Alberta Ferretti Pre-Fall 2022

Courtesy of Alberta Ferretti

Alberta Ferretti has always been on the side of women: she observes them, studies them and knows these are tough times, even for the romantic-at-heart ones like her.

But instead of dialing back her fashions’ feminine quotient to meet the more pragmatic needs of her customer, this season she used romanticism as a tool to elevate and add an eccentric touch to a daywear wardrobe.

She revisited utilitarian staples, cropping field jackets to contrast with generous proportions of pleated pants, and puffing the sleeves of a long trench coat to create a charming volume. Mixing textures and colors, Ferretti combined leather separates with taffeta ruffled dresses and shirts with big bows, softening the attitude of strong women armed with berets and boots.

As the lineup progressed, fabric experimentation and graphic motifs took over, including different renditions of black-and-white geometric patterns mixed together for an eclectic clash. While this made for the most daring and unexpected part of the collection, the designer stressed that there’s always room at Ferretti for dreamy eveningwear and ethereal chiffon gowns. Sometimes reality can wait.