The Tamesis
Massimo Giorgetti has taken over the ICA Foundation’s fall events, transforming the space into a playground where art meets fashion. The backdrop is provided by Brazilian artist Marina Rheingantz, whose abstract, memory-filled paintings—think Jackson Pollock’s more sentimental younger cousin—clearly hit Giorgetti’s mood board.
You can tell that his connection to the art world goes back a long way. Giorgetti had an unpretentious knack for incorporating references into his work without sounding like he was quoting text from an art gallery wall. Nothing feels preachy; it’s respectful art appreciation. The story gets even richer when the Tommaso Calabro Gallery hosts an exhibition dedicated to Leonor Fini during the Venice weekend, and it’s all about cats. Naturally, Giorgetti ran too.
Enter the feline era at MSGM: a Bengal tiger prowled on a long eco-fur coat, and a black-and-white kitten landed on a duchess shirt that landed rather eerily. Cats may be the brand’s unofficial mascots, but they calmly share the designer’s affection, along with his two adorable beagles, Pane and Coda.
This series is like a memory game, although Giorgetti gently shakes your hand off and stops calling it “revisiting the archives.” His preferred framework is “new memories” and “relived memories,” which actually sounds lighter, fresher, and decidedly less “sealed.” Threaded throughout it all is a flirtation between male and female codes, MSGM’s familiar game of circles. Even the soundtrack slants a bit: a recording of an interview with Leonor Fini floats over the speakers, in which she points out that everyone should be a little bit androgynous, and that true style lies somewhere in the overlap.
On the runway, this philosophy translated into rhythmic contrasts. An elegant cocktail look flashes, but is quickly undercut by a washed denim combo. A practical XXL parka lined in eco-fur is softened by a slim vest embellished with tiny roses and a ruffled duchess skirt. These are less conflicts than interesting plot twists. Giorgetti is not interested in resolving the conflict, he would rather watch them flirt.
He also revisited the MSGM color library, pulling out the brand’s hottest colors—lime green, high-pressure orange, and rich fuchsia—and then cleverly cooling the environment with grays, blacks, and sensible neutrals. It’s a delicate balance: expressive enough to be read as art, but never veering into the realm of endeavor.
MSGM’s muse actually introduces herself: Think of that art-world regular you see at Frieze or Art Basel, the woman dressed with zero fear and probably one eye closed. “She’ll happily experiment with a clash of colors or two,” says Giorgetti. “Maybe she made a style mistake and her accessories were crazy, but she still exuded a rare combination of independence and intelligence when she walked into the room.” After all, perfection can be forgotten, but what about a huge mistake? That’s what makes it memorable.
