Many people in the fashion industry refer to Francesca Liberatore as the “enfant prodige.” She entered the fashion world at the age of 19, honing her skills at some of the top fashion houses in Paris such as Viktor & Rolf, Jean Paul Gaultier and then went on to work for Brioni womenswear in Milan. Her incredible talent also landed her the top prize at The Next Generation Competition hosted by the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italianna. In addition, she is also creative director at Moulin Rouge Paris, where she designs the capsule collection “Moulin Rouge by Francesca Liberatore,” that encompasses a wide variety of graphics arts.
For Fall 2015 Liberatore, scored the prestigious DHL Exported Award which allowed her to present her collection at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York. The collection was inspired by super hero’s and a cadre of powerful women who transform themselves according to the situations of everyday life. The first looks started out fairly simple and slowly morphed into more elaborate pieces with an athletic edge. A black tuxedo jacket with notched lapels and loose flowing trousers featured an exposed deconstructed seam edged in white, followed by a mid-length sheath dress with a contrasting vertical seam, and a mono-sleeve mini tank dress with an asymmetrical panel on one side that mirrored the idea of an attached cape. From these simplistic silhouettes, the pieces moved onto short and sporty athletic dresses with accents in metallic leather and geometric cutouts. Athletic wear like the hoodie, colorful running tights, and woven tops were elevated with graphic devices, including patriotic stars and stripes. Her sporty looks were contrasted with loose, flowing shirt dresses with billowing trains that evoked a sense of movement.
Liberatore also incorporated playful fur chubbies and fur hoodies as an add on accessory in electric blue, red and felted wool with her signature piece: the miniskirt. A silver fox vest with a hood added a certain toughness to her urban silhouettes. This resulted in a contemporary, fresh take on this season’s sporty trend. The Central St. Martin trained designer delivers urbanity, and sophistication with a dose of whimsy.
