May Editorial

Put on some “musica leggera” because I feel like nothing… or rather, “leggerissima”! This song by Colapesce and Di Martino has become my mantra during home aperitifs with my daughter, as we try out dance moves in the kitchen or as I sing out of tune in the car on my way to work—a true earworm present in my head morning and night. What do I feel like? Nothing… just lightness. We have spent too long thinking about painful and dramatic things; now we want a pleasant “nothing,” which actually means everything. Or rather, all those things, even the tiny ones—like having a cappuccino at a bar—that we could no longer do. For too many months, we occupied ourselves only with the primary necessities of the home, the family, and the children, moving from the pharmacy to the school to the supermarket for essentials: socks and underwear for the kids, tracksuits for staying home, supplies for the weekend. Now is the time to rekindle the desire for something that is not only light but also, why not, absolutely superfluous! We deserve it.

It is May; spring now fills our days with the scent of flowers and warm sun, and we cannot help but feel that unbearable thrill that comes from the desire to buy something new—not because we actually need it, but simply because we like it. I know, it’s frivolity, but how long has it been since I strolled through shopping streets and went in just to browse, for the pure pleasure of trying something on in the fitting room to see how it fits, to surprise myself by finding something that I had, without knowing it, an absolute need for to feel good?

I believe all of us women agree on the therapeutic value of a purchase, but what should we buy right now when we feel like everything and nothing? And above all, for what occasion? Events, parties, and occasions are still lacking, but there is the possibility of going out to lunch at a restaurant, venturing to the cinema, or inviting two friends over for dinner, while always respecting the curfew and social distancing.

And that is enough to make me want to look pretty, to wear something special. Enough with shapeless clothes and slippers; spring this year must truly make us bloom again. I confess that before (Covid), I used to buy things compulsively, perhaps low-cost, to compensate for a disappointment, a struggle, or to reward myself for a small success, only to find a quantity of things in my wardrobe that I would never wear again, knowing I had thrown money away. Today—I don’t know about you—but I, certainly influenced by the long shopping abstinence, want to buy less and better; perhaps a single, decidedly special item that will stay in my wardrobe for a lifetime (alright, maybe I’m exaggerating!) but that will certainly not bore me the following season. And when I identify it, I will pay close attention to the inner label that reveals the technical composition, to be certain that the fabric is truly precious and worth the price on the tag. After that, I will let myself be carried away by the joy of wearing a color…

I have never seen such an explosion of bright colors in shop windows and on the pages of magazines, as if now more than ever women want to be noticed, to express their emotions through the color of their clothing (yes, just like the Royals do)—the joy of being able to share pleasant moments with others after long months of isolation. So, let’s fearlessly choose a bright, full, bold color without fearing it might be… too much. In fact, let’s dare even more by pairing it with another “color block” in a way we have never done before: yellow with green, red and light blue, pink with orange, yellow and peacock blue. Each of us has a favorite color that enhances our complexion and makes us feel beautiful; now is the time to discover it. And to buy it.

Crida, as you know, was born in February 2020, right on the eve of the epochal change that would overwhelm the world this past year, presenting a small capsule of silk dresses in very brilliant colors. Even then, we thought there was nothing more beautiful, cheerful, and full of energy than a colorful garment made of natural fabric. Today, the new Spring-Summer collection enhances this trend even further and takes on a profound meaning—not just of style, but of the will to live, to value our beauty and femininity, to… start again.

This is the lightness that Colapesce and Di Martino sing about—a need we should not be ashamed of, but one that helps us feel ready once again to live with others and to express, even through a new and colorful dress, our hard-won comeback.