When you watch the video below of the runway show of Leandro Cano’s collection, ÁNIMA, listen closely, perhaps you will hear the ceramic appliqués tinkling above the music. ÁNIMA (the soul) is a dramatic collection in which the modern zeitgeist meets baroque nostalgia. It was the Spanish designer’s first solo show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin 2013. Cano is an emerging designer who is already renowned for his use of form fitting leather and unconventional silhouettes. Initially, the collection was all about baroque, then the floral print developed and it took over: it was applied to fur and tulle, embroidered into plastic, printed on white cotton and white leather and translated into ceramics.
Cano collaborated on the ceramic pieces with TODOMUTA Studio, which is based in his hometown of San Luis, Seville. Each piece was molded from prototypes that TODOMUTA created and was finished by hand, so that each piece is unique. The forms of the ceramic appliqués designed for ÁNIMA look like a cross between flowers and bones. They were white or painted (by hand as well) in jewel tones. In some looks, the painted ceramic elements were incorporated into the baroque floral prints; in other pieces they were a colorful accent on white, monochromatic ensembles. Cano affixed the white ceramics to clear vinyl and white fabrics; at times, the ceramic pieces were very prominent forms with dramatic silhouettes.
The astounding things about ÁNIMA is that despite the enormous amount of pattern and detailing, the collection feels reserved, but in no way shy. The atypically exaggerated silhouettes, baroque patterning, clear vinyl mixed with embroidery, and ceramic somehow combine perfectly to be fresh and completely avoid tired pastiche.
Leandro Cano is based in Sevilla, Spain and studied at Ceade Leonardo de Sevilla. He has shown collections at Cádiz South 36-32N, Spain (2011) ; the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid 2012, Spain; and Zagreb Fashion Week 2012, Croatia. He received the Designer for Tomorrow 2012 award from Peek & Cloppenburg Duesseldorf and Fashion ID and was named a Vogue New Talent by Italian Vogue in 2013.
Amy Albracht is the General Editor at CFile.
Read CFile’s article on TODOMUTA Studio
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