Couture milliner breaks the chains with a new collection of genderless headwear
Couture milliner Virna Pasquinelli and Shibari-inspired accessory brand Figure of A have merged to create a capsule collection of stunning genderless headwear inspired by the art of Japanese rope bondage “Shibari”.
Together, they present crafted pieces, each of them represents a small work of art, unique and unrepeatable, with its own character and its own history.
This combination therefore celebrates tradition and innovation, pursuing the road of no gender through pieces defined only by the wearer, without barriers of any kind.
These products best represent the idea of freedom through the use of a fashion object.
Virna Pasquinelli’s works have influences rooted in the Roman culture, identifying themselves in a romantic but contemporary world. Her products are inspired by a wide range of sensations and traditions, which she experienced in her everyday life growing up: architecture, mythology and art are the setting of a rich and kaleidoscopic cultural background.
Her hats allow people who wear them to identify with their “alter egos”, leaving room for the theatricality of a different self.
Her creations allow us to express different shades of our ego, without losing our roots, customizing our body, giving us the same power a portraitist possesses over his painting.
Each piece tells a story and contextualizes itself in the world.
The materials used are unique and of high-end quality. Her striking products create a theatrical experience, evoking both uplifting and poignant reactions, essential for the nature of her work. As a result, she has set up her own studio in 2017 where she creates props and millinery for shows, fashion editorials, music videos, film productions, and windows displays for a Variety of clients including Katy Perry, Selfriges, and Vogue Magazines.
Figure of A transforms the art of Shibari into a wearable form of artistic experience. The aim is therefore to raise this practice to a level that makes it an integral part of the general framework of the fashion world. A sensual practice that can not only seduce through the body, but also dress and wrap it.
The node becomes a form of expression of a physical awareness and no longer an expression of a limit. A medium that both “closes and encircles” its subject encompassing the highest form of expressive liberation not oppressive submission.
Giorgio Scaccianoce