Launch of the new 'Gentucca Play Mantero' collection
Featuring a skilful meld of sizes, prints and chromatic variations, the creations featured in the "Gentucca Play Mantero" collection are all truly unique pieces. The designer - known for her unconventional approach to fashion - devoted hours of her time to working on the rich archives of the historic Como-based company, choosing a selection of vintage prints and mixing them in an unusual visual play of graphic motifs and colour. The Milanese designer's radical approach to the project has resulted in series of exclusive, unrepeatable woven blends.
Gentucca Play Mantero updates the classic foulard through the use of new materials and, in this particular case, the introduction of silk jersey. Light and impalpable, this soft, elastic, resistant fabric is designed to offer an all-embracing, sensual tactile sensation.
Classic working techniques, such as hand-rolled edges and the use of time-honoured prints and patterns, have served as a sure guarantee of the premiere quality of this new project. Developed historically according to the standard dimensions of the square, defined in jargon as carré, the scarf has also been restyled in terms of size thanks to the use of multiples of the basic A4 format, developed in three different sizes.
The Gentucca Play Mantero logo is defined by the international "Play" button symbol, a triangle inverted on the right side, thus acting as the first trait d'union between the designer's creativity and the artisanal expertise of the Como-based company.
"Our company, boasting more than 100 years of outstanding creative and industrial know-how, has chosen to collaborate with one of the most enterprising designers in the sector to explore a new dimension of the scarf, considered until now as an accessory dedicated almost exclusively to an adult public", commented Alberto D'Errico, Manager of Mantero Seta SpA's licensing and distribution division. "It is difficult to find the right words to define the result of this partnership: Gentucca Play Mantero scarves are devoid of any specific functional connotations and transcend all definitions associated with the object in the classic sense of the word, to become accessories that can be worn at any time and on any occasion."
"I played with memory, with Mantero's vast archives," said Bini, creative director of the Gentucca Play Mantero project. "I tried to bring them back to the present by using a new language and an original format involving a different take on graphics, sizes and fabrics. The project stems from the selection of a series of original prints which, once interwoven, form a new visual code characterized by "never-seen-before" coloured graphic motifs. The combination between contrasting designs, geometric movements and organic motifs, traces a deliberately imperfect hyperchromatic visual pattern. This operation is based on an entirely manual creative process that combines Mantero's cutting-edge printing techniques with time-honoured artisanal know-how and skills, giving life to an unexpected result."
In addition to being a leader in the creation, production and distribution of fabrics and textile accessories, Mantero Seta SpA also has licensing agreements for the production of the following brands: Calvin Klein Collection, Christian Lacroix, Emilio Pucci, Kenzo, Nina Ricci, Viktor&Rolf and Vivienne Westwood.
