Prada
Milan always dishes up lots of velvet, silk and fur but for fall it was an over-abundant feast of riches. Prada, the most directional collection, dished up big chunky jewels stitched to the hems of trousers in 70s’ inspired geometric patterns and scattered over bodices of black dresses. Dolce & Gabbana took the baroque route and featured all black and gold brocade outfits on every single model in their finale – yes, even the knee socks and knickers were covered in gold.
Fendi
Milan can always be counted upon to present lots of fur – no matter how many protesters stand outside the show doors. Pretty much every collection – from the quirky Marni to the glamtastic Roberto Cavalli to the more sedate Max Mara showed fur of every type. Astrakhan, a flat curly lamb, was popular everywhere – it’s the kind of fur that can easily be replicated in fur or shown as crushed velvet.
Versace
Gucci’s invitation felt like velvet and from that first day on, the plush pile showed up across the board – in everything from party shoes at Aquilano Rimondi and No 21, to printed gowns at Etro and black coats embroidered with crosses at Versace.
Armani
The colour of royalty took the crown as top shade for the season. Standout pieces included rich purple fur coats at Prada, bright purple knits and feathers at Moschino, and cheery purple tiered cocktail dresses at Emporio Armani.
Jil Sander
Pretty soft powdered shades of pale pink, pastel blue and sweet blush made a quiet yet still powerful colour sweep across the collections. A pale pink coat clutched closed by the model – think Grace Kelly as seen by Alfred Hitchcock – drew gasps of adoration at Raf Simons’ final collection for Jil Sander. Marni mixed icy blue with red, and Just Cavalli toned down their mix-and-clash frenzy with a small group of blush rose lace and jacquard pieces.
Pucci
While many coats and an equal number of capes littered the runway, the oversized coat was the standout hit. Imagined with military styling (gold buttons) at Gucci and Max Mara, it had a more structural look at Gianfranco Ferrè and a couture impression at Jil Sander. Keep your eyes open for the crinkle patent trench – a strong look at Emilio Pucci, DSquared2 and Marni.
Dolce & Gabbana
All of the curvaceous knockout dresses were styled with bra cups, stretch insets and fitted seaming – whether that was more conservative at Bottega Veneta and Jil Sander or full-on glamourama at Versace and Dolce & Gabbana.
Aquilano Rimondi
Trousers cropped mid-calf popped up in every show. While we tend to associate this warm weather look with bare legs and flat sandals, for fall, it was shown with suits and knee socks with flat shoes. Smart sets included those in velvet-trimmed foulard patterns at Aquilano Rimondi, sexy skinny jeans at DSquared2, and studded with brooches at Prada.
Bottega Veneta
Peplums, an attached flat or gathered pieces of fabric that falls from the waist to hip, first showed up last season. For fall, it had oddly moved to the front of the outfit only. The effect looked like a little pouch over the model’s stomach. I might have expected to see this once but not over and over again at a variety of labels as diverse as Antonio Marras, Bottega Veneta, Francesco Scognamiglio and Emporio Armani. At Versace, they jutted out from the sides like fins.
Missoni
And finally, the top two accessory stories – tied for 10th – were belts and flat mannish shoes. Belts were like weightlifter’s shields at Fendi, tassled PJ sashes at Gucci, and thin and belted high at Missoni. The major footwear story was flat oxfords and brogues – in patent with sparkle insets at Giorgio Armani, studded at Church’s, and in flat riding boots at Bottega Veneta.
.....Now from February 28th to March 7th - these are the days of Paris Fashion Week, which will see the alternation of the famous fashion Designer creations in the shadow of the Eiffel tower!
Amusez-vous bien .....
le votre Angelique
(Pics vis fashiontrend)
