Gianfranco Ferré SS84: 'From Architect to Suede and Satin'

Much of the press circling Milan’s fashion shows for Spring/Summer 1984 focused on the concept of Japanese inspiration executed with Italian deftness.  “This is the Italian view of spring fashion to date, as Milan’s most famous designers reinvent the kimono,” reported The Los Angeles Times in 1983. [1] Native Milanese designer Gianfranco Ferré enthusiastically embraced the direction towards a lack of clutter, hinging heavily on hip-centric styles reminiscent of obis.  When interviewed about the Japanese parallel, the outspoken designer retorted “Please don’t say these clothes look Japanese.  It’s really from my trip to India.”  Ferré goes on to compare his breezy, wrapped styles to Indian saris and kurtas. [2]

The influence of architecture on Ferré’s work was not a mere coincidence; he graduated with a degree in architecture from Milan University in 1969.  After finding a lack of opportunities in the field, the designer embarked on a career in fashion, stating “I had no interest in becoming an interior decorator, which was the only other alternative.”  The clean, simple lines of architecture translated seamlessly to fashion, and although Ferré’s label was in its infancy in 1984, his efforts were already met with much acclaim. [4]

Grey, white, and navy are predominant in this collection (Ferré himself comments on a penchant for “plain fabrics in neutral colors” [6]) but peppered with glimpses of bright acid pink and orange in delicate calf leathers. [7]

Off the shoulder styles were deemed in “the spirit of ‘Flashdance’” by The Washington Post writer Nina Hyde [9], this example combining a “loose-fitting knit in creamy white” with a “hip-length, oversized, all-revealing white satin tank top.” [10]  

As seen here with a racy, deep V-neck silk blouse, daring décolletages meant clothing did not always behave as intended on the runway, seen here with a racy, deep v-neck white silk blouse.  Gianfranco Ferré Spring/Summer 1984 was hardly the only show suffering from such mishaps, as one fashion journalist noted similar exposure at Luciano Soprani.  “The clothes flipped open far wider than the models realized, and they passed signals to one another when their bare chests were showing.” [12]