In this context, "Nations to Nations" reaffirms the importance of the slogan of Milano Unica "United to be Unique" promoting a message of positivity and unity among peoples and cultures: a call to action and to the symbolic connection between peoples and traditions from different parts of the world, even those most remote.
In the words of Creative Director Stefano Fadda: «It may seem strange that a fair for fabrics and accessories such as Milano Unica is interested in social-philosophical themes like fraternity between peoples. I actually believe that creativity is closely linked to culture and open-mindedness. "Nations to Nations" is a concept deeply rooted in the growth of mankind. Humanity has always progressed thanks to its courage and curiosity to discover new lands, new peoples, new worlds against which to measure itself, with which to ally itself, to contribute to and to receive from, in an adventurous and rich exchange. Without forgetting their own roots and particularities. This is the story of Columbus, Magellan and Galileo Galileo».
In terms of trends, the concept of "Nations to Nations" translates into a combination of values tied to different nations' traditions, craftsmanship and working knowledge to recreate a novel and more modern storyline that intertwines different cultures, the present and the past, and different languages into a new and timeless perspective. The idea is to play with contrasts of colour, fabric weights, patterns, structures and prints, while bearing in mind a priority: the fabrics of the future will have to be environmentally friendly by reducing chemical products, water waste and polluting energy sources.
The Themes That Bring Together To Nations
This leads to three themes: Organic Grunge that involves nations such as Scotland, Turkey and Romania; Handcrafted Essentialism that is explained through the artistic productions and textiles of South Korea, Switzerland and Sweden and, finally, Techno Romantic linked to Belgium, Azerbaijan and Indonesia.
Of course the juxtaposition of themes and nations is the result of extensive research. With regard to the first theme, for example, the nations considered, Scotland, Turkey and Romania, are united by a strong cultural background tied to rural life and, consequently, to nature and to the outdoors. From here, the Organic Grunge theme, with a strong ecological vocation and a propensity for natural yarns, was conceived. This is the world of denim, of typical fabrics inspired by farms, folk references and woody tone, all interpreted with a contemporary twist.
On the other hand, the theme of Handcrafted Essentialism comes from the characteristic of minimalism tying the styles of three countries that are poles apart, such as South Korea, Sweden and Switzerland. These three nations represent the concept of essentiality from both an aesthetic point of view as well as from a lifestyle point of view. The trends are represented as the fusion of the austerity and luxuriousness of the workmanship with the delicacy and complexity of the manufacturing.
Finally, the last theme, Techno Romantic inspires the contrast between the poetic aspect of Flemish paintings, the tapestries of Azerbaijan or Indonesian batiks with the need for the technological reinterpretation of such bravura. Here ornamentation and hi-tech combine to inspire striking tactile and visual effects.
