Venerdì Pomeriggio Spring/Summer 2027

Vivetta Ponti’s second collection for Venerdì Pomeriggio moves the designer’s whimsical universe outdoors, trading the domestic references of her debut for the more playful territory of gardening. Flowers appear across prim dresses, pyjama sets, robes and signature bloomers, while embroidered botanical motifs creep across trenchcoats, cardigans and denim. The concept is deliberately literal, but that suits a label whose appeal has always come from refusing to take conventional ideas of femininity too seriously.

The collection becomes more interesting as the decoration grows increasingly excessive. Ostrich feathers and crystals are used to construct miniature gardens across A-line dresses and knee-length skirts, turning floral decoration into something almost sculptural. There is a faint surrealist streak throughout, most obviously in a male model dressed in a bustier designed to resemble a walking bouquet. It is strange without being entirely random, connecting the collection to the playful irreverence that defined Ponti’s earlier work.

What remains most distinctive is Ponti’s refusal to dilute the aesthetic for broader appeal. Oversized sailor collars, bows, scalloped hems, retro silhouettes and sugar-coated colour give the collection a deliberately narrow point of view. In a Milan season often concerned with commercial clarity, Venerdì Pomeriggio feels almost stubbornly personal. That can make some of the pieces feel more like extensions of Ponti’s visual world than essential additions to a modern wardrobe, but it also gives the brand a clear identity at a time when so much fashion is chasing the same idea of desirability.

The real promise of Venerdì Pomeriggio lies in the level of care behind the eccentricity. Ponti is working with local artisans and smaller-scale production, and that attention is visible in the embroidery, embellishment and construction. SS27 does not attempt to make her whimsical language more universal; instead, it develops the vocabulary with greater confidence. Like the garden that inspired it, the collection is a little overgrown, highly specific and more charming because it has been allowed to grow in its own direction.