Fashion aside, architecture and the opera are two of Uma Wang’s great loves. It so happens that her adopted hometown of Verona has one of the most spectacular opera venues around: the Arena di Verona is, in fact, not a traditional opera house but a remarkably preserved Roman amphitheater dating back some 2,000 years.
“When I see the women lined up, waiting for the door to open, it’s so interesting to see how they prepare for the evening,” the designer said backstage before her show. She noted how the women will often choose something quite simple and then give it a little twist or an embellishment to make the outfit feel more special and personal.
The finishes of Arena’s pink and white limestone structure, as well as its barrel-vaulted corridors and radial passageways, offered Wang a point of departure for an architectural lineup of roomy, strong-shouldered jackets coaxed to exaggeratedly beveled angles and curves. Layer upon layer of gracefully folded and draped fabric appeared in rich brocades and burnished hues. Rosso di Verona—the red marble characteristic of the city’s checkerboard floors—likewise provided inspiration for several looks, like a fluid long dress gathered at the knee (worn here with matching opera gloves), a structured jacket, or a scarf detail shown over a sculpted jacket with billowing sleeves and ample trousers that gathered at the ankles.
Interspersed with the high-volume looks were some sotto voce winners, among them a cropped jacket in glossy leather, a black jacket cinched simply with fabric ties, an easy sleeveless velvet top, a burgundy split-sleeve turtleneck, and a cashmere scarf. A long cream-colored column dress with a twisted capelet detail looked both glamorous and easy. Pearl jewelry by Uma Wang x Detaj—a recurring collaboration—was another high note.
