The idea of doing a soccer themed collection during a Milan fashion week that just happens to fall smack dab in the middle of the World Cup could be seen as a bit of a fashion cheat. But not in the hands of Antonio Marras.
A designer who brings a layered richness to anything he does, Marras’s spring/summer 2015 show wasn’t merely about soccer. It was a celebration of the famous Sardinia soccer player Gigi Riva. The all time leading scorer for the Italian national team. Nicknamed “Roar of Thunder” he lead the Sardinian Cagliari soccer team to its only Serie A title. Also his rugged good looks made him the David Beckham of his day.
“He became a hero for Sardinian people, a role model, because he chose to stay in Sardinia over joining the most important teams,” said Marras to explain why Riva was fascinated with him as a child.
That concept of bucking the system might be another reason why Marras feels drawn to Riva. The designer is also blazing his own path in the fashion world. And this season that meant lots of mixing and matching. Not just in terms of prints, that saw polka dots paired with plaids or florals broken-up by color bands, but also in the juxtaposition of fabrics. Say a boxy printed top with a panel of nylon spliced into the center or a denim jacket finished off with knitted sleeves.
Some of the most striking looks of the show were the dramatic shirts embroidered with the profile of Riva or the image of a soccer ball clutched in a pair of man’s hands. And the finale of the show, which was presented on an outdoor basketball court and accompanied by a lively percussion band, that featured all the models wearing the official World Cup soccer jerseys reimagined by Marras made for a fun loving finish to this heartwarming collection.
