The Tamesis
Milan has been talking about “designing for women” since Louise Trotter, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Meryll Rogge debuted at Bottega Veneta, Fendi and Marni respectively last year. That’s the founding principle of Milanese label Sa Su Phi, which staged a sunny sophomore show on Friday afternoon at Milan’s Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrinelli, overlooking Viale Pasubio.
Founders Sara Ferrero and Susanna Cucco, both in their 50s, launched Sa Su Phi in 2021 after feeling frustrated by having to choose between powerful or comfortable fashion. It’s already a sizable business, with 100 dealers around the world and celebrity fans including Elle Fanning, Gwyneth Paltrow and Meryl Streep. The Devil Wears Prada 2 A few weeks ago.
The fall collection, titled “The Architecture of Femininity,” seeks to question dichotomies of women through structure, fabrics and technology. It features an armor-style tabard made from ultra-soft pale yellow cashmere, or a full-length cashmere skirt with prominent protective padding at the hips. “Even though the structure is protective, it enhances the fluidity and beauty of the body,” Ferrero said. “This is exactly the language we want to speak.”
The feel of cashmere or silk on the skin is the starting point for their collections. But practicality is also key, Ferrero adds. For example, all of the brand’s jackets are made from elastane, so when you roll up your sleeves, everything stays in place.
Both designers are used to this behavior. Ferrero began her career in London in the 1990s as an investment banker, going on to become CEO of Furla, Joseph and eventually Italian luxury brand Valextra, before founding Sa Su Phi. Cucco owns Cucco Studio, an art direction agency, and she has worked with brands such as Prada, Max Mara and Loro Piana. Ferrero said the two met during their careers and day-to-night fashion for professional women was key to their vision. That’s why the show began with huge curtains drawn back to flood the room with sunlight and show that these were clothes that could be worn all day long.
After browsing Sa Su Phi’s Instagram or its celebrity ads, you might call it quiet luxury. But the collection featured some simpler styles, like a liquid gold and mercury gown and silk shirt, the latter layered under a structured gray suit skirt. There are also eye-catching color and texture combinations, such as burgundy knitwear paired with a blue silk suit, or silver glitter cashmere paired with khaki tailored culottes.
“Think about the woman we described, sometimes you have to do what you have to do to fill the room, actually, let’s be honest, like this [gold trouser]I would wear it to work,” Ferrero said. “Minimalist or not, I didn’t really think about it. I think about my friends and what they want to wear and how they want to feel. This is a matter of attitude. “
