Revisited by Antonio Grimaldi, the ’80s Hit the Catwalk in Rome
Antonio Grimaldi’s fall winter 2025 show took place against a summer sunset over Rome’s most beautiful panorama. Casina Valadier, the historic building on the Pincio Hill, hosted the 27 looks of Edonismo Couture (couture hedonism, editor’s note), a collection inspired by the dazzling 1980s, a golden decade for Italian fashion. This was not a purely nostalgic exercise, however. The designer drew on those atmospheres in order to revise the aesthetics of contemporary couture. “Today more than ever I feel the need to celebrate a conscious hedonism, where fashion is not only aesthetics and beauty but an act of freedom, personal well-being, and strength”, Grimaldi declared. The designer thus finds the synthesis between two very different historical periods, as he himself explains: “In this collection, I wanted to tell the story of the power of contrast: the strength hidden in lightness, the delicacy of an embroidery or a sculptural construction. I want to express the fluidity of the present, where every opposition can become a new balance”. The dresses on the runway are the result of a blend of architectural lines and light volumes, enriched with sculptural embroidery and sumptuous materials. The silhouettes move gracefully, the bodices are crafted with laser-cut ribbons, while mini dresses and overcoats are embellished with macro tulle ruffles. The selected materials emphasize the theme of contrasts, in a play of weights—velvet, organza, chiffon, and silk cady. The armor-like embroidery of silver crystals sculpting the body powerfully evokes fashion’s golden decade. The show’s atmosphere was introduced with a voiceover by journalist Mariella Milani, who read a reflection on beauty by Pier Paolo Pasolini. Many celebrities flocked to enjoy the show, including Laura Morante, Fiorella Mannoia, Ornella Muti, Pia Lanciotti, Rome’s culture councilor Alessandro Onorato, Giovanni Malagò, Silvia Di Paolo, Lucrezia Lante Della Rovere, Maria Pia Calzone, and Elisabetta Marra.
Text: Giuliano Deidda
Photos: Ludovica Arcero & Niccolò Campita
