At N°21 drum majorettes rule

A moment of celebration at N°21, with a packed house, fans standing four deep in the fashion house’s former garage headquarters, and a front-row packed with buyers and editors.

Leading the festivities in the show, a series of modern day drum majorettes, with half the cast wearing their classical pearl-rimmed captain’s hat.

A visual shot in the arm from the house’s creative director Alessandro Dell’Acqua, whose collection had all the optimism of a winning poker hand in Las Vegas. That city’s landscape was seen in some stupendous sequined coats and trenches, which climaxed the show.

A New Wave moment also, with gals wearing skimpy negligee cocktails trimmed in silver beads, underneath hefty winter parkas, all anchored by New Wave brothel creepers. Mods in the Mojave Desert. The N°21 lady is no hot house flower, but a career gal who manages to be carefree – going out for the evening in elongated PVC jodhpurs worn with plaid Lumberjack shirts and scarves; or seductive slip dresses fringed in gold or silver. She has a Western attitude with Appaloosa-colored rawhide coats and mohair cardigans. And a tinge of the B52s, thanks to the crystal-studded lonely millionaires sunglasses – courtesy of Linda Farrow. Everything finished with rodeo fringes.

“I love majorettes for their off the cuff glamour. I wanted feminine and sensual with masculine material and attitude, which is very Alessandro Dell’Acqua,” said the designer in a crowded backstage.

Though the overriding image of this show will be the nighttime images of Vegas, sure to be editorial hits. One blazing skirt even paired with a khaki Eisenhower jacket.

“I love the light at night in Vegas, it’s the majorette in her free time, not on the football field!” smiled Dell’Acqua.

In a word, Italy’s long post-war love affair with America is alive and well.

At N°21 drum majorettes rule

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