The independent Italian fashion brand Simon Cracker took aim at the luxury fashion industry with an upcycled collection unveiled during Milan Fashion Week on Sunday, January 19. The collection critiques the fashion world’s past focus on quality and creativity.
The coed collection, made from recovered and deadstock garments, materials, and accessories, featured a playful jab at Hermes’ iconic Birkin bag. Designers drew the signature hardware on leather bags or screen-printed images of the bag on sweaters, parodying the coveted luxury item.
Co-creative directors Simone Botte and Filippo Biraghi were thrilled by Walmart’s release of what was perceived as a Birkin knockoff, which coincided with their design process for this collection.
“People have lost interest in fashion,” Biraghi said. “They have been taken for a ride for 20 years. With 50 wars in the world, climate change, we are all getting poorer. There is no longer a connection between price and value. At some point, you can’t go on.”
The collection humorously mocks the typical Milanese signora, or “sciura,” with quirky tweed separates, a foulard, and even a tiny dog. Each piece is unique, made from garments the designers salvaged from dry cleaners and other sources. Models embodied the spirit of the collection with laid-back poses and exaggerated runway walks.
The brand also extended its collaboration with Doc Martens, embellishing them with trompe l’oeil ballerina shoes. At times, skirts, collars, and fringe were crafted from shiny tinsel packing materials, and ribbons decorated shoes.
The show concluded with a garment completely covered in luxury tags from Biraghi’s personal wardrobe, collected over the years.
“We are making fun of wealth,” Biraghi remarked.
Simon Cracker’s runway critique arrives at a time when the luxury sector is facing challenges, with analysts calling for reform. A new report from McKinsey and The Business of Fashion shows top brands are experiencing a slowdown after four years of strong growth (2019-2023), during which the sector grew at a compounded rate of 5% annually despite the pandemic. Most of that growth was attributed to price hikes outpacing innovation, according to the report.
Similarly, Bain consultancy has predicted a 2% contraction for 2025, the first since the Great Recession (excluding the 2020 pandemic year), citing a creativity crisis and global instability.
These findings come as no surprise to Botte and Biraghi.
“If a garment isn’t interesting, if it doesn’t tell a story, if there’s no creativity, who cares?” Biraghi said. “We all have too many clothes. We don’t need more.”
Italian singer Chiara Galiazzo, seated in the front row, wore a pinstripe and plaid jacket painted sky blue, paired with royal blue Bermuda cutoffs and matching painted boots. She said she was drawn to Simon Cracker’s authenticity.
“I feel like I’m part of a community,” she shared after the show. “I think this is important and a lot of fun.” – AP
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