Bianche Trame: a physical and mental journey through the streets of Istanbul

The only rule of travel is: don't come back the way you left. Come back different. (Anne Carson)

A journey enriches you. It always enriches you. You observe, discover, learn. And the more the reality in front of you at that moment differs from your own, the greater the wonder. Each of us carries a baggage of lived experiences, and the best thing we can do with them is to bring them back into our lives and into what we do every day. Just as designer Marco Strano did in the collection presented at Palazzo Manganelli on Sunday 26 January 2020. A trip to the city of Istanbul led to the birth of “Bianche Trame” (“White Weaves”), a wonderful blend of East and West, between the majolica tiles decorated with acanthus leaves that cover the mosques and the ones that made Caltagirone famous. Fifty-five outfits on the catwalk, between haute couture and bridal; made of pure silk, made in Italy, with textured effects that make everything a little like gauze, like heavy fabrics. A play of comparisons, contrasts and unusual interweavings of fabrics, colours, decorations and techniques.

A successful show, which left the guests enraptured; the sumptuousness of Palazzo Manganelli was the backdrop to the creations on the catwalk; the care for every detail allowed a perfect balance to be created between the work of the designer, that of the hairstylists Roberto Napoli and Alfio Reitano for Compagnia della Bellezza and of the makeup artist Orazio Tomarchio with La Truccheria Cherie. The styling, on the other hand, was the work of Salvo Presti.

The guests at the palace told the story of the event on social media with live streams, stories, photos and videos capturing the various moments of the show, the dresses and the beautiful models: from backstage to the catwalk, from rehearsals to the presentation to the public, right up to the delicious finger food at the end, the work of chef Seby Sorbello.

What more can I add? I have never seen Istanbul: I have never walked its streets, visited its most characteristic places, immersed myself in its crowds or strolled in the secret gardens of its ancient palaces. And yet now I can imagine it better, in its flavours, colours and contrasts. I saw a fashion show, but not only that. Among the guests, along that corridor, surrounded by those golden walls, dreams and experiences, imagination and creativity, passion and dedication paraded by. Because when you do what you love, the result is inevitably astonishing.