Today, when fashion is becoming increasingly commercial, focused on fast trends and instant sales, collections based on large-scale historical research are extremely rare. However, designer Antonina Belinska, founder of the TONiA brand, is not afraid to experiment and willingly travels through time. Her new collection, presented as part of Ukrainian Fashion Week, is dedicated to the era of Mannerism – a period of complex forms and sophisticated aristocratic style.
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On Belinska's moodboard are Bernardino Licinio's exquisite “Family Portrait”, engravings depicting representatives of different social classes in Venice from Abraham de Bruyn's Habitus variarum orbis gentium, as well as genre paintings by Dutch artist Hendrik Averkamp, in particular “Scene on Ice”, where the costume is depicted in motion.
The key form-making technique of the Manierismo collection is draping and layering. Belinska transforms the lush skirts of Venetian fashionistas into long peplums, creating a complex silhouette architecture. The designer “turns” the delicate lace of underwear inside out – it playfully looks out from under corsets and jackets as a decorative element. The cuts on the lush puff sleeves also refer to the fashion of the late Renaissance.
“Mannerism is the time between the Renaissance and the Baroque, when forms became more complicated, images became more and more luxurious, new materials and colors appeared. Clothing was one of the most important markers of social status, and therefore people demonstrated their taste and financial capabilities with the help of intricate embroidery, lush skirts and voluminous sleeves, silk, velvet and lace,” says Antonina Belinska.
Another characteristic detail of the aristocratic costume of the Mannerist era was the high white collars-mills made of pleated cambric or lace, which decorated the portrait zone. In the TONiA collection, this element was reinterpreted in a softer form and bright colors. The designer paid great attention to the study of accessories and jewelry in ceremonial portraits of European monarchs: the TONiA catwalk collection is complemented by gloves, bows, as well as spectacular pendants, brooches, bracelets and pendants.
The color scheme of the collection varies from restrained black, brown and gray to exquisite green, sky blue and soft pink. As an accent, Belinska uses carrot ribbons (as in the painting by Avercamp). Despite the large number of historical references, the Manierismo collection embodies the recognizable style of the TONiA brand: sophisticated and modern, artistic and sexy.