It was a Fashion Week, that of Milan, as we have not seen for some time. Very interesting fashion shows, many events full of good energy, a feeling of recovery, participation and the desire to go back to being the capital of fashion. As it should be.

We at Crida also did our part, presenting the new spring summer collection at 10 Corso Como, one of the most glamorous and iconic places in the fashion business. Emilia Romagna is the region that we wanted to tell with the models you will see next year: the art of hospitality, friendliness, good food of this land are reflected in the vast range of bright colors of the clothes that are always protagonists .

But there is also another story to tell.

The photos of this campaign, as always entrusted to Filippo Tarentini, were taken in the Masone labyrinth, in Fontanellato, near Parma. Why did we choose this place? Because we have come from two difficult and complex years that for various reasons have deeply disoriented us, overwhelming us first with the pandemic, then with the war and finally with the government crisis. Global, European or more strictly Italian events that have undermined our certainties, have changed us and in many cases forced us to change direction. The world of fashion itself has undergone a considerable shock and has had to adapt to the new needs of sustainability and slow fashion. And he has shown that he is able to do so, presenting a product that has never been as perfect as this year. That’s why we wanted to use the labyrinth not in a negative sense. On the contrary. Each of us has been lost in a labyrinth, but it is also true that we all have the tools to get out of it, as has fashion, and many other sectors and people who have had to reinvent themselves.

We at Crida have experienced this discomfort heavily: we made our debut on the market in February 2020, when fashion stopped. It was like entering a maze and not seeing the way out. Yet this trauma, this tiring exercise in strategy on the future, this need to find the light at the end of the tunnel, has allowed us in two years to focus our path very well, finding the way out of the labyrinth and therefore the most meaningful meaning. depth of the project we had in mind.

The symbolism of the labyrinth is that of a journey within and beyond one’s limit: it represents life and death, good and evil, the search for the infinite, for the beyond. For 5,000 years, that is, since it was born, the labyrinth has been talking about the risky complexity of the universe but it has also stimulated the search for a different world, yet to be explored. Whoever walks along it and with difficulty manages to find the exit becomes a better person.

This is what we want to wish everyone, with a collection that represents us deeply and with which we want to convey optimism, strength, energy and obviously the beauty of Made in Italy to everyone. And which visually reflects the newfound desire to live in the fluid shapes and colors.

This month I feel like lightness. I don’t know how you think but for me June is a beautiful month: the one that precedes the longed-for holidays and therefore the most full of expectations and expectations, is the month in which everything can still happen or change. It is the month of weekends out of town, of preparations, of targeted purchases, of tiring diets but useful for throwing down a few pounds, of sessions at the beautician or in the gym to get perfect at the start. Yes, but after successfully going through all these steps, what to pack?

Here are some tips for the perfect #Cridagirl.

1. Never on vacation without some clothes that are comfortable but also make you feel beautiful. Crida’s Genovamodel is perfect with its cotton canvas fabric, crossed straps and buttoning on the hips to make every woman attractive but also casual, both with heels and with flat summer sandals.
2. The strong trend of this season is color and the most daring combinations of strong shades. Don’t be afraid to combine pink with red, blue with orange, yellow with brown, as in our Taorminain jacquard silk with small brown polka dots. Ideal for a holiday in the cities of art but also for a romantic dinner.
3. Do you love nature, the countryside and holidays in places surrounded by greenery? You can’t do without a Camogli, the long plumetis dress, in very light cotton, sleeveless and softened by the small bow at the waist: in the trendiest colors, sky blue, sage green and saffron yellow.
4. If you are planning a weekend at the beach and you want an outfit that is very stylish but surprising, the Santa Margherita by Crida in seersucker, a very light natural cotton fabric, is the garment for you. A delightful jumpsuit that is not too short and soft with an elastic waistband (ideal for going to the beach) combined with a wide flared skirt to tie at the waist for an evening aperitif, revealing the legs. Elegant and seductive at the same time.
5. There are certainly many occasions for parties and weddings in these weeks and in our collection there are so many proposals suitable for every taste and every physicality. Portovenerein colored satin is one of the strong pieces of the season, with the ruffles on the sleeves doubled in contrasting colors, the cut on the back and the softness of the skirt, long to the feet, which also suits curvy physique very well. Sea blue, red and even black (for the more sober) are the colors in which we have proposed it.
6. For those like me who love a tan, bare shoulders and the softness of silk, this summer’s dress is theAmalfi: thin and low-cut bodice profiled by thin contrasting edges, this model in yellow or caramel color enhances the physicality and amazes for the richness of the fabric of the satin skirt. Difficult to go unnoticed …
7. I like to think that someone in the next few months is planning a super important day in their life, much more than a vacation … the wedding! In this case I recommend the Caserta model, covered shoulders, rich sleeves and a refined silk and cotton fabric. As can be seen from the name of the wonderful palace, this dress is suitable for modern princesses who want to pronounce the fateful yes without lace and flap, but with the refined elegance of a timeless dress. What a perfect Crida girl must be!

Good summer everyone.

The first word that comes to my mind is thank you. We have just finished the Crida pop-up in Rinascente in Rome and it was a great emotion.

Daniela and I had already been to Milan twice with a similar project: a Crida stand for a few weeks to present the collection and tell the philosophy of our brand, the values we believe in and obviously the style of our clothes. The first time in 2020 during the lockdown that inevitably reduced the influx of customers to this incredible store, but not our enthusiasm and much less the results obtained with sales. The second between February and March of this year reconfirmed the interest in our product: the elegant suit because it is Italian and well made, refined for events and ceremonies but to be worn with ease even during the day as we do. The numbers in Milan have still proved us right: the smiles of the women who claimed that those beautiful dresses were only good for tall and thin bodies, and went out happy to have found an outfit that enhances their physicality, were the best gift they we could receive. And they encouraged us. But Rome was truly a triumph beyond our expectations.

The most beautiful reality was you, friends of Crida, who follow us on social media and are part of this wonderful community of curious and aware women. You who are attentive not only to fashion but also to sustainability and Made in Italy: you came from all over Italy to the capital to get to know us, talk to us, take pictures together and obviously try on clothes. From Veneto to Sicily, from Abruzzo and Campania. Each with its history, its accent, its beauty, its style, with the desire to see, touch and wear the models followed on social networks. Our dresses must be seen closely: many of you were already our customers and knew the collection almost better than us! Others, not used to buying online, rightly wanted to check the size and they discovered that Crida really manages to dress all women and make them elegant and refined, but in an easy way. Most of you were looking for a dress for a special occasion, a wedding, a daughter’s graduation, baptisms, confirmations, or eighteen birthday parties, and everyone has understood that our bet is not to sell a garment to wear once and that’s it. Crida elegance is not made of excessive or too recognizable clothes, difficult to wear except for the few hours of an event. The goal is to find an outfit for the bride’s mother or the young bridesmaid that they can use many more times, changing accessories and making it more daily. A dress that will never tire and that will remain in the wardrobe to be used and renewed many more times.

However, we have not only talked about fashion, but also about determination and courage. And we were almost moved by your demonstration of affection and esteem for me and Daniela, two friends with a great dream in common, who through their passion have managed to convey a message of positivity, sisterhood, strength of women. This was the most gratifying satisfaction: being able to inspire what we do, how we do it, rolling up our hands, continuing to learn and making this brand grow as if it were our last baby. It wasn’t easy to get to this point. And it won’t be for a long time yet, but the injection of confidence you have given us helps us a lot to work to achieve our goal which is to to make Crida an aspirational brand for women aware of their purchases, women who do not follow fashion or trends, women who know what they want and choose a dress adapting it to their style.

Thanks again for the wave of affection and positivity that you have sent us, which repays us for all the effort and makes us understand that we are on the right path.

We promise you great surprises in these months of May and June. Since we never stand still … we have prepared two special capsules just for you who follow us, to buy online. A fuchsia dress, the Camogli orchidea, to celebrate Mother’s Day and to help Ukrainian women by donating part of the proceeds to Cesvi who is doing a great job in Kiev. And, in June, a fresh and wild beach dress, to accompany your holidays.

Quality is always Crida and the mood must be: let’s give ourselves an emotion.

Who is the Crida woman? Two years after the debut of our project on the market, I think it is interesting to ask ourselves about the target of our product, taking stock of the road traveled so far and trying even better to clarify the goal we had set ourselves.

Crida’s idea from the beginning was to focus on a type of product, the dress, which represents a style of refined and timeless elegance. Not classic, not “formal” in the strict sense, but casual and usable by an audience of women who are attentive to what they buy, who love beautiful fabrics and impeccable workmanship. Women who don’t have to be in fashion because they wear the trendy model with feathers, but who are able to create their own style with taste and awareness.

At the beginning of our adventure, the criticisms we were leveled mainly with the price: too high, accessible to a few, exaggerated for an unknown brand. Today, after four collections in which we have communicated our values, these comments have almost disappeared and this makes us proud to have reached a first milestone: make it clear that quality and Made in Italy make a dress special and justify the cost. And being able to reach the most important luxury stores in Italy.

The Crida woman, as I have emphasized several times, does not stand out because she is flashy, sexy or fashionable, but is remembered for her elegance. The customers who choose us are those women (or rather girls because we are from 20 to 90 years old) who have the ability to buy a garment as an emotional and conscious experience, and transform it according to their style. Wearing a natural silk fabric on the skin, be it crêpe de chine or satin, gives a precious pleasure, which has nothing to do with any other material that contains acrylic and polyester fibers, and above all pushes us to love this garment and to keep it carefully in the closet. We like to imagine that our dresses have a long life, they are not abandoned after a season.

Today the fashion market offers everything: from the most luxurious shops to low cost chains, from the online of individual brands to digital marketplaces, it is really possible to explore a universe made up of global brands, small artisan realities, niche brands or others. super trend. The customer Crida, however, has very clear ideas: she does not want what the others buy in bulk but what she knows how to make the most of it. He is rightly demanding with regard to materials, he wants to touch the fabric and check the label with the composition and place of production. He wants beauty and sustainability, which are Crida’s two guidelines. The other fundamental detail is that the Crida woman, after having bought one of our dresses once, almost always buys again because she felt comfortable.

We promise those who appreciate us that we will continue on this path: the spring-summer collection is available in stores and on our website with all the possible variations of the clothes, in a rainbow of colors! You promise us that you will continue to think that style has nothing to do with what you wear but with how it feels when you wear it. And with Crida it feels good.

The shows of this fashion week should have been a big party and consolidate the recovery of the sector after two difficult years and instead ended in the unreal silence of the Armani show. “My music is the heartbeat” says King Giorgio excited, saddened and shaken like all of us in the face of what scares us and that we do not know: a war in Europe. Yet it really seemed to have started well this week, with so many foreign buyers, full shops and even the sun blessing the newfound normality in Milan. The announcement of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine (let me tell you, without any justification) plunges everyone back into dismay and fear. And among the many indignant comments in the face of the aggression of a free people, which I fully share and to which I join, reflections, much less justified, have also begun to circulate, on the dystopian contrast between the bombs dropped from Moscow and the fashion week Milanese, considered the quintessence of extreme frivolity, the realm of luxury and futility.

The fashion week, if someone had not yet understood it, actually represents the work of hundreds of thousands of employees in a sector that is worth 90 billion euros in turnover and is in effect the second item of GDP in the Italian economy. “Stop the fashion shows”, shouted indignantly on social media, is a meaningless statement given that the fashion money that enters the state coffers contributes, for example, to giving us free healthcare. The real problem is that a part of society still associates the fashion world with something useless and annoyingly flashy, rather than with a sector in which Italy excels in the world and which is therefore strategic and fundamental for our country. And I doubt that the responsibility for this distorted and reductive vision of what is actually absolute excellence is also due to the story that traditional media make of fashion itself, dealing with the creations of designers only when they are crazy and exaggerated or on occasions of financial scandals or romantic relationships of the protagonists. Fashion has always told about society, anticipated trends, photographed the world we are experiencing with a strength, creativity and power that cannot be dismissed as frivolity. And the choice of Armani, the greatest of all, to have the models paraded in the absolute silence of the room, is a very strong sign of the sensitivity of this immense designer towards the dramatic situation we are experiencing. It is very easy to write insults on social media to Chiara Ferragni who posts “the best of these days” showing super glamorous images at the same time as the harrowing images of Kiev, but to associate the important and much less visible work of hundreds of companies that in these days culminated in fashion shows, is trivial as well as wrong. Now the fashion shifts to Paris, as it should be, while Putin announces the nuclear alert.

Instead of railing against fashion professionals and writing senseless vetoes, let’s try to use social media for a much higher goal: to stop people like Putin who have no respect for democracy and freedom. We organize peace marches, we direct our indignation towards a dictator who does not respect the sacrosanct rights of national autonomy and democracy. And we thank a giant like Armani who in the face of these confused days of war and fashion week, between the optimism of the recovery and the abyss of a conflict that affects us closely, in the midst of an early spring and the threat of a winter that looks medieval, without adding unnecessary words he was able to give a strong sign of dismay, incredulity and pain. Silence.

Thanks Giorgio.