Modern Sensibilities

Championing fluidity and freedom in fashion, Italian designer Alberta Ferretti talks aesthetics, politics, and why confidence is the best accessory for a bride’s wedding ensemble.

- Dishari Basu

Being an acclaimed designer is much more than perfecting the taste of novelty in society. It comes with a suitcase full of responsibilities; responsibility to give back to the society in ways more than the corners that only artistry can reach. And at present, it comes with the duty of blurring lines, universally. Lines between the society’s patriarchal fundamentals of polity, race, culture, and in a more holistic sense, everything. Being a creator in 2018, amid the masses of women (and men) who finally shed their inhibitions to bring to the spotlight the gender discrimination and crimes executed against so many, brings with it a commitment to guide change. To escort the freedom of choice to sink in—freedom to choose one’s way of life. Because what’s a voice that can usher in change if it isn’t being heard? With the fashion industry bursting at the seams with designers, innovators, and bloggers alike, it’s adequate to say that your voice is only as good as what you put forth on your plate.

Venturing beyond her signature aesthetics to fit in the need of the present hour is Italian designer Alberta Ferretti. The romance and femininity in her creations are widely known and yet, she chooses fashion as an expression of change rather than an escape route from reality. “Fashion is an incisive medium that, if need be, can deliver important messages. Just look at the growing attention towards environmental sustainability following the recent climate change and disasters,” says the design virtuoso. Just tilt it in the right direction and sit back and watch a revolution take place, as has been the case in the past.