Marco De Vincenzo's Etro Delves Into Allegories and Iconology for SS24
History and symbolism is hidden in plain sight.
Marco De Vincenzo is making Etro his own, diving into House traditions and its Milanese roots to deliver a Spring/Summer 2024 menswear collection doused in color and texture. It is this that the designer plays with in abundance this season, taking to Milan Fashion Week with his own interpretation of allegory.
The inspiration came from a trip to his hometown of Messina in Sicily, where he stumbled across a copy of Cesare Ripa’s Iconology, a seventeenth-century repertoire filled with allegorical images depicting virtues, qualities, and vices. Here, Etro spans into a world of its own allegories and historical nuances, as clothes act as talismans and relics from the past, built for today.
For example, tapestries were woven together in various forms for closing looks that ranged from capes to hoodies, but their design details were subtle and thus hidden in the masterful woven techniques. Coats looked like leather but were in fact coated, almost in what looked like PVC, and hidden meanings — allegory — were found throughout.
Blazers, bermudas, jumpsuits, fuzzy jumpers, and football tops featured in a collection that also brought sparkling shirts, thick blankets that turned into alternative coats, and cardigans decked in Etro cues. It’s symbolism hidden in plain sight, and it plays on what we all think we know — allegoric images of Augurio Buono, Bellezza, Eternità, Lussuria, and Tenacità turned into football player mascots on jerseys, subverting traditions within traditions.
Aside from the concept, there was an honest focus on creating beautiful clothes. Textures were rich as always with Etro, and in turn it left us wanting to wrap up in the House’s use of luxurious fabrics, silks, knits, and wools. There was no distinction between the luxury of a tank top and the meticulousness of a blazer with notched lapels — both felt equally opulent.
Take a look at the Etro SS24 collection in the gallery above, and find more Milan Fashion Week SS24 coverage here.
For a similar vibe, check out the deceptive Spring 2024 collection from Our Legacy.
