes themselves. The first looks hinted at control – coats buttoned to the top, their sleek collars a quiet nod to Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation – pristine, poised, almost reluctant. V-necklines peeked out over sheer black tights, while Dalmatian prints and A-line skirts recalled the prim, pretty-but-not-precious schoolgirl aesthetic of The Virgin Suicides. Then, a flicker of mischief – bows, perky and perched on open and closed-toe heels – foreshadowed what was yet to come.
As the music intensified sweetheart necklines swooped in, followed by bon-ton cropped jackets in black, grey, deep red, burnt amber and brown that sharpened curved silhouettes. Then pale pinks crept in, before muted greens and yellows added quiet decadence. Micro-florals (lingerie-style) erupted across voluminous coats, like a romantic smokescreen for the drama underneath. Bows multiplied – cinching necklines, fastening shoulders, cascading down Victorian shirt dresses with flickers of Marie Antoinette-type indulgence.
Just as excess peaked, the collection pulled back; a reminder that beneath the froth and frills, there’s always something sharper at play.
Photography courtesy of No. 21.
