Antonio Marras: Savvy Machismo
By Michelle Taylor
Photos by Giovanni Pucci

MILAN Jun 29, 2004/ FW/ --- “Put ‘em up and fight like a man.” In an expression of savvy machismo Antonio Marras takes us back to when Boxing was just about the only choice a young lad had to define himself as a ‘real’ sportsman.

The designer dedicated this Summer’s 2005 menswear collection to fellow Italian Sardinian boxing champion Tore Burrini, who sadly passed away three months ago. Growing up with a father passionate for the sport, it is obvious that Marras was in some way influenced by the smell of sweat, harshness of the ring and the redness of blood.

In an atmosphere alluding to post second world war yet completely relevant to the city streets we all know too well, Marras proposes a contemporary collection that is all about layering, mixing and matching.

Waistbands are thick and high like boxing shorts, colours are subdued and Hawaiian shirts and Cuban hats abundant. Past boxing champions are caricatured and screen-printed onto T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts are worn under tailored jackets and crutches on trousers are loose and low.

A coherent collection that will easily see any young guy taking pleasure in piecing together his daily looks. Less evident is Marras’ love for the asymmetrical and unfinished, demonstrating that as this talent continues to move ahead in leaps and bounds, moving concepts and order are often what are called for.

Antonio Marras

Antonio Marras

Antonio Marras

Antonio Marras