Alberto Caliri sees Missoniâs rhythmic interplays of patterns and zingy chromatic combinations as anything but static. For him, the brandâs patrimony is not only distinctive but alive, and endlessly regenerative: âThereâs a sort of Missoni-ty encapsulated in every piece,â he notes, âsomething that feels familiar yet instinctive, dynamic.â
Although he knows the archive by heart, or maybe because of that, heâs expanding what he calls âa palimpsest of textures,â conjuring new patterns and motifs with yarns never used before, or energizing existing ones with the gently nuanced and artistic palette he favors. His partner-in-craft is the Raschel knitting machineâa before-technology multi-tasking wonder thatâs the houseâs secret weapon to fashion everything from elasticated lace to hand-crochet effects, to tartan windowpanes or zig-zags. âAfter all the years weâve been using it, we havenât explored its full potential yet,â he remarked.
Caliriâs quiet confidence mirrors his design approach. For resort, he focused on easy pieces and lean silhouettes, inflected with what he described as âa subtle bourgeois vibe, slightly masculine.â Itâs continuity with a twist: âMissoni is about passing down pieces from mother to daughter,â he said, âbecause theyâre inherently timeless, like family heirlooms.â Polo shirts that stretched into minidresses; soft, malleable three-piece suits; sensual, slender halter dresses dusted with micro-sequins and lined with unexpected knitted-in stripesâthey were all designed to slip together easily, each conjuring that unmistakable Missoni-ty he was talking about.