You don’t need to have Harry Styles’ penchant for leotards and pearls to stand out from the crowd. Instead, one or two bold pieces can help make an outfit without labelling you as a tryhard.
Enter Marni – an Italian label offering eclectic styles and an offbeat appeal.
You’ll need to rewind to 1994 to discover the roots of the business, where a young Consuelo Castiglioni wanted to build an avant garde fashion label distinct from her family’s fur business.
Castiglioni made a name for the brand by creating original and fashion-forward prints – even getting in early on the collaboration game, working with the likes of Sir Peter Blake of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club fame.
In 2012, Marni was bought out by Renzo Rosso and the OTB Group, paving the way for current creative director Francesco Risso to take the reins.
The Central St Martins student and one-time protégé of Miuccia Prada proved the perfect designer to take Castiglioni’s vision to the next level, introducing upcycling and repurposing to Marni’s already highly contemporary offering.
In a recent interview with Vogue, Risso summed up his feelings on fast-fashion succinctly: “Today we need less – and less clothes that are needless.”
Well, if there’s one thing we need this chilly Spring, it’s a warm cardie and a woollen scarf to keep the cold at bay.
Naturally, Marni’s offerings in this department are delivered with more than a little flair.
Take this brushed mohair-blend cardigan with its bold striped design: its hand-dyed luxury yarn is as soft and fluffy as it looked, and it benefits from a silhouette as relaxed as you’ll be when you’re wearing it. Pair it with dark jeans and some chunky boots.
Or if you want a simple flash of Marni flamboyance, how about a striped alpaca-blend scarf – a perfect accessory to lift both your navy peacoat and your mood.
And that’s really what Marni is all about – lifting your outfit as well as your outlook.
For more Marni, head to harveynichols.com
