MILAN — Since their presentation on the Milan Men’s Fashion Week schedule last June, Lessico Familiare founders Riccardo Scaburri, Alberto Petillo and Alice Curti have revisited a key aspect of their sustainable brand, which is rooted in one-off pieces.
They thought that developing a themed collection, like the bridal one they created for their debut last year, would remain an exception in their creative journey. However, the idea of offering an ironic take on the world of cocktail parties eventually enticed them to change their minds.
The “Cocktail” collection, which will be presented on Friday at Fondazione Sozzani, will continue to express the unusual and nostalgic nature of the brand while representing “the evening meeting point of the most diverse characters”.
As for their dress code for such a classy gathering, expect the froufrou of Lessico Familiare and a slightly costumed aesthetic, but with a nocturnal twist. “There are more bows, but darker. There are polka dots, ruffles, but padded, irreverent headdresses, midi or maxi dresses [resembling] more cocoons than dresses,” Scaburri teased. “There is no single inspiration or vague concept, just a desire to think about individual garments [created expressly] for each character, with references ranging from ‘Desperate Housewives’ [actress] Bree Van de Kamp for ‘Il bello delle donne’ [an Italian TV series in the early 2000s] going through Catherine Deneuve and ‘The OC’s Marissa Cooper,” he added.
A view from the Lessico Familiare “Cocktail” collection.
Riccardo Terzo/Courtesy of Lessico Familiare
The main pieces will focus on colorful cocoon shapes “where you don’t have to move your arms because there’s always someone else to serve you a drink”, as well as pencil skirts transformed into minidresses, all assembled using techniques the trio has been developing since launching Lessico Familiare during the pandemic , such as deconstruction, patchworks and trompe l’oeil effects.
In keeping with the brand’s sustainable mission, “textiles are dictated by what we find or are donated, as we intend to always repurpose fabrics and create collections step by step, without a preconceived color palette or fabric patterns,” said Scaburri.
For example, many of the garments were donated by Millesimé, one of the largest distributors of vintage items in Europe, who supported the creation of the first five special pieces of the line, as well as a series of white uniforms made entirely of shirts that are expected to be paraded before the actual collection.
“Those who were the waiters at this cocktail party at the beginning will then become the guests of honor,” Scaburri said of the show’s format, which is officially listed as a presentation but will also have a “very retro fashion show.” .
After the event, Fondazione Sozzani will continue to exhibit the collection for a month, when the range will be compared with other media on a weekly basis. This will include ceramics by Roberto Aponte, a musical concert by Gilda Manfrin and artworks by GianMarco Porruo, with whom Lessico Familiare developed the previous collection.
Riccardo Scaburri, Alice Curti and Alberto Petillo.
Courtesy of Lessico Familiare
The founders of the brand first met while attending the NABA School of Fashion, Art and Design. Having taken different paths — Scaburri credits previous experiences as a designer at Max Mara and GCDS; Petillo is both a tailor and a tattoo artist, while Curti worked in Miaorano before returning to NABA as a teacher — in 2020, they decided to launch Lessico Familiare, seeing what their home environment had to offer. Therefore, curtains, rugs and discarded clothing were reworked to turn the “famous lexicon”, which is what the brand name means in English, into new pieces.
The trio has always avoided defining the venture as a fashion brand, but outside perceptions have changed over the past months, Scaburri said. “We are increasingly considered a brand, even if it is indie, with a purpose, rather than a domestic project,” he said, pointing to the growing interest and openness of customers towards a brand that represents “one-off, sustainable and unreplicated” pieces in its offer.
Nevertheless, Lessico Familiare continues to avoid any commercial constraints, which ultimately allows the founders to explore different references, not follow a specific season and work to maintain the artisanal soul and authenticity of the brand.