David Koma has turned the page at Blumarine. Roses are thornier, red is blood-stained—romance is edgier, nocturnal. His rejuvenation cure is about administering some tough love, with an eye to cinematic fantasies of sultry Sicilian female glamour. “It’s dark, shadowed romanticism,” he said.
Koma has honed a modernist, rigorous approach to design—he favors sharp lines, precision, control, structure. Now he faces the challenge of balancing these elements with the label’s frivolous and flirty spirit, giving collections concision without detracting from lightness.
Is Blumarine David Koma’s softer side? Up to a point. Silhouettes remained sharp and precise, skimming the body—a structured yet sinuous fur-trimmed coat opened the show, followed by tailored jackets with corset construction and fully boned bustier minidresses featuring sculpted portrait necklines. Sheer fabrics like chiffon and georgette—typically at odds with Koma’s structured look—were crafted into poet blouses tucked into sleek, studded black leather pants or billowy, lace-encrusted shirt dresses sustained by the rigidity of crinolines.
The usual Blumarine palette of girly pastels was pared down to lipstick red set against black, white, and gray. Hard metallic accents, one of Koma’s trademarks, ran throughout, peaking in the metallic version of the brand’s signature rose that contrasted with the introduction of a new, more aggressive leitmotif: the Sicilian thistle. Blumarine’s garden is getting wilder.
“I wanted to create some drama, something powerful—but with a happy ending,” said Koma. “I wanted to keep this tension between fluidity and structure across the collection, staying true to my strong handwriting. The house’s heritage is there, but I really wanted the collection to feel that I have it under control.” So far, there’s no question about that.
