Sparkles for Autumn: The Legacy of Anna Molinari’s Blumarine

By Milly Hale

Sparkles, pastels, lace and tiaras; the legacy of Blumarine is a hyperfeminine daydream. The Italian luxury fashion house was founded by Anna Molinari and her husband Gianpaolo Tarabini in 1977. ‘Blumarine’, a name derived from the founders’ shared love for the colour blue and the ocean surrounding Capri, is one that reflects the romantic sensuality that characterises the label. Debuting in Milan in 1980, the pastel angora speaking to Molinari’s upbringing surrounded by the industrial knitwear industry, Blumarine was named designer of the year and enshrined in the fashion world as a brand determined to capture the duality of femininity in clothing. Poised and playful, elegant and childish, Blumarine feels like the womanhood that I envisioned for myself as a little girl, the kind of womanhood made of wobbling about in your mum’s heels and confidently slathering glittery eyeshadow across the eyelids.

What first drew me to the label was a clip of Blumarine’s 1996 Fall/Winter runway. In a period of stylistic minimalism and at a time of year typically reserved for brown, beige and burgundy, Molinari transformed the runway into a dreamy haze of pastel. Models gliding along to the soft melody of Mazzy Star’s ‘Fade Into You’, wearing sheer hues of pale pink and silver, whilst clutching bouquets of roses and sporting crowns: the hypnotic, magical atmosphere of this runway is one that has accrued a small cultural legacy in its own right. Molinari’s commitment to aesthetic and sensual excellence is typified by the runway of ’96, her legacy persisting in the idea of music contributing to the atmosphere of a runway and the reminder that a Fall/Winter collection need not be so beige. Our current cultural moment of playful maximalism feels like an echo of Blumarine’s unapologetically sequined approach to autumnal fashion; when the nights start getting shorter and the temperature begins to drop, why not deck ourselves out in rose patterned fabric and glitter rather than resign ourselves to monochrome?

In a period of stylistic minimalism and at a time of year typically reserved for brown, beige and burgundy, Molinari transformed the runway into a dreamy haze of pastel.

With the recent y2k revival, brands such as Blumarine, that gained exponential popularity in the ’90s and early 2000s have returned to popular consciousness. Monica Bellucci in 1993 lounging on a bed; pale blue and white checkered corset, rhinestone buckled denim shorts, silver tiara, staring the camera down, at ease, legs spread comfortably. Bellucci’s campaign is just one of many iconic instances of Blumarine glamour in this period, however I feel that this campaign in particular speaks to the lived-in sensuality achieved by Molinari’s designs. It feels as if Bellucci is about to crack a smile, get up and start jumping up and down on the bed. The image is sensual, yet we don’t get the feeling that this sensuality is constructed for us as an audience. We are spectators, not consumers of the bold sensuality enjoyed by the Blumarine women.

“What new elements did I bring to that world? My roses, first and foremost. Flowers are one of the most beautiful things in creation. To me, they symbolize feminine beauty, grace and energy, encapsulated in a single, marvellous entity. Every woman is a bit like that: fragile and strong at the same time.” – Anna Molinari

Molinari’s love of roses, reflected by their frequenting of every Blumarine collection, the fact she has been dubbed ‘Lady of the Roses’ and that a breed of rose tea was named after her, provides insight into the character of the Blumarine woman. Indulging in childish fun does not require her to sacrifice maturity. She, like the rose, is capable of containing both girl and woman, the fragile and strong, all at once. Molinari’s designs argue that the feminine need not be counterbalanced with the masculine in order for a woman to feel powerful and be taken seriously.

Blumarine’s legacy is ultimately a challenge to the idea of femininity as artificial. There is a depth to the designs in their ability to project strength without the need of a masculine silhouette. Molinari’s collections ennoble the little-girl-urge to dress up in tiaras, to paint the face with glitter and to twirl about in a tutu, whilst preserving a dual sense of maturity. In the world of Blumarine, womanhood comfortably sits alongside girlhood. Roses, lace, babydoll dresses, pastel hues, animal prints and glitter, are all presented to us with the upmost earnestness. This is a label crafted by a woman for women, or, the woman, and then the little girl inside the woman. Whilst I may have found that the reality of growing up involves far fewer tiaras than my six-year-old self had anticipated, Molinari asks why that should be the case. The legacy of Blumarine reminds us to celebrate femininity loudly, that women contain multitudes and that sparkles were made for autumn.

Image Credits: Sara Cimino and Blufin S.p.A. via Wikimedia Commons