“I want to take the time that I need,” said Antonio Marras backstage, warning that his show would be long.

The designer has never been lazy, generally staying away from tightly edited lineups, and this season was no different, also because he chose to show several vintage styles and traditional Sardinian costumes he selected from a private collector.

He proudly said that they would blend easily with his own designs, and they did. On his mood board were images of Virginia Woolf, Katherine Mansfield and D.H. Lawrence. He clearly channeled aesthetic cross-pollination, always inspired by the island of Sardinia, his home, and a cultural crossroads, and different eras across the centuries. This sometimes resulted in a potpourri of styles that detracted from the designer’s own creativity. Sure, there was something for everyone, but that can sometimes backfire.

That said, there were standout looks, such as the first silk dresses embellished with floral patterns in beautiful shades of lilac or cadmium — some with tight corsets, or the ‘20s dresses embroidered with jais. The patchwork looks mixing different fabrics, checks juxtaposed with scattered flowers, faux furs, stripes and damasks are a Marras signature and did not disappoint this season.

He has mastered the art of draping, and pleating and embroidering, on a range of cocktail dresses, for example. Men wore pajama suits but also roomy peacoats and fitted jackets. They shared the same pantsuits in the same fabrics as the women, to break stereotypes, said Marras.

The designer wanted to convey his love for his homeland by closing the show with the Sardinian shepherd Giuseppe Ignazio Loi, who refused to sell his land to a multinational company “becoming the symbol of love for one’s roots, which is something I deeply value and share,” he said.