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An Italian Fashion Editor Reveals The Next-Gen Designers To Know Now

Could one of them be the next Valentino?

Each season, style-setters flock to Milan Fashion Week for a taste of the craftsmanship, couture and creativity that have defined the nationโ€™s rich fashion history. From Gucci and Pucci to Prada and Versace, luxury houses abound, each serving up their own brand of โ€œmore is moreโ€.

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Yet today, a new guard of Italian designers are waiting in the wings, ready for their close-up. These up-and-comers are set on shaking up the sartorial codes, giving time-honoured traditions an injection of now.

Here, Ivana Spernicelli, fashion director of marie claire Italy, dishes on the new wave of Italian talent to watch.

Brognano
(Credit: Brognano)

BROGNANO by Nicola Brognano

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This Calabrian, who worked for Giambattista Valli and Dolce & Gabbana before launching his eponymous label in 2015, describes his designs as โ€œhot couture, a kind of fake couture, an unpretentious approach to high fashionโ€. Juxtaposition underlines his womenswear, says Spernicelli. โ€œI love the way he contrasts menโ€™s silhouettes with hyper femininity.โ€ Think oversized blazers in acid hues, giant tulle Pierrot collars and voluminous party dresses brought back down to earth by leather-look bike shorts peeking out underneath.

Tiziano Guardini
(Credit: Tiziano Guardini)

TIZIANO GUARDINI

Last year Guardini won the Franca Sozzani Green Carpet Challenge Award for Best Emerging Designer, an accolade that recognised his thoughtful use of materials: certified organic cotton, regenerated nylon and yarn made from castor oil (in a bid to save water). The designs may be socially conscious, but aesthetically Guardiniโ€™s vibe is anything but worthy โ€“ tropical prints and snappy colours splash his co-ed collections of polo shirts, parkas and other sporty separates. โ€œI like the research that goes into the fabrics and cuts, theyโ€™re very modern,โ€ says Spernicelli.

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Calcaterra
(Credit: Calcaterra)

CALCATERRA by Daniele Calcaterra

This Milan-native melds old-world elegance with a modern edge. โ€œVolume, clean lines and contemporary design,โ€ says Spernicelli. โ€œI love it!โ€ His collections play on androgyny โ€“ the latest cited Marlene Dietrich as muse โ€“ but sweeping hemlines, soft pleats and a luxe palette of copper, peach and mint are decidedly ladylike. Notably, the designer insists on working with top Italian garment producers to maintain a โ€œmade in Italyโ€ guarantee. Bellissima!

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