Milan, 21th February, 2024.
She’s the heart and soul of New York. Enterprising, strong-willed, self-confident. She moves freely around the city, refined and simple at the same time. She wears black, a vibrant total black that’s full of contrasts and an anti-uniform that reveals different sides of her personality with every step. For the Fall-Winter Collection 2024/25, Simonetta Ravizza draws inspiration from the charm of New York women with their spontaneous and bold yet always balanced elegance.
“I love black and enjoy interpreting it in different weights and textures to create unexpected contrasts. It’s an absolute black this season but there’s nothing monotonous about it. My woman in black is supremely chic at her core, with a touch of rock’n’roll that’s almost undetectable because it’s more in her attitude, in the way she interprets fashion, like the New York women who are as at home in Madison Avenue’s exclusive boutiques as they are on the subway, wearing a baseball cap paired with an evening outfit,” explains Simonetta Ravizza.
The collection is all a play on black, where the sheen of the padded satin jacket meets the rigour of leather detailing; where the soft jersey of a top and long skirt set is lit up by tone-on-tone rhinestones or enriched with feathered hems on the trousers; and where the oversize cashmere turtleneck is asymmetrically dotted with maxi sequins that give it an even more precious look. The silhouettes are voluminous on top, featuring soft materials or loose fits, and then taper down around the legs in another challenge of contrasts.
“At the outset, we were known by the public for our coats, but now the collection is well-structured and customers love our entire offering, although the outerwear naturally remains a strong point,” adds the brand’s founder and creative director. The furs are all certified and sourced from farms that raise animals for food production, including hippie and velvet-effect shearling, Kidassia goatfur, cashmere goat fur and feathers for a fur-non-fur effect. The super-light full-length coat made only of feathers can be swapped out for the cashmere maxi bomber jacket with the extra warmth of a lightweight down layer, or for the double-face three-quarter length sheepskin coat, all perfect to wear with the edgy leather shorts accompanied by sensual sheer stockings. Turning to the accessories, the increasingly popular range of bags features new models that bring an additional style accent to round out the Simonetta Ravizza universe. Making its debut, the Moon Bag is a practical passepartout shoulder bag made from velvet-effect shearling, while the iconic Furissima collection presents the novelties of a new bag shape and a new entry in the form of the Baby Furissima, a mini sac for all occasions that marries feathers with Kidassia fur. “I admire New York women for that strength and independence they also translate into certain total black wardrobes.
In the words of Odyssey in their 1977 hit: “No one opens the door for a native New Yorker”. They don’t need a gentleman to open doors for them, they do it themselves,” concludes Simonetta Ravizza.
