for the boys
Inspiration
For this collection, I was inspired by a personal experience that happened last year, when I was criticized and humiliated for a TikTok video showing my collection. Many people said my approach was “too feminine” to be considered menswear, questioning my work, my vision as a designer, and even who I am as a person.
It was a tough moment that made me feel very uncomfortable and hurt. But from that experience, I started to reflect and found a connection with Pasolini’s film Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, which explores power and humiliation. The link is in how humiliation is used as a tool of control: in Salò, it comes from authority, while in my case, it was amplified by the internet. In the end, this experience taught me that even negative moments can lead to something positive. I was able to turn the criticism into creative strength, and that moment of vulnerability inspired this collection. It’s not right to be humiliated just for expressing your creative vision. Art should be a free form of expression, not a target for narrow-mindedness. If their judgment reflects a closed and authoritarian mindset, I choose not to give in: I am not like them, and I never will be. For the shapes, I drew inspiration from both the structured, rigid lines of military menswear and the delicate, form-fitting designs of lingerie. The juxtaposition of these two opposing elements reflects the tension between control and vulnerability, power and fragility. Military styles represent authority, control, and dominance, while lingerie symbolizes intimacy, softness, and vulnerability.
In terms of color, I’ve opted for a muted and somber palette, with tones like deep greens, grays, and blacks, reflecting the harshness of authority and military uniforms. Contrasting with these, I’ve incorporated touches of softer, more sensual colors such as pale pinks and white, symbolizing both femininity and vulnerability.
Materials
The materials I’ve chosen reflect the duality I want to explore in this collection—vulnerability and power. Military-inspired fabrics, like heavy cottons, canvas, and wool, are strong and structured, embodying the control and authority I want to critique. These materials give a sense of discipline and rigidity, which ties into the oppressive aspect of power.On the other hand, I’ve incorporated fabrics traditionally associated with femininity, like mesh, silk, crepe de chine, lace, and satin, to represent vulnerability and the softer side of the narrative. These materials are delicate and fragile, much like the emotional vulnerability that comes with humiliation, yet they also carry a sense of defiance in their juxtaposition with the more rigid military elements. By combining these contrasting fabrics, I aim to tell a story of conflict—of struggling against power structures while embracing the vulnerability that comes with expressing one’s true self. The materials, therefore, are not just aesthetic choices but are integral to the concept of the collection, symbolizing the tension between control and self-expression.
Collaborations
This collection is realized in collaboration with Michele Ferretto, Undergraduate in Fashion Accessories Design alumnus, and Elias Matso, Undergraduate in Fashion Design student
Credits: photo by Filippo Fior and Salvatore Dragone / GoRunway
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