Since ancient times, the Mediterranean has been a crossroads of cultures, trade and ideas. Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations flourished along its coastline, leaving an indelible mark on the art and architecture that have survived to this day, and the meeting of European, African and Oriental traditions led to a fruitful creative exchange. Consequently, over the centuries, the Mediterranean basin has also had a lasting and fascinating influence on customs and fashions. The vibrant and vibrant colors of the Mediterranean landscape, for example, have inspired color palettes that have been used in clothing, accessories, and jewelry. Mediterranean coastal cities such as Cannes, Positano, Barcelona and Mykonos have provided the backdrop for many iconic fashion shows and campaigns. The laid-back and chic atmosphere of these places has influenced the style of clothing, promoting the adoption of light clothing, flowy clothing and breathable fabrics. The wardrobe approach is often characterized by effortless elegance, where elements of luxury are combined with an informal attitude. So let’s see where the timelessly sophisticated Mediterranean landscape has framed the fashion collections of the most famous luxury brands.
Italy Dolce and Gabbana
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have often drawn inspiration from the Mediterranean to create iconic collections that embody the region’s timeless elegance and vivacity. Based on the somewhat stereotypical but always expensive collective imagination of Southern Italy, the designer couple is rooted in its culture and traditions. A clear love for a beautiful country and the declared source of inspiration that it is for the duo are sublimated and expressed by the Grand Tour of the presentation of the Alta Moda and Alta Sartoria (women’s and men’s haute couture) collections, which started in 2012 from Taormina. . Over the years, the route has touched some of the most representative stages of the Italo-Mediterranean culture, such as Capri (Alta Moda Autumn/Winter 2014/2015), Portofino (Alta Moda Autumn/Winter 2015/16), Naples (Alta Moda Autumn/Winter 2015/ 16). Winter 2016/17), Palermo (Alta Fashion Fall/Winter 2017/18), Agrigento (Alta Fashion Fall/Winter 2019/20), Syracuse (Alta Fashion and Alta Sartoria Fall/Winter 2022/23) and more recently Apulia, with Alberobello and Ostuni (High Fashion and High Tailoring Fall/Winter 2023). The noble intention behind this approach is to bring Italian craftsmanship and craftsmanship to the world.
Dolce & Gabbana collections are often filled with prints inspired by the flora and fauna of the Mediterranean, including lemons, orange blossoms, fish and nautical motifs. Lightweight fabrics, lace, elegant cuts and flowing lines of dresses reflect the relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere of coastal resorts, sometimes hinting at the stoic ambivalence typical of the Italian spirit, such as the contrast between religion, passion and eroticism. In addition, Dolce & Gabbana often filmed advertising campaigns on Mediterranean beaches or in picturesque coastal towns. Infused with the visual and aesthetic heritage of Italian neo-realism, these campaigns convey the idea of a glamorous lifestyle, but at the same time authentic and close to folk traditions and nature. The use of Italian-style models and celebrity icons (read Monica Bellucci) then helped cement the brand’s connection to the Mediterranean environment.
Chanel and Le Resort on the French Riviera
Anyone watching the 2011 Chanel Resort created by Karl Lagerfeld can’t help but think it’s a movie about the 1970s Riviera. Saint-Tropez at sunset with the sun sinking into the sea, hundreds of guests sitting on the red wooden chairs of the famous Senequier, and many other spectators crowding on the balconies and clinging to the barricades. Natasha Poly, Anja Rubik and the rest of the actors of Karl Lagerfeld arrive at the Jean Jaurès embankment in a motor boat. Models and models parade barefoot in soft, light and flowing dresses. A nostalgic soul pervades the collection. Although Lagerfeld’s eyes were always on the after, the designer couldn’t help bringing Chanel to Saint-Tropez. Having spent many years of his life there, the city became his second home. “I know Saint Tropez the same way I know Paris,” he confirmed in an interview with Vogue.
However, for the 2012 resort, the house chose a location that symbolizes the good life on the French Riviera: the Hotel du Cap in Antibes, arguably the most expensive hotel in the world at the time. Compared to the aforementioned microcosm of Saint-Tropez, which along the coast is only a few hours from Antibes, Lagerfeld defined the new location as “the other side of paradise.” An extravagant and luxurious side that allows for a level of fun eccentricity that the old fishing village of Saint-Tropez by no means aspires to. Finally, current Chanel creative director Virginie Viard flew (only wisely, unfortunately due to the Coronavirus pandemic) to Italy for the Chanel Cruise 2021 show. ferry. Naples, the collection received a romantic name Balada in the Mediterranean.
Christian Dior in Palais Bulles
For Dior’s Resort 2016, creative director Raf Simons invited guests to Le Palais Bulles in Theoule-sur-Mer in France. It is a terracotta bubble palace located on a cliff halfway between Cannes and Monaco, designed by Antti Lovag and now owned by the legendary Pierre Cardin. The building, overlooking the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Sea, created an atmosphere “playful, sweet…almost childish,” according to Simons himself, who visited it for the first time five years earlier and fell in love with it. with this. The same “anti-architect” Antti Lovag conceived his work thinking of “juers and adventurers”, gamblers and adventurers. Simons claimed that from Le Palais you observe the world with different eyes, thanks to the presence of the lush and violent nature of the south of France, the vast clear sky, the majestic and brutal coast of Theoule-sur-Mer, which excites the minds of creative and brilliant, as it was in the past for such artists like Picasso and Matisse.
Emilio Pucci and the island of Capri
Pucci and Capri are a safe and winning combination, much like ice cream with chocolate and cream. We know that they work together. The heritage of the Italian brand, which flourished in the 1970s, is inextricably linked to the island, the Marquis’s favorite vacation spot. It is thanks to the combination of this place, the aristocratic lifestyle of Emilio Pucci’s acquaintances and innovative clothing fashion boutique that the brand found immediate success. For her first collection as creative director of the brand, Camille Miceli planned an intense “experience” that included 160 guests from Paris, Milan and London. Throughout the island, various living paintings could be found, with which the Pre-Fall 2022 collection called blue grotto – was presented. American rapper Gunna gave a performance that ended three days dedicated to the Pucci universe. Spiritual Dinners sweet life, hours-long lunches at Bagni di Tiberio; morning yoga classes for everyone who does not want to give up the trendy side of fitness; practical lessons on how to wear a scarf, given in the brand’s shop on Via Camerelle, the island’s mini fashion street. Miceli, in an interview that followed the release of her first collection, called Pucci a “lifestyle brand”. the joy of life forms the center of its codes. A positive and sophisticated energy that fully reflects the spirit of Capri.
Prada in Capo Carbonara
Prada Spring 2022 menswear conveys a sense of utopia, idealism, hope and positivity. According to Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada, this is the freedom to communicate with nature and the opportunity to spend time on the beach, a manifestation of a primitive need, both intellectual and instinctive. Presented as a movie due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions, the show begins with models walking through a winding red tunnel, symbolizing the transition to the outside world, so coveted at the time. When the models reach it, we discover that it is a beach. To be precise, we are located on the coast of Capo Carbonara, in the southeastern part of Sardinia, in an enchanting area with breathtaking scenery, majestic cliffs and crystal clear waters, where the company supports the restoration of marine ecosystems. The purpose of the film is to evoke “that joy, like the memory of a child going to the beach. This is the most simple and sincere pleasure, which in its simplicity also becomes something deep and timeless,” Simons explained in notes before the performance.
Jacquemus at La Calanque de Sormiou
The Mediterranean boy is the archetype of the Jacquemus man, the one with which Simon Porte Jacquemus gave life to the brand’s menswear line with the Menswear Spring 2019 collection. Gajo by Jacquemus is a young man from the south of France, extremely attractive, with a slim and muscular body, who spends his days outdoors with friends. Sunny, as only those who live along the Mediterranean coast can be, gives the feeling that it draws its life force from the sun. Calanque de Sormiou is a wonderful bay where models paraded, the largest calanque in the Calanques National Park, located in the 9th arrondissement of Marseille, which is also the hometown of the creative director. The cove, famous for its climbing spots, epitomizes the lifestyle of the Jacquemus man: away from the metropolis, the idealized Provencal “handsome man” seems to live for adventure, relaxation, fun and carelessness. What we all want, right?
Ibiza Loewe Paula
Ibiza is considered a Balearic paradise. A place that captivates the senses with its vibrant colors, eclectic sounds and free spirit, the island embodies beauty that transcends appearance and touches the soul of all who visit. When Heinemann, a German architect by profession, arrived here in 1972, he decided to buy Paula, a boutique known as the international hippie center of the day. Paula’s good times ended at the turn of the 20th century, but in 2016, under the creative direction of Jonathan Anderson, Loewe approached Heinemann to revive the store and its collections. Anderson grew up in Ibiza, and Paula’s local traditions are familiar to him. Evoking personal memories of a summer spent on the island and a love for the Balearic Islands, Loewe Paula Ibiza embodies the quintessence of the designer’s idea of escapism. And so, every year since the summer of 2017, a collection of women’s and men’s clothing and accessories has been released, co-branded and full of that contagious energy that only Ibiza conveys.
Vacation Versace
Bay of Cannes at sunset, viewed from the top of the surrounding hills. It is a breathtaking landscape that was the backdrop for Holiday, The Pre-Fall 2023 collection from Donatella Versace and Dua Lipa is perhaps the most hyped this year. La Vacanza was presented in the garden of a magnificent luxury villa overlooking the sea, with a walkway passing over the pool, around which guests sipped an aperitif. The villa also seems to have been the setting for some of the scenes Thief hunting Hitchcock’s cinematic masterpiece in 1955. The Cannes Film Festival is still up in the air and the presentation of the film phenomenon of pop culture Barbie, who sees in the soundtrack the presence of the song of Dual Lipa herself, the Mediterranean coasts remain a favorite place for the coolest summer holidays.