A Neapolitan Wedding where Sustainability is the only Fashion-forward…

by Natasha. Robson, Esq.

For fashionluxury.info e-publication, Rome, Italy

Suffering from a bout of jetlag and squinting in the Naples sun, I was grateful for the Mediterranean beams blessing my skin. The air smelt of Italy and the haranguing flight and frog marching through Brexit London airport was all worth it.

I knew the Bride & Groom by two degrees of separation.

Antonio, I gleaned, proposed to today’s Bride on Santorini. I was a plus one of a celebrity friend and happy to escape grey London for a weekend.

You’ll forgive me, my friends, but I got distracted! I’m a lover of fashion, and although I enjoy successful people and their ‘happy endings’, it is no great surprise that the glint of old gold caught my eye!

She was unknown to me, and although she looked like she had just stepped off the runway, she had graced a magazine that I had not yet read. Champagne in my hand, I made a beeline for her exotic and vivacious sphere.

Cecilia. W Yu was dressed in a sunshine gold, satin and silk pleated gown, clearly customised, obviously conjured up in a fit of artistic passion. I could sniff the St. Martin’s influence, as distinct as her actual perfume and scented SPF. She was gracious enough to chat to me about her get up.

Turns out that today’s Artist du jour is all about upcycling and sustainability, her work with Nobel Peace Prizes were casually mentioned on the fly.

The goddess dress was pleated with a low, low back with purpose – more daring than I would personally wear. The gold fringe was from the 1930s, interspersed with vintage scarf yarn and cotton binding. This added to the complex tassel texture. The rest was created with various cotton fabrics and left-overs from a Frida Kahlo design pattern she had made into a skirt. Sure, who doesn’t have “limited edition hand printed” material lying about the house? A velvet rose patterned dressing gown swatch was also thrown into this glorious, textured ‘melting pot’ of a creation.

The dress told a story, and I asked her about the underlying tone, the inspiration, the motivation. All I got was…

‘…the world was newly crown’d with flowers when first we met!’

Erm…. Awkward. I didn’t want to pry but I had a distinct feeling that she had reconnected with an old kindred spirit. It’s like a tonic and I know the delicious torture of artistic banter all too well. Eventually, I discovered the muse in question was an Art Aesthetic Philosopher Professor, who posed naked for her Live drawing class in their youths, no less…

I digress.

You can find Ceciliayu.com wax lyrical re. her influences and inspiration on the web.

In a nutshell, here comes the technical bits:

Gold, goddess style w/ roots in historic Roman & Greek Style

Versace-like Yellow represented in postmodern “l’uomo romano” …

Pleated Diaphanous gown rep. Hellenic Greek.

Greek Gold Medals – a definite nod to Olympia, Sporting Excellence & a celebration of human achievement found amongst the international clients of the groom.

Style Philosophy: Art, Fashion and Sustainability is a choice to be made, elegant but mindful of the environment that has gifted us with these natural resources as the sky and sea of Napoli, beneath Mt. Vesuvius!

‘Ethical Fashion is my Art of living’ direct Cecilia Yu quote.

I smiled. We clinked glasses. I think I have just found my new BFF. I gave her my number and we raised our crystal flutes to the deliriously happy couple.

All the best to you, Antonio Robustelli & Marika Sirica (stunning in a boutique hand-embellished crystal encrusted gown from a quiet atelier in Istanbul). Thank you for your amazing Neapolitan hospitality. I will remember & ponder over all that has happened today on the 8^{th of} July 2023. Cecilia and we all watched them sail away, sail away, their boat piercing through nine clouds of happiness, towards their next chapter!

I made my way back to my hotel room, the bubbles reaching my brain and I needed to commit this all to pen and paper before I hit the hay, forgetting everything as the beautiful city of Naples (Napoli) melted in the heat of Climate change…

To be continued…