Francesca Liberatore on Fashion Narratives and Collaboration

In a recent interview with Artribune, fashion designer Francesca Liberatore discusses her approach to narrative in fashion, her Autumn/Winter 2021 collection presented at Milan Fashion Week, and her collaborations with cultural institutions and artists. Liberatore, who has a background in art and experience at the Moulin Rouge, emphasizes the importance of storytelling and cross-disciplinary synergy. For her latest collection, she partnered with Fondazione Società dei Concerti, film critic and director Mario Sesti, fashion critic Alessandro Turci, and photographer Alice Falco. The presentation, held at a theater, explored themes of rebirth from the post-war period, using clothing as actors. Liberatore reflects on the shift to digital due to the pandemic, having initially planned holograms and projections, but ultimately creating a live show that balanced theater and fashion. She stresses the need for authenticity over artifice and the irreplaceable value of physical interaction with materials and bodies. The interview also touches on her artistic upbringing, her Italian identity, and the challenges for young designers versus big brands.