Frankie Morello are renowned for their penchant for pop culture and for autumn winter 2011, the Italian duo revisited one of their favourite tv series – Mad Men. “We imagined a woman in a beauty salon in the 1950s” they explained after the show. And if it wasn’t for the contemporary fabrics such lurex and patent leather, the clothes certainly wouldn’t look out of place in those times. The show opened with bright puffball skirts and cropped baseball jackets, many of which came in shades of black, yellow or red.

What followed later was yet a different take on the 50s subcultures, with mannish tailoring and skinny ties fit for a contemporary mod. Rockabilly tattoo motifs added quirkiness to the collection’s chiffons and wools, but it wasn’t until the finale that the beauty salon inspiration really became evident. A series of pieces adorned with hair clips re-affirmed that it’s humour and narrative that really inspire Morello’s fashion.

Dazed Digital: What started off the collection?
Frankie Morello: The collection tells the story of a beauty salon, where women go to get pampered. Just like Betty Draper in Mad Men. We are really influenced by the 50s silhouettes – all those full skirts and little jackets!

DD: There was a lot of tattoo embroidery in the show…
Frankie Morello: Well, the tattoos are very much part of that era, so we decided to use them as embroidery on the wools and chiffons. The whole collection is a playful take on the 50s and there’s a lot of irony to the tattoos too…

DD: What are you favourite pieces from the collection?
Frankie Morello: The wool coats and the hair clip pieces. 

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