Anest Collective Faces Out to Europe, With a Little Help From 10 Corso Como
MILAN — There’s no doubt Tiziana Fausti is committed to preserving 10 Corso Como’s long tradition of brand scouting.
Since taking over the legendary concept store in 2020 from founder Carla Sozzani, Fausti has continued to integrate new names into its product offering, in addition to renovating and revamping the space and staging a rich schedule of events and exhibitions.
More from WWD
The latest such activation sheds light on Shanghai-born luxe brand Anest Collective, which installed its first European pop-up at the retailer, bringing its sophisticated blend of fashion, art and design in the area overlooking the 10 Corso Como café.
Opening to the public on Friday and running to Thursday, the pop-up aims to signal the expanding ambitions of the indie brand, which was established five years ago by Nathan Zhao and Emily Chen with the goal of fostering different creative expressions under one umbrella and creating a bridge between East and West, since its focus is on Made in Italy production.
The brand’s ethos is well-represented in the setup here, with racks displaying its polished fashion proposition flanked by a selection of art pieces, a curation of books picked by the founders and new design products that marked the brand’s official debut into lifestyle.
The label collaborates with a spectrum of artists and artisans, under the watch of its contributing creative director Gregory de la Hogue Moran. A Central Saint Martins’ graduate, de la Hogue Moran is an industry veteran, having cut his teeth at Burberry in London before moving to Italy and working at Bottega Veneta during Tomas Meier’s tenure.
He’s based in Venice, a city he praised for its craftsmanship and bustling artisanal energy. In joining Anest Collective 18 months ago, he committed to leveraging this know-how in supervising what he described as “a delicate ecosystem” and especially the fashion part of the project.
The brand’s collection is centered on pieces that transcend seasonality, since they are developed according to “acts” and produced in small lots. This is due to the manufacturing process, carried out by small, family-run businesses scattered across Italy and the brand’s overarching philosophy of promoting slow fashion, exclusivity and clothes’ longevity. These aspects come with a price, too, as average tags swing from 850 euros for a shirt and around 1,300 euros for knitwear up to 4,200 euros for a double cashmere coat.
Collections are usually divided into discreet daywear garments and a fancier, nighttime offering. For example, the Act I lineup included a wrap coat manufactured near Parma and pink or gray sets pairing fuzzy kid mohair cardigans with matching pencil skirts that were developed by an indie Tuscan supplier. Fancier pieces ranged from a striped ruffled shirt crafted from a silk and linen blend to a standout croco-embossed calfskin jacket cut in sharp, cropped proportions and bejeweled with gold buttons.
The jacket was replicated in the new, Act II collection also showcased at 10 Corso Como, but in an even more charming burgundy version, which went hand-in-hand with another jacket in the same hue cut from soft napa leather. They added to knits, grisaille tops and dresses and pajama sets that de la Hogue Moran conceived with a genderless mindset and that came with an arty label inside, which featured a serial number stating that they have been created in just five or six pieces.
The exclusive approach peaked in one-of-a-kind numbers. The newest ones included two handmade gowns — a black slipdress embroidered with pearls and a body-con white dress crafted from ruched lace and with pleated silk inserts.
Following in the footsteps of a velvet cutout dress and a fuzzy coat embellished with ostrich feathers, these custom pieces were inspired by Venice and its artisanal flair, said de la Hogue Moran.
The city also inspired Anest Collective’s foray into lifestyle, the result of a collaboration with designer and architect Marco Parmeggiani. Known for his Murano glass creations exploring century-old techniques with a contemporary twist, Parmeggiani developed two candles manufactured with the leftover wax of Venice’s churches and scented with a mix of oud, incense and geranium. The range also included plates and arty cases to adorn one’s home.
For the pop-up, Anest Collective additionally partnered with Galleria Francesca Minini to feature works by Matthias Bitzer, known for his exploration of identity through mixed media such as sculptures, drawing and collages.
De la Hogue Moran said going forward the plan is to launch a selection of pop-ups around the world, averaging two a year, with one implementation more art-centric via partnerships with galleries and artists and the other more product-oriented via tie-ups with retailers.
Anest Collective already has a boutique in Shanghai, located in the Xintiandi commercial area. Conceived by the Waterfrom Design architecture studio, the space mirrors the understated allure of the brand via minimal lines, curated art and furniture pieces and a muted color palette.
Best of WWD
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
