Marni returns to its roots with Meryll Rogge's FW26 collection The new creative director retraces the brand's history in a nostalgic collection
Renew, reduce, expand, rewrite, or protect: a creative director's first collection is a statement of intent about the future of the brand. In the case of Meryll Rogge, who presented her debut collection for Marni last night, the intent is clear: to best preserve the identity of the Maison. To do this, the Belgian designer chose a humble and crystalline approach, paying tribute to founder Consuelo Castiglioni and her pioneering designs. On a warm-colored set by Formafantasma, the new collection transported the audience back to the ’90s minimalism era, when Castiglioni burst onto the fashion scene with a countercurrent brand full of bright colors, eccentric prints, and experimental silhouettes. Just as Marni’s arrival in 1994 was a breath of fresh air for the industry, Rogge’s entry into Milan today brings relief to those tired of total black and statement pieces that, in truth, have little to say.
FW26 reflects the hours of study Meryll Rogge dedicated to the Marni archives. Patterns and textures collide to create surprise effects in every look, proportions are deliberately altered, and technical materials are reinterpreted in a “feminine” way, with pockets strategically placed on long functional dresses. The color palette is irreducible, elusive: bright shades sit alongside delicate pastels, horizontal, vertical, and diagonal stripes mix across trousers and knitwear, which also differ in weight and texture. Accessories - belts, necklaces, earrings, and collars - enhance the volume and dynamism of the collection, making it even more tactile.
Alongside patchwork fur coats, oversized blazers, and ties tucked into thick knitwear, Rogge introduces fresher pieces, such as balloon mini shorts, tops with colorful polka dots, waterproof fabric dresses, and a leather biker dress with an asymmetric closure - the most sensual piece of the collection. Meanwhile, two of the Maison’s most iconic accessories return to the runway: the Fussbett sandal and the Trunk bag, reimagined with a modern twist.
While the tributes to Castiglioni’s Marni are evident - Rogge even recreated in knit some of the brand’s early coats and experimented with fur, the material that launched the brand - echoes of other Maisons also emerge in the looks, between the plasticity of design and the irreverence of Marc Jacobs styling and the urban elegance intertwined with the chromatic experimentation of Dries Van Noten. This is no coincidence, considering that Rogge collaborated with both Maisons before launching her brand in 2020; in hindsight, Jacobs and Van Noten embody for New York and Paris what Marni has always been for Milan: an alternative and playful luxury, certainly elegant but by no means boring. Evidence of this in FW26 includes oversized sequins embroidered on the dresses, mother-of-pearl details, and the generous use of delicate fabrics like silk and organza.
In this new chapter of Marni, Meryll Rogge clearly wants to bring the brand closer to its roots - a challenge she will have to tackle carefully if she also wants to preserve the originality for which the brand has always been recognized.
