Angela Missoni’s penchant for eclecticism is well-known from her knitwear collections that brim with psychedelic patterns in vast Pantone-coloured hues. She calls herself a compulsive collector of acquisitions that span from art, glass, ceramic, porcelain to dollhouse furniture, mechanical singing birds and straw chaises.

She returns to Singapore, after seven years, not just to shop for Peranakan beaded shoes, kebayas or batiks, but to officially open the fashion house’s first flagship store.

Revered as the only fashion house with three generations of the family in the business, the Italian luxury brand is well-loved here, with a franchise store at Hilton Shopping Gallery that has been around for about 20 years. “The bestsellers are dresses, and scarves are always a big hit. In fact, they’re all sold out,” she adds. “Fine knits do very well because they are easy to pack for trips, ready to be worn without the need to iron.”

Asia major
For the launch of the new boutique – the first that is directly operated by the Missoni family in Southeast Asia – the creative director and president set her sights on The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. “I’ve always loved Singapore. I love the people, the cultural mix. Now Singapore is going to be important to us because of the high volume of Chinese tourists, so it’s crucial to build a stronger presence here.”

Setting a retail milestone for the international knitwear label, the 150sqm store is located in the luxury zone of the mall. Angela designed and conceptualised the boutique, revealing that there is a special nod to Singapore in the interior design. Amid cosy wood furnishings accentuated by a warm palette of dusty pink, terracotta and coral, she added cyan blue to inject a refreshing zing. “Interior design is one of my passions. I was personally involved in the conceptualisation process and worked with the architect on every single detail of the boutique.”

So dedicated is she in the creative endeavour that she had to take a call in the middle of this interview to ensure that everything is running smoothly for the grand opening.

Along with Michele Norsa (Vice-Chairman of Missoni and industrial partner at FSI), and nephew Giacomo Missoni (Retail Director), Angela graced the glitzy cocktail party that saw the attendance of celebrities and society guests. “Singapore is the perfect location for us to debut our flagship boutique and we hope this will open up new doors for Missoni to expand the brand within the whole Southeast Asia,” she adds.

The more, the merrier
In addition to womenswear, menswear, beachwear and accessories, the boutique is one of the first in the world to stock the latest collection from the second Adidas x Missoni collaboration. This includes the latest knit Pulseboost sneakers along with running garments in form-fitting silhouettes energised with iconic Missoni colours. The debut collaboration back in April 2019 turned out to be such a success that it catapulted the knit Ultraboost sneaker into a cult favourite.

The partnership with the German sportswear powerhouse is an apt match. Athleticism runs in the heritage house’s DNA – Ottavio Missoni, co-founder of the house and Angela’s father, was a hurdler who represented Italy in the 1948 London Olympics. It was also here where he met his future wife, Rosita Jelmini, who now oversees the Missoni Home collection.

In addition, the boutique stocks M Missoni, a lower-priced range that previously operated as a licensee of an Italian textile company that manufactured and distributed the line. Now back in the family, it gained renewed buzz after Angela’s daughter, Margherita Maccapani Missoni, picked up the reins as creative director for the relaunch.

Her debut presentation at the recent Milan Fashion Week delivered a promising showcase of pieces that incorporated yarn from stockpiles left over from previous seasons and repurposed forgotten patterns, details and logos.

This month, merchandise to expect in the store includes summery espadrilles crafted in collaboration with Ethiopian footwear company Sawa, along with the first eyewear collection under Safilo.

Something else to look forward to is the launch of a new line of watches, produced with the Timex Group, in the middle of this year. The timepieces will bear iconic Missoni signatures such as the zigzag patterns and riotous combinations of textures, materials, colours and prints.

“I’m particularly proud of this new line of watches, which adds a new and important element to the mosaic of the Missoni world. Today, more than ever, the watch is a fashion accessory able to express the style of the wearer, showing their taste and personality. We will bring a touch of colour to the time of our customers,” promises Angela.