Marco Petrus translates metropolitan buildings into trippy paintings, weaving wobbly structures into stacked collages or layering precise rows of windows in a close-up of an office. Domenico Formichetti runs Formy Studio with the intent to hybridize graphic streetwear with real artistry. These seemingly unrelated Italian ideators find several creative overlaps, despite nearly over 30 years separating them: both are based in Milan, both rework existing conceits into new shapes, and – here's the important part – both draw inspiration from the Milanese landscape, making their new collaborative collection a better fit than meets the eye.
Taking its name from a 2014 Petrus exhibition, "Atlas," Formy Studio's Spring/Summer 2021 collection is rife with Petrus' geometric shapes and colorful accents, mixing statement patterns atop Formy's technical windbreakers, massive shirting, and accessories – with their generous proportions, the screamingly-loud sets recall some of Billie Eilish's on-stage looks. Wide shorts and scarves allow the wearer to mix the colorful sets to their liking, but all are united by rubber "tags" laden with Formy's branding.
Bucket hats, flat-brim caps, and totes make for safer interplay, for those looking to tone down their summer styling, or at least relegate standout prints to accessories. Some ready-to-wear stray from the all-over imagery, swapping in a plain-toned base graced by some of Petrus' curved structures, emphasizing the wavy silhouettes rather than the ultra-loud geometric patterns that uplift the rest of the line.
All of the Marco Petrus goods and the rest of the SS21 lineup hit Formy Studio's website on May 20.
