The lavish halls of Residenza Vignale — one of Milan’s many secret gems — served as the ideal backdrop for the eccentricity Alessandro Dell’Acqua injected into his latest No. 21 collection, which was photographed at the early 20th-century residence.
Inspired by archival fashion editorials featuring Stella Tennant and “her chic aristo background,” Dell’Acqua filtered British fashion tropes through his bourgeois lens and signature masculine-feminine interplay.
Cue rugby polo sweatshirts worn over check skirts and accessorized with opera gloves and chunky, not-your-grandma’s pearl necklaces; argyle sweaters revisited in cropped proportions to reveal the double layering of mannish shirts, and the profusion of tartan separates – from twinsets to pleated skirts — all lacquered in sequins for a glam take on the classic pattern.
Countryside-ready parkas and Loden coats were offset by bon-ton skirt suits and feminine dresses and blouses cut from flowy georgette covered in gold dévoré polka dots. Yet the best pieces were the ones where Dell’Acqua raised the eccentric frequency the most, as seen in the soft Mongolia wool jackets, fringed knitted ensembles and a standout suit in gold lamé brocade featuring a contrasting baby blue satin lining that could be the fashion equivalent of a tempting Ferrero Rocher praline.
The opulent fabrications trickled down to the accessories, and informed the brand’s men’s proposition for fall 2026. Dell’Acqua dressed his men in leather jackets, zippered hoodies in checkered patterns that were bonded with neoprene for a sportier vibe and handed them their share of dazzle via gold brocade pants.
