MILAN — The N21 collection by Alessandro Dell’Acqua, revealed on Tuesday for the upcoming winter season at Milan Fashion Week, offers a mix of contrasting elements: high fashion and casual wear, femininity and masculinity, lightweight and substantial fabrics.
Dell’Acqua reintroduces wardrobe essentials such as the iconic little black dress, updated with distinctive features like necklines adorned with bows or a sporty racer-back cut. This season’s knitwear, characterized by its boxy shape, promises to become a wardrobe staple, pairing effortlessly with laid-back corduroy, elegant A-line printed skirts, and organza skirts enhanced with beaded embellishments.
The design highlights bows as a central theme, either oversized on garments like dresses and skirts to accentuate silhouettes. Outerwear is given prominence, showcasing exaggerated shapes or details like feathery accents along the button closure. A standout piece is the corduroy barn coat, featuring a leather collar, which creates a captivating contrast when worn over a sheer dress.
Backstage, Dell’Acqua revealed that his creative vision was heavily influenced by the films of Sofia Coppola, particularly “Lost in Translation,” “The Virgin Suicides,” and “Marie Antoinette.”
“I love the imperfections,” Dell’Acqua shared. “Certain combinations, such as feathers placed unexpectedly, are playful even when they seem out of place.”
