Artefact, Extreme, and Strength: these are the striking names chosen for the fashion trends of the new Spring-Summer 2018 season designed by Orietta Pelizzari for Arsutoria, Milan’s renowned school for the pattern making and design of shoes and bags.

Presented at an event dedicated to designers, businesses, and the press that was held at the school this past 2 November, these seasonal trends then went on to become the protagonists of a tour that traveled to the main Italian districts of shoes and bags: Scandicci in the Province of Florence, Sambruson di Dolo in Riviera del Brenta, and Sant’Elpidio a Mare in the Marches.

The story told by Orietta Pelizzari through leathers, fabrics, and accessories is rooted in a dynamism that has characterized fashion over the last few seasons, highlighting a clear break with the codes of the past. Themes like surrealism, with reference made in particular to the paintings of Jeronimus Bosch and the films of Tim Burton (above all “The Corpse Bride”), have provided inspiration to a season characterized by a tendency to exaggerate, in search of surprise effects.

It is not be chance – explains Orietta Pelizzari – that the most talked about brands of the moment are those that have decided to amaze and exaggerate, those that make a break with the past: Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Valentino, and Dior – with a focus on the concept of decorativism and the mixing of genres, above all between deco and sport.

Artefact

In other words, artfully done: an expression of neodecorativism, rich in romantic influences, caught halfway between Hollywood and fairy tale-like atmospheres; a Renaissance hangover, between heaven and hell; a rococo grunge, for jungle eclecticism and esoteric femininity.

It is conveyed through leathers with washed-out prints, which are a throwback to interior decoration, and bright inserts. Ikat with an ethnic effect, jacquard and re-printings. Flowers and floral prints brushed and dotted are dedicated to a gothiclike fairy tale style, with large sophisticated flowers for high fashion and tropical patterns for prêt-à-porter. Paper effects, glitter that is also matte, overlaying with bright effects in contrast to flowers, damasks, floral embroideries, embossed fabrics and prints. Combinations of shoestrings and laces, ropes and drawstrings, glitter and sequins, fringes that become a must, dangling accessories.

Heels are sturdy, thick and rounded square, also in men’s footwear. Exotic leathers like crocodile and other reptiles are covered in floral themes, prints propose stylized and surreal animalier. Brocade fabrics with gold lamé decorated threads that are extremely lightweight are combined with chiseled heels. Feathers and satin that are also padded, and canvas and lamé fiber, together with mixes of rope outsoles, define an ethnicchic look, while Texan boots are softened by inserts and floral embroideries; python skin conveys an exotic and sexy look, and an urban style is characterized by embroideries and patches, rope, embroidery appliqués, and natural meshes.

Light is the great protagonist of leathers and fabrics, with crystals and flashes of crystal dust, glitter-paper effects, micro sequins and Swarovski. Copper gold alloy is colored by pink and orange shades. There are also yellow and mirrored tones, next to red bronze and tarnished shades. Another important color is red, expressed in laminates, reflective surfaces, and decorated with glossy and watery finishes. Finally, for a vintage signature, there is suede with an extremely soft hand and sheepskin renewed by bright colors and fine grains, a smooth hand, removables, and some brushing. The women for shoe, low boots and pumps with rounded toes, or low boots and pointed sandals. For men, the derby and loafer. For both, low outsoles and dressy espadrilles.

Extreme

In other words, where extremes come together: nature and technology, classic and sporty, beauty and performance, roughness and luster. Externally shoes are made out of soft suede and a classic shape, while the inside features technical high-performance meshes.

Silicon inserts, rubber threads on models characterized by a sophisticated taste. Bright oxidations, contrasts between glossy and wrinkled surfaces, with golden glitter inserts. Raw laser cuts, also redecorated, and the explorer version of a military world, with prints and large volumes, leathers with rigid effects, and mistreated nubuck with relief and faded effects. Oxidized, but with a look that is more “wicked” than the trends of previous seasons. Black and contemporary gray, with paper finishes and matte treatments that convey stiffness to the leather, pressed and greased, with white wrinklings.

Workwear inspiration for new denim, with sheeting, splitting, dripping, and then dotted effects, stitches on single weave, and combinations of oxidations with green, stretch. Oxidations colored with minerals, almost mirror-like surfaces, brushings with mineral effects, watery colors. Grainy oxidations, waxed vegetable tanned leathers. Weavings with raw threads and rope. Wild, washed-out effects, mistreated vegetable tanned leathers, nubuck and ruined crusts, crushed with Ikat color effects. Wrinkling, dirtying, veining, washing-out. Colors with pure marbled effects, bright waxings. Overlapping and corroded colors.

For women, there are sandals, low boots, platforms, flat sandals, and strappy footwear, with models that are characterized by a focus on practicality. For men, we find bootees and low lace-ups, and for both, there is mountain climbing footwear.

Strength

In other words, techno-futurism, where durability and functionality come together, giving life to a smart minimalism, with a sexy intonation that is technological and sophisticated at the same time.

A mix of patterns, divisions, cuts, and perforations… expressed through rubber padded nylon, distinct and experimental materials, and innovative surfaces. Laser, printed, decorated, dual layer, and geometric meshes, which are often also stretch, can even be used to cover heels. Colored graphics, accessories with perfect symmetry, lines providing movement across surfaces, polka dots, striped prints, wavy colored bands, splitting effects, fringes, and fastenings. Lines create waves, designing concentric effects, small mosaics, multiple stripes with psychedelic effects, optical spirals in Black and White, and turbine effects, which are also expressed in the world of Plexiglas.

Stretch reigns supreme over every other kind of material and is lit up by metal effects. Sophisticated softness and naturalness in leathers creates a sports-chic intonation, where elegant nuances like skin and denim tones are the protagonists, together with soft rubber effects. Metallizations favor silvered steel that is bright with iridescent effects. Finishes and technical satin feature glitter, wet, watery, and shiny effects. Paper with mirrored effects, found also in technical details, for shoes with a minimal look that is cuttingedge at the same time, in single-piece napa leather.

Sabots, sandals, and geometric bags for her; while for him, there are lace-ups, high derby shoes, and high and technical outsoles. For both, there are active and capsule sneakers.