Alessandro Dell’Acqua is one of those names that New York women seek out on small racks at Barneys and Bergdorf’s. Exhibiting a great sense of movie romance and real gift for le flou, his shimmery clothes are retro but not costumey, soft but not sappy. This fall, he’ll open on Madison Avenue, amid a lot of talk about how the great actresses of Italian film inspire him. (Courtney Love, too, but we’ll chalk that up to the language barrier.) The cinematic store—dark floors, white walls, shopper as star—will carry not only his womenswear but also his incredibly dishy shoe collection, worn by the naked ladies in a 2001 Vanessa Beecroft installation. The store will also introduce Americans to Dell’Acqua’s men’s line—think of Jude Law in The Talented Mr. Ripley. Compared with the women’s clothes, it’s quite a bit lighter on the paillettes.
Alessandro Dell’Acqua, 818 Madison Avenue, at 68th Street; opens September 7.