Renowned Italian designer Antonio Marras has once again captivated the fashion world with his FW25 collection, seamlessly blending history, art, and music. This season, his inspiration stems from the rediscovery of the forgotten 1892 opera, La Bella D’Alghero—a tale deeply rooted in the picturesque city of Alghero, Sardinia.
A Lost Opera Reimagined
Originally composed by Giovanni Fara Musio with a libretto by Antonio Boschini, La Bella D’Alghero was performed only once at the Rossini Music School Concert Hall in Pesaro. For decades, no trace of the opera remained—until a passionate music enthusiast and an admirer of Alghero uncovered its libretto in Pesaro and the National Library of Bologna. Now, in 2025, a Catalan theatre company is set to revive this long-lost melodrama, reinforcing the deep historical ties between Sardinia and Catalonia.
Antonio Marras has masterfully woven this narrative into his FW25 collection, breathing life into forgotten history through fashion. “I love giving a voice to seemingly silent things, transforming them into garments that speak,” Marras states.
Design, Textiles, and Aesthetic Influence
The collection showcases a rich mix of pinstripe, Prince of Wales check, brocade, jacquard, leather, denim, silk, taffeta, and voile, embodying the textures and elegance of 19th-century theatrical costumes. Techniques such as embroidery, appliqué, patchwork, transparency, hand-printed motifs, and pleating bring the garments to life.
The silhouettes range from layered and tailored to voluminous and body-hugging, mirroring the dramatic tension and poetic essence of opera. The visual inspiration draws from Bizet’s Carmen, Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana, Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci, and even Luis Buñuel’s surrealist films.
A Collaboration of Creative Minds
The FW25 collection also highlights collaborations with industry experts: Eugene Souleiman for hair, Antonio Sacripante for nail art, and Riccardo Morandin for makeup.
With this innovative approach, Antonio Marras FW25 not only celebrates fashion but also revives a forgotten piece of cultural history, proving that art, music, and couture can harmoniously intertwine in the most unexpected ways.