N°21 SPRING SUMMER 2019 WOMEN’S COLLECTION – MILAN FASHION WEEK

BARE ESSENTIALS

MOOD Cleaning up. Starting from the fabric. And from the design. Constructing clearly legible, confident messages. Getting down to basics to be incisive. Bypassing overlays to make the idea clear. Precise adult attitude; no head in the clouds. Originality. The N21 Spring/Summer 2019 collection is set in motion by the inflection of couture fabrics, to describe casual attitudes with distinct lines, volumes, shapes. Never random.

ALESSANDRO DELL’ACQUA «My approach to this collection springs from a desire to bring design back to fashion, so as to attain a more original result, less in sync with the prevailing norms. I used fabrics common in high fashion, from vitrified chiffon to polished eco ostrich, to heighten awareness of technical treatments; and as a way to lay bare structure, this served me in designing clothes more clear-cut of shape. I believe in the preponderance of the project’s originality and in the rediscovery of make-a-difference detailing. In this sense, the clothes in the collection talk about the evolution of my ideas on fashion,» says the creative director of N21.

CARVING AWAY From a sartorial technique comes the effect of laying a dress bare, reducing it to a skeleton of feathers to wear as if a coat over slim tube dresses or over monochrome skirts with vitrified chiffon top. A similar effect emerges also in the tank tops and in the sequin-triangle slip-dresses with T-shirts and sheaths underneath.

NUDE It is both a color and an effect. It is the «fleshtone» of superlight nylon knits with black bands at bustline and of a multiprene suit. But it is also the back opening of a caban over a skirt, and it is the oblò on the shoulders of a slimfit sweater. Likewise, it is the sensual effect of all the clothes with sudden, surprisingly erotic cut-out nude parts.

SIMPLICITY It’s there in the simple, straight lines and volumes of dresses in duchesse, in faille, in solid tone, in tie-dye… all which find a touch of complexity thanks to a big bow in back or through flat asymmetry-defining draping.

MATERIALS An unprecedented use of fabrics and new fibers. Multiprene, common in the construction of bra cups, becomes skirts and suits. Nylon yarn composes the knitwear. Faille gives definition to the evening dresses and to the sporty anoraks; duchesse serves in creating ultrashort skirts, organza in fashioning both dresses and feather-covered bags. Chiffon is vitrified while faux ostrich is coated and polished.

ACCESSORIES This season marks the launch of «Angela»: multiprene handbag complete with three long gold tone brass chains and with a delicate buckle clasp. It’s the lead item among accessories that, in addition to organza & feather rucksacks and totes, include strappy satin bow sandals and precious nude effect sandals with latex ankle strap and skinny rhinestone band. All with high heel and, colorwise, always matching the dress.

COLORS Essential, color block style. Starting from absolute black. And then: nude, pink, coral, fuchsia, dark red, acid green. Invariably plain, never in mixes. Definitely strong, decisive.