Alexander McQueen SS25

The show opened up with an emotional performance, one that could only match the excitement of what it was like to be there. Men and women joined hands while their bodies complemented each other in movement. The dancers were draped in rich, flowing, and glassy material that caressed their bodies in the wind.  Furthermore only setting the tone for the actual performance that would take place — the runway.

The crystal lighting pointed at the array of gowns and gear that glimmered in jewels, sequins, and pleats and shuffled down the walkway relaying the legacy of Italian pride seen in each garment. Glossy purple, white, and black satin that was ubiquitous in this collection, juxtaposed outstanding pieces thrown in — ones that could only be reminiscent of child-like patterns and color palettes in pink, yellow, and red.
 

The freedom of childhood was the inspiration for this collection. Emulating a child's artistic liberation can be seen in the colorful and wonderfully playful prints incorporated into several designs.

The joy of a child, a joy Ramzen hopes we can recover after a time of tremendous sorrow and loss, shines through in the gemstones and sequins adorning many of the pieces in the collection. Ramzen wants to bring elegance and joy forward with his Spring/Summer Gioia di Vivere Collection.

In this collection, you often accentuate the natural figure of a woman with curves, cutouts, different silhouettes, and even jewels. Who was your biggest muse for this collection? What woman inspires you daily?

I am inspired by every woman who exudes self-confidence and who refuses to follow fashion trends. The RAMZEN Woman dares to make a statement, and she cherishes beauty for beauty's sake. My muse is more an attitude than any single person. It's the hypnotic presence of every woman who lives in harmony with her body and who moves with seductive grace. The pieces in our Spring/Summer Gioia di Vivere Collection are designed for all ages, ethnicities, body shapes and sizes, and the wearer's personality is what brings each style to life. Different cuts, shapes, silhouettes, fabrics, embellishments—they are all meant to appeal to women with very unique and diverse fashion dreams and desires. Our philosophy at RAMZEN is simple: Clothing is only truly beautiful when it allows a woman's individuality and natural radiance to shine through.

The whole show was actually very dramatic (in the best way), from the performance to the music to the closing of the show. What story were you trying to tell with this show?

Thank you. It is important to me for every RAMZEN collection to reflect a chapter in my life. It might be a period from my carefree childhood, when my love of fashion first took hold, or it might be something as simple as a vivid memory or a specific location in the world that is meaningful to me. For Spring/Summer 2022, I was inspired by our shared global experience of immense joy after a difficult time of sacrifice. Each look tells its own tale, too, and invites the wearer to step out like the main character in a story of her own.

Leading up to that show, what did the last week look like for you? Were there last-minute changes, any mistakes that happened, and if so what was the solution?

We had an intense week of rehearsals and final touches leading up to our first fashion show in Milan. Because we chose the outdoor setting of the courtyard at Palazzo Serbelloni, the greatest stress revolved around the threat of rain, for which there was little remedy but to pray. Miraculously, the rain cleared just 15 minutes before our runway show began.

You have an affection for Italy, and that’s shown through the clothes. How do you want the average Italian person to feel when wearing your clothes, and what do you want the average non-italian person to know about Italy through your collection?

Milan has always been the capital of fashion, and we are excited to begin welcoming fashion lovers to our new showroom here. RAMZEN is more than a word… it is a world… and we hope our Italian guests will feel transported by our designs to a place where fashion is never monotonous. Many fashion houses get trapped in a pattern of duplicating what has led to their success. We want to innovate at every turn and constantly delight and surprise fashionistas who long to fill their closets with pieces that propel them along a journey of self-expression. Beyond Italy's borders, we hope to generate that same sense of captivation, while also showcasing the caliber of luxury that 'made in Italy' represents. We chose to base RAMZEN in Milan because the talent and sophistication of the fashion artisans we are working with here is unequaled.

You strengthened the collection through the repeating color palette. What significance does purple, black, and white have for you, and what was the inspiration behind that?

Our goal with the collection's color palette of rich purple, sunny yellow and scarlet red is to transport wearers to a magical garden filled with joy. We began with the collection's signature, nature-inspired pattern of handpainted dancing flowers. I like to think of it as an explosion of floral fireworks that signifies the world's long-awaited awakening from a time when fashion slumbered. White and black lend elegance to the collection, while also providing the contrast that makes the vibrant colors really pop.