Hannibal Laguna, born in Caracas, Venezuela, was immersed in the world of fashion from an early age, with his parents being prominent figures in children’s fashion. Inspired by their example, Hannibal ventured to Milan at the age of 15 to study tailoring, leading to the establishment of the ‘Hannibal Laguna’ brand in 1987. The company, backed by a family-owned textile business, set itself apart by using unique and artisanal fabrics. His debut collection, ‘Concorde,’ was a testament to this uniqueness, earning the Air France prize and being chosen by Paco Rabanne to represent Spain in global presentations.
Since 2000, the brand has had an atelier in the “Golden Mile” of Madrid, and its collections have been presented in major fashion shows worldwide. Since its inception, the firm has concentrated on creating beautiful and elegant garments. Glamour is a byword for the firm, with its focus on feminine silhouettes and sophisticated color palettes.
Hannibal Laguna’s new collection, playfully named “Sunflourish,” incorporates a universe of flowers aligned with the golden luminescence of the sun. The collection springs off the runway with its multi-colored palette, announcing nature and the awakening spring. The last collection was named “Moonglow,” so naturally, the brand turned its eyes to the emerging sun. The artistic director reemphasized, “After a season with our eyes set on the moon, now the sunlight awakens our creative gardens and floods us with vitality and color.”
Hannibal Laguna 'Sunflourish' collection during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid
Timeless Floral Elegance
The new collection determinedly creates feminine silhouettes that are timeless but more contemporary and presented in natural fabrics. Per its founder’s style, the collection was created using the Moulage technique. Moulage involves draping fabric on a mannequin to create a garment. The word “moulage” is French and means “molding” or “casting.” The garments are also laboriously embroidered, demonstrating the brand’s unwavering focus on craftsmanship.
Hannibal Laguna 'Sunflourish' collection during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid
Floral concepts dance across the collection, allowing the viewer to see movement in the fabric itself, not only from its flow. The designs include long dresses and midi skirts that display volume without being overbearing. The collection continuously accentuates the hips and exposes the shoulders while the layers of ethereal fabrics float between translucent gauzes and powerful floral imagery.
The watery effect of the fabrics accentuates the idea of spring. They include paillette ornamentation, double crepe, crispy taffeta, silk, and tulle. Floral prints are meant to mimic embroidery, and tiny mirrored petals embellish the looks in almost three-dimensional effects.
The unexpected combination of colors is created by mixing powdered and neutral tones with bright and energetic florals. The palette consists of sunny oranges, rose red, dahlia blue, and Amazonian greens, merging with fruity tones such as pineapple, redcurrant, and grapefruit. One of the standout looks comes mid-presentation, with its unique ruby red blouse.
Hannibal Laguna 'Sunflourish' collection during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid
The color pops off the mode in a powerful burst, similar to the jeweled red slippers worn by Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. The blouse is unique, with its long sleeves starting at the shoulder but seemingly unconnected to its matching loose-fit tube top. The blouse is paired with a flowy long skirt in the ubiquitous floral print in orange, red, and white.
Another outfit that caught our attention was the final look of the show. It was a long floral dress in shades of purple, red, and blue with a deep V-neck and long sleeves. This dress encapsulates the collection with its vibrant colors, cinched waist, and gorgeous flow. The dress was sophisticated and elegant but with a playfulness that prevented it from being too stuffy.
Hannibal Laguna once again created gorgeous feminine clothes that were still modern and perfect for yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
