by Lotus Ladegaard

Antonio Berardi was fast-tracked into a fashion career when he studied at the prestigious Central St. Martin’s College of Art and Design, meanwhile working as John Galliano’s assistant. He graduated in 1994 with a noticeable collection which attracted London buyers such as Liberty and A La Mode. He launched his first professional collection the following season. Unlike may other fashion houses, Antonio Berardi’s eponymous house is run completely autonomous due to the designer’s sense for not only fashion, but also manufacturing and business. 

Antonio Berardi has become synonymous with sensual figure-hugging dresses and classic silhouettes. He focusses much on the manufacturing techniques and is not afraid to try out new ones, he also works with advanced fabrics and plays with them. Drawing on influences from many different genres and disciplines from arts to his Sicilian heritage, he always manages to create pieces that collaborate with the female form and enhances it. 

For Resort 2019, the UK born designer presented an interesting and fabulous lookbook that is bound to take fashion editors by storm around the world. It might not be the most glamorous, however, it feels fresh, real and each look stands out. The colour palette was vibrant and fresh with multi-coloured prints, stripes, yellow as well as more subdued tones like dusty and dark green, grey and a pale blue. The silhouettes offered a little bit of everything from fitted and tailored dresses to easy-to-wear dresses. 

Antonio Berardi is a master when it comes to cut and precision, he knows how to construct garments to enhance the female form and every single look has been worked to perfection by him. In such a lookbook most looks stand out and make an impact, especially the burnt printed caftan in chiffon and the multi-coloured striped suit. The oversized yellow dress with pleated skirt felt fresh and youthful while still remaining luxurious and glamorous. The grey/white ruffled top with grey skirt was another exquisite look that showcased his eye for details. Another very stylish look was the layered look with grey trousers and tops with extra length and width at the back as well as little bolero jacket in a busy print. 

Antonio Berardi has created a very fresh, relatable and interesting Resort collection that will take fashion editors around the globe by storm. It will appeal to all his fans and might even pull out a few new ones.