It's almost impossible not to adore Marni. Under Francesco Risso's leadership, the Italian brand has become the embodiment of polished whimsy. Even setting aside the obvious favouritism, it's undeniable that the brand has tapped into its place in the industry. Following last season's extravagantly surrealist approach, the Spring/Summer 2025 collection took a subtler direction— a word rarely associated with Marni. Through the playful elegance of his designs, Risso creates a collection that captures fleeting beauty.

If in the last collection, the designer took on a paintbrush as the main source of inspiration, this season, all 54 looks took the place of a blank canvas — all made entirely out of cotton. In Risso's hands, the material transformed into a multitude of forms, contorting into origami-like shapes, or lacquered to mimic leather.

The collection opened with simpler looks. Tight trousers were paired with slightly oversized blazers in neutral shades. Whimsy appeared gradually. First, with a pop of colour in shades of light mint and yellowish beige. Then, unexpectedly, the hem of a tight-fitting pencil skirt exploded, while cropped jackets featured exaggerated shoulders. Shiny pussy-bow blouses paved the way for large-scale floral prints. Finally, (literal) eyebrow-raising silhouettes took over the runway, with comically oversized shoulders and mermaid-like skirts adorned with paper-feather boas.

Risso is intimately familiar with the concept of climax. After a steady build-up, the show ended with three gowns that, as Risso explained backstage, were meant to embody beauty itself. Not that we needed his words. The stunning fabric feathers, hiding crystallized floral appliqués in pannier-skirted dresses, said it all. As quickly as they appeared, the three gowns vanished — as the poem placed on each seat prophesied, beauty is but a white rabbit galloping through a dark forest.

Words by Pedro Vasconcelos

MARNI SS25

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