Exploring the tensions and contradictions that define us all as human beings, SAGIO’s latest collection is a powerful tribute to tailoring, eroticism and audacity, as well as an engaging way to celebrate cerebral seduction. The woman Alexander Sagio keeps returning to cannot be defined by gender alone. She is, in fact, the perfect symbiosis between masculine and feminine, moving beyond traditional binaries to embrace a freed and emancipated state, which reflects nature and its purely spontaneous laws.
On Sagio’s board of inspiration and chosen references this season, two figures stand out. The first is Italian actress and icon Sophia Loren, a woman who embodies a certain ideal for the designer, with her voluptuous curves, fiery temper and innate confidence. Loren funnily reminds him of his own mother, perhaps explaining the importance of brassieres and décolletage throughout this collection. Shoulders are often bare and breasts remain a focal point. Several pieces are built around the bosom, beautifully underlining Sagio’s interest in carnal delights.
The second woman he had in mind is Loulou de la Falaise, longtime collaborator and muse to French couturier Yves Saint Laurent. Her boyish body and androgynous style couldn’t be further away from Loren’s voluptuous curves, yet they both share something essential: the irresistible -and highly demanding- art of female seduction. Many styles within the collection therefore operate as a fusion between two opposite ideas of a woman, which are reconciled through wit, confidence and playfulness. Despite looking fundamentally different, both Loren and de la Falaise possess this unique charm, which makes them captivating.
On the one hand, Sagio likes his tailoring sharp and menswear-inspired, crafting impeccable pantsuits that empower the wearer. Besides showcasing expert skills when it comes to precise cuts, Sagio also enjoys deconstructing garments in order to create what could only be described as sartorial hybrids. A buttoned-up cropped shirt morphs into a classic blazer, while a collarless double-breasted blazer -featuring a statement power shoulder- elongates itself to become an immaculate formal dress, blurring the distinctions between daywear and evening.
On the other, Sagio’s clever take on trompe-l’oeil techniques, which he uses on dresses and separates alike, highlights his humorous approach toward fashion, making his clothes uplifting and highly pleasurable. Working mainly with linen, silk and cotton, the Budapest-based designer imagines a directional collection, which manages to be edgy and refined at the same time. His exquisite color palette, which mostly includes black, light blue and white -as well as key accents of gray, aqua and terracotta- feels timeless and sophisticated, while being truly relevant.