For his sophomore runway show at Blumarine, David Koma went full glam and seductiveness.
Summoning the transformative power of the brand’s spirit animal — the butterfly — he morphed Blumarine’s girly soul into an overtly sensual and nocturnal creature, as he filled the lineup with eveningwear and party-ready numbers that left little to no space for daywear options. Good move for maximum editorial impact, maybe not so much for commercial score.
“I really wanted to explore this concept of dark romanticism that we started but take it to the summer,” Koma said backstage, mentioning a mix of gothic literature and romantic love stories as starting point of his creative process.
As result, he injected a tension between similar opposing forces to drive his collection, exemplified by the profusion of butterflies and their alter ego dragonflies popping everywhere under different guises — prints, embroideries, appliqué embellishments and chunky jewelry; the house’s signature soft and fluid silhouettes contrasting with his own precise tailoring; nude and pink hues juxtaposed to black and pops of acid green.
Sheer georgette frocks, tulle gowns, smocked minidresses, cascades of flounces and frills and lace inserts all contributed to the visual cacophony. Standing out in this were billowing blouses and dresses printed with butterfly motifs reworked to evoke leopard spots and, by contrast, sleek suiting in which the sharp lines of blazer jackets were softened on the back by georgette panels.
There was much and yet not enough to make this collection as compelling as Koma’s debut. It was smart to bet on the brand’s big potential to resonate on the red carpet and after dusk, but hopefully Koma won’t leave the Blumarine muses who live in daylight behind going forward.