Etro's exotic boho summer flits between masculine and feminine

By

Dominique Muret

Published
Sep 22, 2019

Etro was longing for wide open spaces and faraway horizons on Friday, setting up three large hot air balloons in the neoclassical courtyard of the Milan Conservatory. It was a call to adventure for aristocratic adventurers eager to extend the summer with the syncopated rhythm of wild beach parties that don't finish until dawn. 

Although Veronica Etro is still passionate about precious fabrics and mixing cultures, employing a range of ancestral artesanal techniques, this season she turned towards a decidedly sexier, more glamorous style, sending out frilly little mini-dresses with long trains and plunging necklines. 

The enticing outfits put one in mind of the flamboyant aesthetic of Roberto Cavalli, as gypsy maxi-dresses in weightless chiffon, blouses decorated with bows and frills, and flowing animal-print tunics made their way down the catwalk. 

Channelling a lingerie vibe, Etro's models also wore spaghetti-strap tops, puffed-up panties and sensual silk jumpsuits with slits. But the sexiest looks by far were those featuring a simple man's shirt, or consisting of only a jacket. One deep green piece in particular took on airs of an exotic dressing gown with its tapestry-like print and its generous kimono sleeves. 

 
This hyper-femininity was counterbalanced by elements of menswear, like the aforementioned shirt, a reissue of the GE01, the first ever shirt created by the brand's founder Gimmo Etro, which is being re-released this season. The label also offered up a range of men's suits for next summer, with other models opting for pirate looks, throwing on large boots and belts, and topping the outfit off with a turban or a wide-brimmed hat. 

The ethnic boho spirit of the 1970s ran through the whole collection, which featured light cotton dresses decorated with embroidery, metallic fringe and strings of pearls, but also caftans in a patchwork of printed silk, the house's iconic paisley pattern, Indonesian ikat and Berber stripes proving to be favourite motifs. Little embroidered boleros and fringed bags decorated with pearls completed the wardrobe, along with the handwoven blankets thrown over models' shoulders like shawls.