Pierre-Louis Mascia was visibly emotional as he took his final bow after dancers from choreographer Pierre Rigal’s company wrapped up his first runway show, which took place at Florence’s Tepidarium del Roster, a Liberty-era greenhouse.
Inspired by art school students commuting in the early-morning hours with messy hair and their quintessential youthful flair, the collection was filled with rich prints — 20 of which were new — featuring botanical, geometric and wild animal motifs that were splashed on fluid silk pants and pleated overskirts, unlined blazers and pajama sets.
The AC/DC pins scattered on the chests of souvenir jackets, Metallica-font-logoed T-shirts, the California skater guy in boxy shorts and a polo shirt, and the colorful soccer jersey-inspired tops proved Mascia’s sensibility toward today’s youth cultures and contributed to his maximalist aesthetics.
It was perhaps his response to the actual city streets, which, he said in a preview, are currently “super boring,” with little fashion excitement to be inspired by. His tribe is certainly a distinctive one.