Alberta Ferretti is the ‘one to watch’ on this season’s impressive roster of Couture newcomers, which includes J. Mendel, Giles Deacon, and Iris Van Herpen; the latter’s returning after a three-year absence.
It’s important to clarify that Ferretti’s Limited Edition range isn’t truly Haute Couture, but rather a way for her to provide clients with unique special occasion wear. Not everything is entirely made by hand, but the collection’s as grandiloquent as her work gets. Think ethereal silk and buoyant beaded fringing, as well as exquisite crystal and pearl embroidery.
The concept’s rooted in movement, hence the significance of the aforementioned fringing, which harks back to the roaring Twenties: an age of excessive glamour and decadence. Narrow ribbons of silk, meticulously affixed together with crystals, look as though they’re ornate feathers.
Ferretti’s Limited Edition FW16 hit a similar note, with jet lace and Twenties silhouettes, but with an additional exotic characteristic seen in zebra print. For Couture Week, however, she’s been inspired by various undersea motifs. Sheer bodices are stitched with plump pearls and shell-shaped embroideries on fabrics that are various shades of blue and oyster shell.
