A vibrant ode to creative fearlessness, the Marni Fall/Winter 2025 collection fuses Francesco Risso’s signature whimsy with the bold energy of Nigerian artists Slawn and Soldier. Presented as a cabaret-inspired spectacle at the brand’s Milan headquarters, the show fused painting, music and fashion into a sensory feast that defied conventional runway norms. Risso’s collaboration with the artists – a 20-day studio residency dubbed “The Pink Sun” – resulted in a series of decadent designs awash in candy hues, sumptuous silks and bold fur details.
Guests sipped Campari cocktails at paint-splattered tables while models like Tracee Ellis Ross navigated a narrow aisle in looks that channeled the theatrical glamour of 1970s cabaret. Fur cascaded from tailored coats, wrapped around necklines and striped boxy tops in bright red. Silky patchwork dresses shimmered in artificial lime, acid green, and faded purple, their colors echoing the collaborators’ hand-painted canvases on the walls. Even the daywear had a surreal edge: three-dimensional flowers erupted from shirt plackets, lightning bolts slashed across sulfur-yellow dresses, and traditional Crombie coats curved into unexpected cocoon silhouettes.
Risso described the creative process as “liberating,” emphasizing the absence of commercial constraints. “We dared to dream,” he said backstage, likening the trio’s dynamic to a “pack of happy wolves.” That free-spirited approach permeated the collection, where artistry trumped practicality. Shift dresses ballooned into eccentric pleated skirts, while tulip motifs bloomed across sharply tailored suits. A sequined black wolf spiraled around a scarlet pantsuit, and a bougainvillea pink opera coat featured an embroidered flower that unfurled at the shoulder.
The designer’s commitment to handcrafted detail shone through – georgette met ponyskin, moleskin brushed against mohair, and satin sirens glowed in jewel tones. For Risso, the collection encapsulated Marni’s evolution: a balance of disruption and reverence for the brand’s heritage. “Art permeates everything here,” he noted, underscoring his goal to let viewers “get drunk on these clothes.”
©Photo: Marni