On a sunny spring afternoon, Antonio Marras enters a bright Soho showroom wearing avocado-green chinos. But another presence owns the space – his wife, Patrizia, is there in cat-eyes and a sumptuous, head-to-toe ensemble by her husband, poised like a fantastical Fellini heroine.
“She’s his muse,” says a publicist, also in Marras, confirming what becomes quite obvious after less than five minutes with the Italian designer’s clothes – the kind of vibrant, complex, cross-patterned creations that can only be worn with abiding self-assurance.
When asked which celebrities are worthy of the collection, Marras’ 21-year-old son Efisio, visiting while on university break, chimes in. “It’s an important part of every brand as a visual appeal to a bigger market,” he says. “But it’s more about confidence – and whoever can pull it off.”
Indeed, safe-playing actresses fearful of critique don’t seem like the target audience for Antonio Marras, which might explain why his cerebral pieces have thus glided under Hollywood’s radar, left for those who refuse sartorial sameness.
“The most important aspect of my work is the mixing and matching of different materials, different fabrics, different prints,” Marras says, summing up his ideal customer as the woman unafraid to do just that.
“I prefer eccentricity over normalcy,” he adds. “[Normalcy] is very boring for me.” It only makes sense, given Marras’ textured background.
The 53-year-old designer was born in Alghero on the Italian island of Sardinia. Though he had no formal training, in 1988 he convinced a Roman entrepreneur to bankroll his first collection, but his eponymous line wasn’t established until 1999.
By then, editors and executives alike had caught wind of the Sardinian’s talent. In 2003, luxury conglomerate LVMH tapped the designer for the head creative role at Kenzo, where he held court until 2011, when he decided to focus on namesake efforts.
In addition to his main women’s line, that includes a special “Laboratorio” collection of handmade, experimental pieces that float somewhere between ready-to-wear and couture, and, most recently, menswear.
As if that weren’t enough, Marras and his wife also run a concept store in Milan that serves as a bookstore, music venue, art gallery and shopping destination. Here the couple host live performances and exhibitions for artist friends.
“I love the movies; I love the theater; I love art,” the designer says. “I think fashion has to have contact with other artistic disciplines.”
That synthesis was certainly realized in February on his fall 2014 women’s wear. The darkly romantic lineup was a Frankenstein’s monster mash-up inspired by German modern artist Joseph Beuys and, among other interpretations, Little Red Riding Hood. Translation? Expertly cut coats and dresses, floral motifs and lace embroidery shaped like howling wolves.
“The fashion show is like a script for me,” Marras says. “I try to tell a story.”