Milano Unica Tendenze F/W 2020-21: the story
An audacious fusion of sustainability and eroticism
With “Ecorotica”, the theme chosen for the "Tendenze" Fall/Winter 2020-21, Milano Unica has undoubtedly indicated an audacious and innovative direction for the creation of the new collections.
The presentation event, which was held at the Fabbrica Orobia this past March 7th, invited exhibitors, journalists, designers and fashion school students to enter into a sensual and engaging journey, marked by the unexpected intertwining of two highly topical subjects: sustainability and eroticism.
With the combination of two apparently opposite universes, the utopian altruist saving the planet on one hand and the individual instinct for pleasure on the other, “Ecorotica” creates some interesting points of overlap by concentrating its vision on behavior and how this influences aesthetics, style and contemporary life.
The global dimension and the individual dimension alternate and combine with each other in the proposals envisioned by the Style Committee, led by Stefano Fadda, who explained that: “The theme of eroticism stems from the observation of the attitudes that social networks have sparked off on a global level. In fact, the law of “like” has imposed a need to show oneself and to appear in order to be approved and posted. In this general context of self-promotion and self-revelation, eroticism is seen as a tendency towards sensual attitudes, which also determines precise aesthetic choices.”
The President of Milano Unica, Ercole Botto Poala underscored the importance of sustainability, a principle and a concrete choice, which must be increasingly integrated in every creative process. “Respect for the environment begins with a production chain that is aware and that employs eco-friendly processes and does not overlook recycling, moving towards a circular economy that shuns waste and by-products that pose hazards for the planet.”
This commitment has been central to Milano Unica for some time, and on the occasion of the "Tendenze" presentation found its concrete expression in a dedicated installation that focused a spotlight on the different aspects of a sustainable approach to textile production: from processes to materials, from recycling to regeneration, through the most efficient technological innovations, for fashion that is eco-friendly without giving up its seductive allure.
Photo gallery
The creative and aesthetic ideas of “Ecorotica” draw from a broad spectrum of inspiration, ranging from the cinema to photography, from figurative art to science fiction, underscoring the main aesthetic elements and trends of an era profoundly influenced by the digital world and the predominance of appearances. This is the point of departure for the three themes, dedicated to three attitudes and ways of dealing with reality; three powerful aesthetics; one dramatic, one surreal and one supernatural, that become true stages for the play of life: Ecorotic Drama, Ecorotic Circus and Ecorotic Eden.
Ecorotic Drama
The iconographic references for this theme are David Lynch, Ridley Scott and, going further back, the silent films of the twenties and the photos of Man Ray and Adolf de Meyer, the German photographer active in the first years of the 1900s. The accent is on drama and dark portrayals: here the erotic futurist vision is represented by a clone, sensual and aesthetically distinctive, wrapped in sumptuous clothes, nocturnal brocades superimposed on glossy organza, of draped and flowing satin, edged in refined lingerie trim.
Ecorotic Circus
The mood is surreal and nothing is what it seems; the attitude is irreverent, almost mocking. We are a ways from the classic image of the circus: the clown is more like the Joker, and the movies of reference are by Luc Besson and Tim Burton. At the same time, the sensual aspect is highlighted by citations from the world of the Crazy Horse and the Cirque du Soleil.
Riding crops, poles and impossibly long-sleeved gloves are the key accessories of this theme. The men instead opt for lace detailing on ultra-fine poplin, anatomical patches and sassy macro-embroidery.
Ecorotic Eden
A dreamlike, supernatural world, populated by chimeras, centaurs, fauns, carnivorous plants and half-human, half-insect humanoids. The eroticism is supplied by the perfection of powerful, athletic bodies, in perfect symbiosis with a succulent nature. Inspired by Steven Spielberg, the photographers Sølve Sundsbø and Laurent Seroussi and the animated masterpieces of Hayao Miyazaki. This is the realm of organic jacquards, plumes, furs, cloaks with kaleidoscopic patterns, filamentous brocades and 3D tufting.
“Ecorotica”, with its three theme areas, will headline the "Tendenze" Area at the next edition of Milano Unica, where exhibitors will display their creative and stylistic interpretations of the ideas presented at Tendenze.
Set the date then, for 9, 10 and 11 July 2019 at Rho Fieramilano, for the 29th edition of Milano Unica.
