Camille Miceli, the Creative director at Emilio Pucci, has embarked on an Italian Grand Tour for her collections, taking inspiration from the country’s vibrant regions. After Capri, Florence, and a brief detour to St. Moritz, Miceli finds herself captivated by the “Eternal City” – Rome. But this wasn’t just a random selection for the Spring/Summer 2024 collection; it was deeply personal.
“It was actually rather personal,” Miceli revealed during a preview, explaining her father’s Roman roots and her frequent visits. However, the choice also served to “connect the dots.” A chance encounter with a 1990s Vogue Italia cover featuring Isabella Rossellini (shot by Steven Meisel and styled by Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele) sparked the collection’s theme. Rossellini, channeling Sophia Loren’s charisma, stood against a backdrop of Pucci’s iconic geometric swirls – aquatic blues and turquoises inspired by the tiny Mediterranean island of Vivara, near Naples. This image ignited a chain reaction, leading Miceli to christen the collection “Very Vivara” and showcase it in Rome itself.
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“Connecting Pucci’s flair for glamour, its most iconic print from 1965, the allure of Rome, the sensuality of Italian women à la Sophia Loren: it all sort of came full circle, almost serendipitously,” Miceli elaborated. The show culminated with a regal Rossellini swathed in a dramatic Vivara-printed terry cloth cape, a fitting tribute to the collection’s inspiration.
The venue itself echoed the theme – the frescoed salons of Palazzo Altemps, a 16th-century aristocratic mansion turned museum, provided an atmospheric backdrop for a modern and confident collection. The show opened with a radiant Christy Turlington in an elegant black caftan, its neckline embellished with a sequined Bersaglio motif. Caftans and capes are not only quintessentially Pucci, but also embody Miceli’s inclusive design philosophy – these shapes flatter a variety of body types and ages. The diverse casting, featuring Eva Herzigova and Devyn Garcia alongside Turlington, further emphasized this commitment. “The Pucci famiglia is about different women, different spirits and characters,” Miceli stated, applauding her for keeping diversity at the forefront in a fashion industry often criticized for its homogeneity.
Following her exploration of Pucci’s psychedelic side in previous collections, Miceli sought a more balanced approach for Spring/Summer 2024. “Keeping it real but not boring,” as the French might say, she introduced a touch of “racé” – sophisticated and urbane. The opening looks leaned towards sleek black, showcasing a toned-down exuberance with sequined trimmings on cropped jackets and satiny coats subtly accented with the curvy Cigno motif. Asymmetry added a touch of intrigue, with twill scarf skirts and tunics in muted earth tones featuring contrasting leather inserts for a tougher edge. Denim came in new low-slung silhouettes, laser-etched with trompe l’œil swirling patterns.
The collection gradually progressed into more vibrant territory, culminating in all-over printed tattoo ensembles in stretchy tulle. These pieces offered a touch of slinkiness while remaining effortlessly wearable, much like a t-shirt. Referencing her time working under Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel, Miceli reminisced, “He used to say that wearing Pucci was like wearing a full-on tatouage. So voilà!, we did the tatouage.”
Read more: Lacoste Fall/Winter 2024 – Paris Fashion Week
©Photo: Emilio Pucci
