Laid with wall-to-wall cream carpeting, the Alberta Ferretti showroom doubles as a plush runway theater, but it could also do triple duty as a gracious home for entertaining.
That’s what Lorenzo Serafini was thinking about, a photo of the ’70s hostess-with-the-most-ess Tina Chow pinned to his mood board.
He put his own Italian spin on the concept, accessorizing his breezy caftans, kimono-like dresses and pajama-loose pants with pebble-studded moccasins, as if your hostess might hop into her Alfa Romeo at any moment to fetch a few more bottles of pinot bianco.
“I was thinking of the perfect wardrobe to live in a private space, to stay home, surrounded by the people you love,” the designer said. “I was thinking about comfort and ease.”
So many clothes seen on runways, even for spring, can be stiff and architectural, as these tend to look better in photos.
By contrast, Serafini’s were ultra light, many of them scarf-simple in construction, including the tailoring, the sleeves slashed and flowing like sashes. He kept the colors gentle, opening with cream looks that matched the carpeting, and cycling though blush pinks and pale mint. The prettiest dresses of them all came in tiers of Fortuny-like pleating.
It’s only been a year since Serafini succeeded the namesake founder after a decade leading the Philosophy label, now integrated into the Alberta Ferretti line.
In a recent interview, he listed “timeless elegance, whispered femininity, and a celebration of individuality” as the key qualities of the Italian fashion house.
He’s got the whispering part down pat, so now maybe he can turn up the volume a touch. His leopard-print ensembles and jersey gowns with gilded bodices could walk carpets of a different color.