Sunnei RTW Spring 2022

Giovanni Giannoni/WWD

The best way to make people do something is by forbidding it. Sunnei’s founders Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo must be masters of reverse psychology because guests were handed little canvas bags before accessing the dark set and a voice-over implored them to not open it. Of course, people continued to peek inside in anticipation.

When the show started and they were invited to finally satisfy their curiosity, a new sunglass style was revealed. Along with the brand’s Labauletto bag, it made for a capsule collection immediately available to be purchased, but the object actually came in handy at the show, too, since the set — a narrow corridor designed by the 2050+ agency — lit up with flashing lights for a dazzling effect.

The designers’ work has never been more in focus than this season. In an exciting, fun show, Messina and Rizzo presented a strong collection that condensed all the elements defining their world and brought them to the next level. Sunnei’s signature ‘90s rave aesthetics, elongated silhouettes, penchant for knitwear and reinterpretations of activewear were all detectable but also made space for refreshing experimentations.

Beaded fringes peeking from under Bermuda pants or covering pants layered with skirts enhanced movement, while floral motifs added a delicate touch when laser-cut on zippered shirts and pencil skirts, as well as when printed on denim. Trompe-l’oeil effects on overalls and smocked tops further enriched the designers’ fashion, which charmed with its energetic jolts of colors.

The first real show staged after the brand got a new financial partner, this marked a maturity step for the creative duo, which also saw its design team expanding over the last year.

Messina and Rizzo might have scaled up the business, but luckily they didn’t loose their indie vision: The only thing that has changed is that now people are looking more closely — through cool sunglasses.