Tracee Ellis Ross walks Milan runway for reflective Marni collection sparked by art for art's sake

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MILAN (AP) — Marni creative director Francesco Risso set up an impromptu jazz club and invited friends like Tracee Ellis Ross to model his latest collection during Milan Fashion Week previews on Wednesday for Fall-Winter 2025-26.

The spark for the collection came during a month-long residency in London with Nigerian artists Slawn and Soldier, creating for the sake of creating. Risso took up painting again, and the collaboration produced artworks that appear on some of the pieces, and on the walls of the show space.

“Our hands were dancing together, literally,’’ Risso said backstage.

Risso intends the ambitious collection with sculptural elements to be a sort of “seed vault” for future collections, distilling what he called “the Marni essence.”

Oversized flowers were painted on suits, the long stems extending from the bias-cut jackets. A bumblebee sweater was a whimsical piece of knit sculpture. Wool coats puffed in the back, like cocoons. Oversized fur collars projected drama. Each piece was a fable in its own right, like the printed story of a pack of good-luck wolves that Risso left on the table for guests.

“It’s time for reflection,’’ Risso said. “It’s time to preserve.”