Blumarine has named Walter Chiapponi as the new creative director. His first collection for the house, owned by Marco Marchi (who is CEO and founder of holding company Eccellenze Italiane), will be presented during Milan Fashion Week in February 2024.
“I am delighted to have been appointed creative director of an iconic Italian brand that has outlined over time an idea of femininity that is defined by lightness and creativity. The possibility of contributing to establishing a new phase for Blumarine is for me an opportunity to embrace new thrilling and important horizons, to expand my vision and to restore sense to artistic expression,” Chiapponi said in a statement.
Chiapponi exited his creative director role at Tod’s in September after presenting his final collection for Spring/Summer 2024. He had been with the brand since 2019. Prior to Tod’s, he worked at Bottega Veneta where he worked under Tomas Maier, the former creative director.
The Milanese designer has also worked with the likes of Alessandro Dell’Acqua and had design stints at Givenchy, Valentino and Gucci. He is known for his nonchalant yet sophisticated style, suggesting a potential change for Blumarine, straying away from the Y2K aesthetic it has leaned so heavily on under the former creative director Nicola Brognano, who exited in October.
During his four-year reign, Brognano helped revive Blumarine, which hit its peak in the 1990s but lost traction in the 2010s. Brognano’s debut collection for the house, featuring butterfly tops and sequin-heavy items, went viral on TikTok in 2020, just as the Y2K style was rising in popularity. Brognano continued this vision until his final SS24 collection, which included low slung trousers and ruffled dresses, along with large feathered angel wings – reminiscent of those worn by Victoria’s Secret Angels – strapped to the backs of models.
Regardless of the high interest in Y2K, many young people don’t buy new. They instead prefer to wear items from each other’s wardrobes, helping to fuel a resale market that has tripled since 2020, according to the latest research by Boston Consulting Group and Vestiaire Collective. That may have been challenging for Blumarine, even if consumers’ nostalgic, retro aesthetic remains put. More recently, there has been a want for shopping less and buying well. The concept “quality over quantity” applies here.
At Blumarine, Brognano made a push on accessories as he sought to expand the label’s range. He also helped forge new ties with labels such as Heaven by Marc Jacobs and Suicoke through collaborations. Chiapponi is also experienced with accessories. At Tod’s, the designer directed the brand’s signature Gommino pebble detail and expanded it across footwear while also increasing its selection of handbags.
“I am confident that Walter Chiapponi, with his internationally recognized talent and his fine stylistic sensibility, will bring new energy to Blumarine while honoring the brand’s extraordinary heritage. I am proud to write a new and important chapter with Walter,” said Marchi.
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