ARTISTIC LICENSE
New York: Craftsmanship is Tomas Maier's MO. This season his exacting eye explored the artist's canvas, complete with daubs of paint and Rorschach prints. Artistically placed patchwork piecing and delicate fringe decorated smock tops and shift dresses, while hand-woven macramé tops were cropped short and unfinished. The footwear was unique: raffia for the shoes had been bathed in oil and water in order
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Film Noir, the genre full of desperate women, small-time private-eyes and dark, moody imagery, is a key touchpoint this season in Milan. Femme fatale style is conjured up with 1940s-ish silhouettes like strong shoulders, fitted sheaths, pencil skirts and mannish coats, all worn with a bit of alluring deshabille. Gloomy black-and-white landscapes — a key print direction this season —
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Bottega Veneta’s F/W 13 collection was all about using elements of "poverty" to create beautiful embellishments. Designer Tomas Maiser used unexpected rustic materials such as lacquered wood and straw, and treated them to give the impression of crinkly layers of chiffon that formed oversized an abstract motifs. The rich autumnal tones add warmth and dimension to the raw edges and wrinkled textures, heightening the homespun vibe.
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RICHNESS FROM POVERTY
Milan: There's sure to be a lot of talk surrounding Tomas Maier's latest collection for Bottega Veneta. Dyeing strips of wood and straw and shellacking them to his elegant sheaths, he stated that his goal was "to create embellishment out of poverty." Edges were often left raw, and what looked like scraps of crumpled chiffon were used as
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THE GREAT ERASE
Milan: Throughout Tomas Maier’s understated F/W 13 Bottega Veneta collection what he left out became as important as what he chose to highlight, the serene mood hinging on the smallest of details. Monochrome ensembles in camel, navy and black looked almost blank due to covered buttons, while even leather jackets with subtle cargo pockets had an interesting erased
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Interestingly, the word “bisque” refers to both a rich, creamy soup and fired but unglazed pottery, both of which display a similar warm pinkish hue. For Pre-Fall, this appealingly versatile color emerges as a fresh neutral, used for everything from minimalist head-to-toe ensembles and dimension sweaters to simple 30s-ish prints, used for vintage-y dresses. – Sharon Graubard
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A TAILORED ELEGANCE
New York: The fluttery forties-inspired dresses of S/S 13 were replaced by precise tailored looks for what Tomas Maier called his Early Fall presentation. (Commendations to him for ditching the silly "Pre-" moniker.) Pants were clean and sophisticated with pressed creases running down their long, straight legs, and classic trench coats appeared in a variety of tones. Speaking
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3-D flowers adorn many collections in Milan. Blooms range from simple daisy cutouts to intricate silk petals worked with lace. Some designers fixed blossom-shaped appliqués against floral-printed grounds, making the motifs seem to jump off the surface of the garment.– Sharon Graubard
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A SINGULAR FEMININITY
Milan: Tomas Maier had a singular vision of a chic 40s muse for S/S 13, a woman committed to slim day dresses in clean floral prints and subdued colors, a common look decades ago. But women of the WWII era would have been lucky to have access to these embellished and crafted pieces, their lean silhouettes edged in
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NEW FRONTIER
Milan: Tomas Maier used the word "ease" to describe the fluid layers that made up his S/S 13 collection. An earthy aura permeated things; the palette evoked natural elements like clay, stone and bark, while simple lace-up tunics and the presence of suede fringe recalled authentic prairie garb of the early 1900s. All this was tweaked with a bit
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CRUISE CONTROL Milan: A classic getaway capsule was presented by Bottega Veneta for C/R 13, filled with just the sort of effortlessly casual luxe epitomized by the label’s iconic woven leathers. A taupy base-note infused the presentation’s palette, as the entire chromatic spectrum leaned toward the neutral. The rich yet laid-back attitude informed the deliberately relaxed silhouettes and shapes: boyish
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From decorative foulard scarves to Glastonbury's muddy fields, take a look at the best denim inspirations from the S/S 12 RTW shows.
Bottega Veneta
Last week's Bottega Veneta show, according to Tomas Maier, was about technology and handicrafts coming together. That puts it in close company with his men's Spring collection, but where that one seemed to be rooted in the 1960s,
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CHIC SPORTSWEAR
Milan: Bottega Veneta’s Fall show was an ode to the 60s, with bougie up-dos and boxy skirt suits, but the current Resort offering was all about contemporary sportswear. Sensible knee-length skirts, zip-up jackets and variations on the trench are sure to become staples in its clients’ wardrobes. Shift dresses were color blocked with punchy orange, hot pink, acid yellow
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