Creative Director Francesco Risso’s psyhcedlic, whimsical tenure at Marni continued in Milan this season as the Italian designer took the house on a DIY-filled journey. Titled ‘WearAfter,’ Risso’s Fall/Winter collection was a masterclass in couture-like deconstruction with a tinges of color play and manipulation throughout. 

As has become common practice with the Italian brand, a DIY runway was an added focal point to the already experimental ready-to-wear pieces. This season, attendees haphazardly gathered around a dimly lit walkway strewn with leaves as models paraded past, many of whom were carrying high-powered flashlights to guide the way.

“The future came and went, leaving us alone, but together in the dark, but lighter than before,” Risso said in a statement released to the press. “Where do we go after? Where are we bound, beyond what binds us to each other?” This season, the Italian designer was fascinated with the concept of mending and the handmade as a response to this top-of-mind question.

Patchwork knits, mismatched prints, and splattered motifs were mainstays throughout the collection while hints of Risso’s tailoring kn0w-how were splashed in between. DIY-influences manifested themselves in the form of distressed leathers, extremely oversized cardigans, and princess-esque dresses complete with bright red polka dots. Shunning a continuous palette, Risso’s knack for color and pattern play shone throughout, especially in terms of the collection’s knitwear and layered pieces.

And in a move unusual for the industry, Risso himself walked the runway wearing an embellished cropped suit set and a yellow cardigan. Trailing behind the designer were two rainbow hued tails that resembled a bridal train. After the show, guests and models gathered outside to share fruit-topped cakes and brightly colored deserts strewn across long tables in an attempt to blur the lines between community, the runway, and design.

Though many are looking to the Metaverse and NFTs to guide the future, Francesco Risso is looking to community. From inclusive, realistic casting to one-of-a-kind fabrication, Risso’s Marni is a welcomed ode to togetherness and the bonds that we share.