Margherita Maccapani Missoni Dishes On Designing An Anti-Aging Swimwear Collection

Photo Credit: Mott50

Margherita Maccapani Missoni has a hot (yet UV-friendly) new project:  The Italian designer and Missoni family legacy has partnered with Mott50 to design the brand’s Resort 2019 collection. Together with CEO and founder Anne Reilly, Missoni’s capsule collection features her signature aesthetic—bold color combinations and wild geo tribal motifs—with some slick anti-aging technology. Yes, you read that right. Mott50 is the first anti-aging fashion brand with built-in sun protection; each garment is certified with UFP 50.

The swim and athletic styles offered this season are inspired by Margherita’s own life, from the spirit of her two children to her vivid family life to her Italian roots. The Mott50xMargherita Collection launches this month  and will be available on Mott50. com and through select retailers.

We chatted with this chic Italian stunner about her tech-savvy collaboration, how her own life inspired her creations, her top travel spots and how her sons [Otto and Augusto] are following in her fashionable footsteps.

Photo Credit: Mott50

Tell us about the aesthetic behind your collaboration with Mott50.

Mott50’s collection has a sporty/surf vibe, which I love, so it was really about taking their core product and rendering it in a way that reflects my personal style. There’s a lot of bold color blocking and an array of energetic prints. I wanted to give the more “covered up” swimsuit styles a more youthful spirit, so I decided to give them a retro twist, adding ruffle skirts and polo collars.

How is the collection inspired by your own life?

I was first discovered sun protection garments after becoming a mother — and they soon became an essential part of my boys’ resort wardrobe. This is why I decided to add a few styles for boys in this collection, and introduced the aquarium print!

Photo Credit: Mott50

How would you describe your design aesthetic, in general and in relation to this collaboration?

Mixing and matching prints, colors, and materials, in unexpected ways, is the foundation of my personal style. I love to play with different combinations of textures and colors to create a unique look. And that’s definitely evident in my designs, too. With this capsule, I wanted to reinterpret Mott50’s core pieces, infusing designs with color-block and unexpected animal prints.

What’s your favorite piece, and where do you wear it most at home in Italy?

I personally love the color-blocked, long-sleeved styles. You’ll definitely see me on the beach wearing those. But I’ve also been wearing the “Angela” one-piece in my daily life, paired with denim jeans and a light jacket. Since the suits are lightweight and breathable, they are comfortable enough to be worn anywhere.

Photo Credit: Mott50

Why is Mott50 a necessary brand for both yourself and your children?

My family, without a doubt, is one that spends quite a lot of time in the sun. My mother taught me, at a young age, to protect my skin through the use of moisturizers with sunscreen, which I still apply to my skin on a daily basis. When I discovered Mott50’s collection I immediately thought the concept was brilliant. Sun protective clothing that’s comfortable and stylish, but also affordable. It’s an idea I can definitely get behind. As a mother, I know how challenging it can be to apply sunscreen on your children, so I’m thrilled that Mott50 also offers adorable styles for the kids. I’m grateful that I don’t have to constantly worry about the boys being exposed to damaging UVA and UVB rays while they’re outside being kids. And they are grateful that I don’t have to keep reapplying them with sunscreen, a process they most certainly don’t enjoy.

Photo Credit: Mott50

Do your kids have that Missoni family love of fashion yet? What kind of things do they gravitate to?

They love playful clothes, with animal prints for example, and “grown-up” accessories such as belts and suspenders. I’m not sure they love fashion so much as they enjoy dressing up as a game of pretend, a make-believe situation.

When you’re “chasing the sun,” where are your top spots to travel to?

Sardinia, Puglia, Lamu, Greece, Mexico.

Photo Credit: Mott50