Calcaterra RTW Fall 2023
A sense of ease and refinement ran through the solid collection by Daniele Calcaterra, one of the designers who remain off the hype radar of the Milan scene, marching to the beat of his own drum.
Fashion-wise, this is set to the steady tempo of impeccable tailoring, which resonated in the fall 2023 collection, too. Backstage, the designer said he was inspired for fall by the three eras he favors, “the ’20s, the ’70s and the ’90s: all those moments when women were freed from constrictions of the past.”
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Yet the tactile richness and preciseness of Calcaterra’s graphic lines stood out with even more immediacy than those references.
Different weights, textures and patterns alternated in the lineup, from wool cloth to cotton, bouclé to silk crepe. They were cut in an array of proportions, ranging from cocooning oversized silhouettes to fitted ones, defining feminine hourglass shapes.
The show-openers in buttery tones were particularly charming in their purity, including a sharp jacket with a belt closure wrapped around the torso and matched with a paneled skirt; a bouclé sartorial look embellished with brushed wool details and punctuated with a statement brooch, and a strapless dress with three-dimensional embroideries layered with an ample, collarless coat.
The pristine segment was followed by intense pops of red and muddy-shaded looks as well as the introduction of a vintage zebra pattern that Calcaterra printed on fluid shirts and pants in recycled twill, taking his sober elegance into more daring territory.
In times when fashion is also changing direction, drifting from the streetwear craze toward a more polished look and new takes on formalwear, here’s a niche brand that could have a say with its desirable investment pieces.
Launch Gallery: Calcaterra RTW Fall 2023
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