“It Could Work”
For Spring/Summer 2026, Alberto Affinito, founder and creative director of art259design, presents It Could Work — a collection born from a fleeting moment of inspiration: a chance encounter with a little girl returning from dance class. Her movement, colors, and quiet confidence became the spark for a study on the relationship between the body and its garments — a celebration of presence, spontaneity, and freedom.
Rather than focusing on the clothes themselves, Affinito places the body at the center of his creative inquiry. Each piece is conceived to accompany movement, not to restrain it. Lines are pure, silhouettes fluid, and tailoring designed to follow the body’s natural rhythm. Transparency and lightness define the collection: silks, georgettes, and airy linens veil and reveal with poetic restraint, leaving the wearer’s individuality to shape the final silhouette.
Textile experimentation — a cornerstone of art259design — takes on new depth this season. Cold-dyed silk georgette evokes smoky clouds that drift across the skin, softening light and shadow. Raw linen satin reveals a dual personality: its smooth face lends elegance for refined occasions, while its textured reverse side transforms into a more casual, lived-in surface. Metallic threads, a recurring brand signature, add subtle radiance; cotton-metal velvet is sculpted directly on the mannequin in a tactile dance between craft and spontaneity.
Lightweight memory fabrics unfold in cascades of folds and ruffles, echoing the organic motion of the human form. Pleated poplin with a crumpled effect, raw denim, and treated jersey introduce a grounded, sporty sensibility — imperfections embraced as part of beauty’s texture.
The collection’s title, It Could Work, borrows its irony from Mel Brooks’ cult film Young Frankenstein, where experimentation meets intuition. In a moment of artistic transition, Affinito captures that same fearless curiosity — a declaration that creativity itself is an act of faith.
Through It Could Work, Alberto Affinito reaffirms his distinctive approach: fashion as an evolving conversation between body and material, movement and form, fragility and resolve. A quiet yet confident statement that, indeed, it could work.
Instagram: @art259design
