For a S/S 2021 limited edition, Tyrol-based company Mühlmann has chosen to use the Venice Villa texture, reproducing the distinctive mélange effect of Venetian terrazzo, as reinterpreted by FMG, on its fabrics.
The clothing brand selected the patterning of the "Venice Villa" full body technical porcelain stoneware for its aesthetic effect, its beauty and its variety of colors, and its ability to generate a dialogue between a classical style and a subtly nostalgic classicism. As Andrea Mühlmann explains: "After lengthy research, we found FMG’s innovative seminato-effect surfaces and we were immediately struck by their depth of patterning, their organic forms and their edges. When we first contacted FMG, we were impressed by their interest and their cooperative attitude. So we put things in motion and the project began to take shape."
Over time, the relationship between the world of design and fashion has become stronger and stronger, with more and more interactions. According to Andrea Mühlmann: "fashion and interior design are both sectors that follow trends, and they have a lot in common. They both enable us to express our personalities. Interdisciplinary collaborations often lead to interesting overlaps that produce something new and enrich both parties. The interplay of different sectors opens out many new opportunities.".A crossover that can genuinely generate diversified, holistic projects, original collections and fresh opportunities.
The past has always been a source of inspiration for both fashion and design: "traditional models and textures strongly inspire fashion and we are witnessing a recurrent cycle of trends that evoke emotions, call forth fresh interpretations and lead to further developments." Tradition is reworked and brought up to date with the aid of innovative materials, new processing techniques and careful attention to details.
In Ms Mühlmann’s opinion, the introduction of digital printing into fashion has enabled a previously unthinkable degree of creative freedom and an excellent opportunity for experimenting with and inventing products, including in limited editions. "Colors are very bright and motifs can be reproduced in detail without impairing the fabric’s woven properties and tactile feel. Water-based printing pigments are harmless on the skin. These characteristics are essential if you are aiming for a sustainable, high-quality result in the clothing sector." The Mühlmann business shares a focus on the environment and on people’s wellbeing with FMG, which produces technical ceramic solutions with additive-free natural raw materials, manufactured in zero-emissions plants.
Mühlmann decided to reproduce the hyper-realism of Venice Villa on soft fabrics "because it offers a vast range of possibilities in terms of both design and technology while remaining absolutely unmistakable". Venetian terrazzo "is a construction material that is efficient in terms of saving resources, because it is made from natural materials, and given its strength and durability it certainly also meets today’s demands for sustainability. It is an up-to-the-minute example of upcycling and sustainability, since "choice quality construction materials, such as marble and granite sourced from demolished buildings, are reincorporated in new surfaces".
Thanks to FMG’s Venice Villa porcelain stoneware, Venetian seminato has broken through into the world of fashion: "it is one of the most original surfaces, and it has been part of people’s lives for thousands of years. It conveys a natural feel of familiarity, which is simply beyond the reach of any fashion"
The liaison between FMG Mühlmann has successfully brought together and interwoven two apparently distant worlds, by means of the same pattern and an ethical, responsible approach to production.
