Francesca Carini, design process

Francesca Carini’s collection was inspired by her Italian heritage and the story of immigration from an agricultural lifestyle in the rural mountains of Italy to the liberal city lifestyle of London in the 60s/70s, taking a look at the Italian communities that formed there. She explored how culture and traditions from a simple, rustic way of life adapt to their new surroundings and the visuals of a new decade.

Francesca uses these historic references to create pieces that possess a timeless quality and can be cherished for years to come. Using silks and luxurious fabrics, she has taken inspiration from traditional and formal clothing worn at religious ceremonies, and from the layered, structured and draped silhouettes of Italian medieval regional dress. She developed her collection through a long draping and sampling process in order to create pieces that are technical and considered yet appear natural and effortless.

The collection possesses a luxurious quality, with interesting volume and movement, whilst still being very wearable. Delicate drapes of silk in neutral colours, contrast with more structured and fitted pieces to form a well-balanced collection. These pieces are for the woman who acknowledges the sentimentality in clothing and invests in well-made pieces that can be treasured for years to come.