Risotto?
Paolo Carzana is looking closer to home for Autumn/Winter 2026, with his latest collection, ‘Il Risotto’, rooted in a childhood memory and the simple art of making something beautiful from what is already around you.
The collection takes its starting point from Carzana’s auntie, who taught him how to make risotto as a child. From there comes the philosophy of cucina povera, the Italian tradition of working with humble, available ingredients and transforming them into something considered.
That idea becomes the framework for the collection. Rice represents the starting point, reflected in raw, undyed cloth before the story develops through layers of colour, texture and character, much like ingredients gradually coming together in a recipe.
Rather than looking to grand references, Carzana finds beauty in the familiar, turning a family ritual into a wider reflection on resourcefulness, memory and creativity. With ‘Il Risotto’, the designer continues to make fashion feel deeply personal, while keeping the process rooted in the everyday.
PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Paolo Carzana
