NEW SOPHISTICATION
Milan: The minimalism and the down-to-earth styles that have been in the air this season have even found their way to the ultra-sexy house of Gucci. This season, designer Frida Giannini embraced clothing that her customers could wear beyond the club and the red carpet; a subdued palette and chic silhouettes gave the collection a level of sophistication that
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WHERE THE BOYS ARE
Milan: Fall found Antonio Marras’s fanciful heroine on the run with her usual trove of grandma’s hand-me-downs, plus a spiffy new menswear wardrobe on her back, perhaps stolen from a spurned lover. The inspiration was the Sardinian “bandit queen” Paska Devaddis who was as notorious for wearing men’s clothes in the early 1900s as she was
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POWER HOUR
Milan: The sleek black leather pantsuit that opened the Bottega Veneta show signaled that Tomas Maier was yet another Milan designer who chose to examine what power dressing means for today. Maier’s take on the pantsuit took on the 80s proportions, but the slick leather gave it an edge. In contrast to his Spring collection’s meditation on the cream
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UNDERSTATED ORNATE
Milan: Despite its layers upon layers of embellishment and statement-making design details, Maurizio Pecoraro's F/W 2010 collection managed to look more understated and feminine than gaudy. Woven wools in chalky blue-grays and dusty mauves made structured suits less aggressive, while heathered brown knits looked soft and worn. Mongolian lamb accents were dyed to match, making for easy surface transitions,
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GLAM MOTO
Milan: Frankie Morello is one of the younger collections showing during Milan fashion week, a reliably well edited collection of on-trend Junior staples. F/W 10 was no different, this time combining motorcycle styling with upscale sparkle and slick textures in a somewhat derivative take on edgy apparel. Despite a predictable exploration of black, denim and rocker-girl looks, the collection
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RED CARPET ROMANTIC
Milan: For fall Alberta Ferretti focused on what she does best — frocks for around the clock, from cocktail hour to formal evening soirees. Statuesque dresses were fashioned out of tissue-weight chiffon and liquid charmeuse in gossamer washes of cosmetic tones, carried over from spring. Soft fabric piecing and Grecian pleats hugged the bodice, flaring to the knee
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SLASHED + SEDUCTIVE
Milan: Last season’s return to classic Versace sexiness was tempered by simple shapes and a palette of pastels, but this season the collection seemed an unrestrained ode to the house’s archives. The show opened with an iridescent vinyl micro-mini, setting the seductive mood. Rocker-chick ensembles followed, with supple leather motorcycle jackets and matching flared capris that had been
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THE NEW POWER DRESSING
Milan: Inspired by the seemingly incongruent heroines of the films Tomb Raider: Lara Croft and The September Issue, Jil Sander’s Raf Simons created a collection around the idea of the powerful women. The result was a little bit sci-fi and a little bit sophisticated, but it worked. Hints of Angelina Jolie’s action-video character emerged in the tight
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WELL CRAFTED
Milan: In keeping with the architectural legacy of Gianfranco Ferré, structured shapes characterized the house’s latest collection, designed by Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi. The defined lines and modern craft of the Bauhaus movement, along with the shapes of traditional Samurai costumes, were inspirations behind the current collection. The Samurai influences helped to shape the outerwear — long coats
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LUCKY NUMBER
Milan: After losing the rights to his eponymous brand name last year, Alessandro Dell’Acqua took a season off to regroup. He returned this season under a new label, No. 21, which he considers his lucky number; it also happens to be the day, in December, on which he was born. The new collection was an insightful departure from his
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RUSTIC WANDERLUST
Milan: From the finger-painted faces down to the layered volumes of gauzy linen, fuzzy wools and patchworked bargain bin remnants, one can surmise that Daniela Gregis subscribes to the Kawakubo school of thought. Like Rei Kawakubo and her protégées, Gregis seems to design in her own creative universe, her clothes existing independent of season, trends and other industry shifts.
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GETAWAY GLAM
Milan: Moschino Cheap and Chic has never been a line that takes itself too seriously, and this season’s presentation was even more campy than usual. The F/W 2010 event was both a runway show and a celebration to mark the opening of Maison Moschino, the company’s new hotel in Milan. The collection was inspired by the women one might
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ELIZABETHAN SCHOOLGIRL
Milan: This season, Just Cavalli featured looks that were a blend of schoolgirl silhouettes and signature Cavalli sexpot elements, including animal prints, strong colors and lots of leg. The pleated kilt-like mini had a quite a bit of time in the spotlight, and was offered in multiple variations including leather and plaid wool. Wildly colored animal printed tights
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WINTER WONDERLAND
Milan: Domenico Dolce & Stefano Gabbana's girls are back from spending Spring at the ranch and ready to hit the slopes. D&G is known for picking up a theme and running with it, and this season the designers built their Fall collection around a kitschy retro après-ski aesthetic. If there was ever a season for knits this is it,
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LUXE COUNTRY
Milan: For a house that was built around the ultimate in luxury materials — precious leathers and furs — this season’s Fendi collection felt relaxed and understated. Of course, furs were still present, but simple cuts and well-thought-out design elements, like using fur as an underlayer for a simple trenchcoat, made them less ostentatious. Houndstooth pants, long skirts
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