RELIVE AMI’S FALL-WINTER 22 SHOW
Yesterday, January 19th, in Paris, AMI presented its Menswear and Womenswear Fall-Winter 2022 collections. Held at Palais Brongniart, the physical fashion show marked the return of the brand on the catwalk, with a live audience, after a two-year intermission.
« My deepest desire, for the Fall-Winter 22, was to embrace AMI’s roots, to revive and reinterpret the fashion-for-all spirit of our beginnings. I was very much inspired by the fascinating combination of styles and people that you see every day in the métro: this is a perfect place to observe, to feel the social and cultural diversity of the city, to experience the zeitgeist, to watch trends develop. I like to think of it as an urban ballet, where everyone, regardless of age, origins and social status, mingles and coexists in ephemeral, fortuitous encounters. This is how I imagined this quintessential Paris, this elevated reality: it is an optimistic collection, for the Parisians. » Alexandre Mattiussi, Founder & Creative Director, AMI
Paris remains a steady source of inspiration for Alexandre Mattiussi and AMI. The Fall-Winter 22 show concept revolves around the métro, an omnipresent urban reference, a public space where everyone mixes and blends, without discrimination. It parallels a collection anchored in the Parisian universe, whose essence runs deep in AMI’s DNA and aesthetics. Like a mirror of the city’s style, a kaleidoscope of its inhabitants: audacious, multicolored, chic, fun, welcoming, diverse. In real life, the métro transports from one neighborhood to another; in the show, through different metaphorical dimensions and atmospheres, like a travel in space and time. By recreating its tunnels in a mythical monument, AMI pays a playful tribute to its hometown. In accordance with the recommendations of the French Government and the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, AMI has implemented the respect of the strictest COVID-19 safety measures on location.
AMI’s Fall-Winter 22 fashion show was held at Palais Brongniart, the former headquarter of the Bourse, the French stock exchange, a historical landmark in the heart of Paris.Upon arriving on Place de la Bourse, guests were ushered into the location through a long métro tunnel, paneled with the characteristic white tiles, specially recreated for the occasion. The collection was presented in the main hall of the Palais: a gigantic space framed by a double set of arcades, under a breathtaking vaulted ceiling, recalling the entrances of old neoclassical stations. Entering the hall through another similar, white métro tunnel, the models walked into a minimalist grey set. This monochrome background provided a deep sense of space, adding further focus to the collection and highlighting the subtlety of its elevated pieces.
This season, casting brought back the notion of community dear to AMI. A deliberately eclectic crowd of people took to the catwalk, from different backgrounds and horizons, of all ages, genders and origins. It included an element of surprise, with the unexpected participations of iconic faces such Isabelle Adjani, Emily Ratajkowski, Laetitia Casta, Rebecca Dayan and Ben Attal. Established model names, with the likes of Mariacarla Boscono, Kirsten Owen, Jill Kortleve, Julia Nobis, Mariam de Vinzelle, Leon Dame, Edie Campbell, Paloma Elsesser and her brother Sage Elsesser, Anna Ewers, Malika Louback and Fernando Cabral… mixed with AMI’s signature street-casted models and up-and-coming faces. Each with their own style and personality, they embodied the broad diversity of Paris, echoing the Fall-Winter 22’s spirit.
Luxurious, dynamic and effortlessly chic, the Fall-Winter 22 is a statement collection, celebrating AMI’s quintessential DNA. Its vibrant realism is reflected in audacious associations; in the free-spirited color palette, prints and motives; in the matching of rich textures and eccentric fabrics, lush faux fur and leather-printed fake leopard and python. Volumes are explored through a series of layered, oversized outerwear. Consciously focusing on AMI’s wardrobe, the collection encompasses a rich variety of silhouettes, including strong unisex pieces, together with tailored masculine shapes and more delicate, body-hugging feminine ones.
On the runway, AMI unveiled Le Voulez-Vous, its newest it-bag, complementing the lively, urban vibe of the collection. Sharp lines and timeless symmetry, making for a contemporary sophistication. Elegant design characteristics include a supple and soft crinkled leather, a double chain and an AMI de Cœur clasp. Le Voulez-Vous is available in classical tones: black, burgundy and white. The show introduced a range of bags in strong colors, underlining the energetic spirit of the wardrobe – both Le Déjà-Vu and L’Accordéon have been reinterpreted in new materials and color palette. The collection also features a collaboration with jeweler Alan Crocetti: contemporary pieces in sterling silver, whose design revisits the house’s symbolic Ami de Cœur.
Backstage photos by talented Slovenian photographer David Paige.
