Exploring the world through the kaleidoscopic lenses of Mary Katrantzou. This is the invitation Marina Rinaldi makes to its public for the launch of the first of two capsule collections designed by the London-based Greek designer.

“For this collaboration, I started from the marble textures and shadow effects that I have investigated in previous collections”, explains the designer, much loved for her hypnotic prints that create amazing effects on the body.

Inspired by the back covers of ancient books, decorated by skilled Florentine and Venetian craftsmen and admired in the great Greek and Italian libraries, Mary Katrantzou has developed a series of garments where she blends her vision and Marina Rinaldi’s identity in a very personal way.

The key elements of the collection are many and original. Knitwear is often proposed in jacquard works with a seductive body-conscious flair. Outerwear is carefully tailored and, of course, patterns are overwhelming, even when they re-interpret a great classic of the male wardrobe such as Glen check. This pattern, in particular, plays with the knitwear shaded effect on a dress, featuring a dropped neckline which reveals the bare shoulders.

The ombré effect also reaches the highest levels of complication on the warp and weft fabric (made exclusively by one of Italian leading weavers) by interweaving three threads that gradually fade into each other to grant extra-allure to the fur-no-fur collar coat.

Two, on the other hand, are the very Katrantzou prints featured in the capsule, Marble and Organic. The first is reproduced all over, while the second has been placed to ensure that the position of the various motifs remains identical throughout the size range. The richness of the patterns becomes even more precious when it enhances a dress traversed by an iridescent lurex thread or a pleated one. Neoprene boots, faithfully reproducing the dress patterns, complement the look.