‘My Blumarine is more dirty, bitchy, sexier,’ Nicola Brognano told Vogue, when he released his first collection as creative director of Italian fashion house Blumarine. His freshman line, the Fall 2021 collection, was inspired by Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, embodying the early 00s perfectly.
Since then, Blumarine has skyrocketed in popularity. In August, we discussed Olivia Rodrigo’s use of a cardigan from the Fall 2021 collection, and other stars, like Madison Beer and Ariana Grande, have worn Blumarine pieces in the past two years.
Blumarine was first founded in 1977, by Anna Molinari and her husband Gianpaolo Tarabini. The brand over the decades has had many subsidiaries, such as 00s classic Blugirl (which we discuss in Mitten in the Stars.) Staples of Blumarine include overly feminine styles, and rose motifs, inspired by Molinari’s love of the flower. The brand still includes these into their collections, and the pastel colours prevalent are reminiscent of the brand’s feminine roots.
The beauty of Brognano’s Blumarine is its 00s aesthetic, and a highlight of Blumarine’s Spring 2022 collection is its use of butterfly motifs. Butterflies themselves were a trend during the 00s, and items like cardigans with knitted butterflies help create the essence of the 00s aesthetic. The butterfly motif has become so integral to the Spring 2022 collection that it takes centre stage in the campaign; models are photographed with butterfly wings, creating a high fashion Winx Club look.
Now, Blumarine is collaborating with Hello Kitty. A Y2K classic, the Hello Kitty collection screams Brognano’s manifesto. The sequinned tops and fur bags — all in the shape of Hello Kitty — embody cheekiness with a 00s spin. The pink sweater is reminiscent of 00s printed sweaters, now popularised by brands like UNIF and Ragged Priest.
With the 00s remaining a point of inspiration for designers, we can only look forward to Blumarine's further love letters to the decade.
by Lucy Eaton