Francesco Risso looked to the unconventional sobriety of the Beat Generation and the indulgence and sensuality of 1920s flappers, as well as the timeless stillness of certain Nordic landscapes for inspiration for the Marni Pre-Fall 2020 collection.

Risso was asked what led his narrative. “The idea we worked around for pre-fall was Undress Your Mind,” he said. “The necessity of a new essentialism, of a reduced, purer aesthetic, of a more concentrated offer was already there, and very much part of our conversation at Marni at that time. Looking at it now,” he continued, “it feels almost prescient in its direction, and utterly on point on what our attitude will be going forward.”

In its quiet flamboyance, the collection showcased a thoughtful new balance between excess and classicism, rigor and sensuality, deconstruction and maximalism. Elsewhere Risso concocted ’20s-inspired dresses in liquid satin, crinkled and draped voluptuously along the body, with opulent bows gathering pools of fabric around the hips and plissé fans sprouting from peplum waists.

“Undress Your Mind means removing the scaffolding from inside your head, so to speak. It’s something that we all had to do during the confinement. Finding a meaningful equilibrium between a sense of real substance—value and timelessness on one hand, and creative indulgence and expressive emphasis on the other—is something we all need to address today,” continued Risso.