Reducing, Cleaning, Simplify, right after a limitless exploration phase. Not only in physical, geographical terms, but mostly as an internal and sensorial journey.

This is how first Nicola Indelicato A/I 2015-16 Collection get born : “At first I thought I would launch a Womenswear collection, because I felt it as an immediate urge, as if it was natural but then I realized that my deep attraction was caught by Menswear dress code. Dealing with a series of opposites that I didn’t want to lose, I’ve just creatively decided to melt ‘em all”.

Fusion of diversities, and coexistence of different ‘humanscapes’ are, indeed, the key sentences to acknowledge the collection itself as unexpected contamination between Nicola sensitivity for textiles research and Turkish traditional male garments: “In Istanbul I met once a traditional men’s tailor, who stroke me with his incredible technique language, showing a world of ‘symbols’ and gestures that needed no translation, despite my basic Turkish. Over a whole month I would go and talk to him, every saturday, trying to dig for his distinctive garment understanding, that strongly became structure and oxygen for the collection. The Turkish trousers called ‘Salvar’ got turned into a pair of shorts, while the thick pleating technique, moved out toward plissés studies, creating a new standard in terms of accessories: an apron/belt, pleated in the front and functionally holding in the back, reminding to my great-aunts homemade aprons”.

‘Paradoks’, as the Turkish word for paradox, it’s not just the collection title, it’s a cultural and significant consequence, a ’trait d’union’ all the way through the capsule creative

signposts. The conceptual value of paradox has to be found also within the imaginary of ‘Buffalo 66’, a late 90’s independent movie, directed and acted by Vincent Gallo in a stunning duo with Christina Ricci. Emotionally unable to communicate, male and female are drifting in a series of non-senses, while they are, same time, hopelessly dependent on each other. “This movie really had signed my consciousness - asserts Nicola - especially when Billy (Gallo) tells Layla (Ricci) : We're the couple that

doesn't touch one another.We like each other a lot, and we span time together. We just don't touch each other, all right ?”

It’s the unlikely relationship between the two of them to bring oxymora all over the collection DNA: a unisex definition that is wearing a traditional turkish long shirt, carried out in

bonded and thermo welded leather or in bonded woolen cloth/ leather, tightly closed - almost packed - thanks to high-tech thermo welded zips, designing a geometric taste of brutalism. By increasing quality and strong functionality to his outerwear pieces, Nicola feels that “ Most of technical aspects of fabrics and textile associations, got their inspiration and aesthetic by deepening into basket sportswear essentials, from the classic maxi combo, vest+shorts, up to its iconic volumes and details, entirely applied onto leather or

fabric. Net materials, coming from sporty t-shirts, were treated and thicken to create a unique fur-striped manufacture”.

Gathering together all hints and layers of meaning, appears so important to pinpoint Nicola Indelicato, sophisticated material choices, almost drafting a ‘vademecum’: oxford cottons, satin cottons, woolen cloth, bonded leather, shearling, mink, xiangao fur, laminée python. This, the statement glossary of an incongruously exciting fashion story.