Milan...Fendi
Self-preservation and protection from uncertain “forces that be” are reoccurring themes for the fall season. Lagerfeld took an offensive approach to confronting unknown territory. These urban warriors appeared broad-shouldered in exotic skins and fur-lined cropped jackets. Molded leather bustiers layered over draped dresses evoked a "Joan of Arc" look, while elements like an exaggerated neck construction looped over the head
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MILAN...Dean and Dan Caten tapped into celebrity culture this season, in a trendy yet seemingly a bit behind the times take on Starbucks drinking, tabloid reading stars and the fans who love them. Many of the pieces in the collection were spot on for the juniors market, such as leather jackets and pants, checked button downs and message t-shirts, but
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Milan...Dolce & Gabbana
Adopting a surrealistic take on life, Dolce & Gabbana created a playful collection for F/W 09. Choosing to keep away from darker motifs of the past, Gabbana mused, “There is a need to dream now and go beyond this moments,” Smiling images of fashion icon, Marilyn Monroe were plastered across duchesse satin dresses and ball gowns in monochromatic
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Milan...Salvatore Ferragamo
In a romantic palette of bordeaux, rich black, and deep navy, Ortiz sculpted the body in abstract shapes for his F/W 09 Ferragamo collection. A sheer two-toned sweater was layered under a body-conscious dress—pleats and tucks at the shoulders created subtle volume on a high neck. Wine-hued driving gloves were tough but sweet with small leather origami rosette details.
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Milan...Roberto Cavalli
The soft glamour of Cavalli’s previous collections morphed into an edgier concept for F/W 09. “She’s tough, aggressive, sexy, and young, and she’s going to help me fight this crisis,” Cavalli said. Exaggerated lapels on cropped fur jackets sliced across sheer cashmere turtleneck tops. A big-over-slim silhouette came forth from these jackets worn over skintight suede pants, with a
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MILAN...Gucci has become nothing but commercial in the past few seasons under Frida Giannini, a fact which may
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Milan...Prada
Surface interest and textures on tailored looks has been a signature style of Miuccia Prada for the past few seasons, and her powerful material combinations have by virtue declared her the master of fabrics for F/W 09. An interplay of furs, leather, cashmere, felted wool and sequin embellishments created a stir. The footwear was one of the biggest changes from
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Milan...Marni
Sometimes mixing a swirl of different elements together makes for a delightful surprise—that is exactly what happened with Marni’s F/W 09 collection. Floral prints and plaids came together in a magical way. Placement florals and all-over prints were sweet on satin sheath dresses in mint green, while lavender and gold prints were sophisticated against black on sheer silk and high-shine
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Milan...Alessandro Dell'Acqua
A rebellious collection of fur outerwear, knit chain maille and fox tail accessories in muted neutrals put a spin on the broad-shouldered glam looks of the ‘80s club days. Dell’Acqua created looks for a survivor; dresses and tops of knit chain maille (enhanced with metallic lurex) and “breast-plates” belted over crystallized mineral-toned dresses were tough but chic. Fur-covered mini
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Milan...Moschino
A playful palette of black and navy looked new on relaxed, tailored shapes. Oversized coats with voluminous sleeves were covered in black rosettes. Military-style buttons on pockets drew attention to a placket-covered front. Another outerwear piece juxtaposed hard and soft with structured navy wool flanked by sleeves of billowing black silk. This tongue-in-cheek approach to fashion kept the collection lighthearted
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Milan...Gianfranco Ferre
This design duo synthesized the essences of two favorite time periods to create the unique look of their recent collection, the Elizabethan era and the not-so-distant 1980's. “It is a very positive association for us,” said designer Roberto Rimondi of this period that so many designers have referenced this season. “It’s when we were young.” The ruffles were featured
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MILAN...Costume National's secondary line presents a junior friendly collection in Milan this season, showing on-trend jumpsuits, minis and pants with a healthy dose of shine. This easy presentation was focused on bright pops of an orange red, tempered by royal blue and a background of black. Directional looks include sleeveless motorcycle jackets and coats with wide lapels, as well as
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MILAN...Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana's D&G often presents a younger look at sophisticated Milan fashion, capturing a young, carefree style while maintaining quality and craftsmanship. For F/W 09, the duo looked to performers for inspiration, crafting a collection of showy pieces which could outfit any dancing girl or singer. Vintage references were heavy, with everything from jackets with tails and
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Milan...Bottega Veneta
The plush surfaces on each piece of this iconic Italian house’s F/W 09 collection were exquisitely crafted. A wool-backed black brocade coat enveloped sheath dresses and were perfectly accessorized with a signature woven bag, supple leather driving gloves and lace-up "Poppins" boots. Leather dresses in caramel and burnout-silk strapless versions in lavender were a balance of structure and femininity.
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Milan...Jil Sander
This was a show in two parts; designer Raf Simons started with a range of looks in wool cashmere that retained the original vision of spare design initially put in place by Jil Sander herself. Save for one red shift, the color palette was limited to black, white, grey and camel. After a brief light-filled interlude, what followed were
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