Haute Style: Milan Fashion Week

With Fashion Week currently unfolding in Milan (Feb 24-March 3), there have been beautiful collections from Gucci, Prada, Alberta Ferretti, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, Blumarine, Marni, Missoni, Jil Sander, Gianfranco Ferre, Salvatore Ferragamo, Etro, Emilio Pucci, Bottega Veneta, Maxmara, Giorgio Armani and Versace. What would we do without Italian designers?

Gucci

Designer Frida Giannini delivered the exceptionally sleek, sexy and polished fashion that Gucci has come to represent. This most recent collection may be her strongest for the label yet as she returned to relaxed luxury, referring to both the Tom Ford nineties and the sixties in her program notes. There was a steady stream of calm creams, grays, earthy browns and other neutrals, with the concentration on her lean silhouette and glamorous daywear attitude: the impeccably tailored pants she’s known for, coats and fur-patched jackets, fitted day dresses in a ¾ length and short, black eveningwear intercut with snake-patterned lace and ostrich.

Prada

Miuccia Prada declared her latest retro inspired collection to be “very feminine” and “sexy”. Models, hair done up in sixties beehives, appeared wearing womanly wide-skirted dresses, the bust becoming the new focal point of the silhouette. It was a much more sensual yet still classic side of Prada from its plain black long sleeved, knee-length, hem-ruffled wool dresses, to the high-gloss vinyl skirts, chunky cable knits and detailed jackets & coats. Prada this fall has been designed for the real, curvaceous woman in mind and it was entirely strong and refreshing.

Versace

Once again, Donatella gets it right with her own personal brand of powerful, super-glam, sexy femininity. In interpreting the trend for pragmatic daywear in only a way Versace could, there was futuristic fabric and asymmetric lines, with a combination of biker chic (leather pants and jackets, zippers and electric blues), hot microminis and high-slit gowns with revealing cutouts at the hip or shoulders. This was a return to wild abandon at the house of Versace and it felt good.

Giorgio Armani

Giorgio Armani’s “New Chic” collection maintained his minimal and predominantly black sensibility while injecting fresh splashes of color from cherry red, pink, orange and emerald green. He continued with designs of extreme precision while raising the hemlines, from wrapped skirts and shorts, velvet dresses and jackets with a structured broad shoulder. Armani is always at his best with his most tried-and-true classic pieces, which still appeared on the runway, amidst the new shapes and colors, and will not disappoint his fans.

Dolce and Gabbana

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana moved away from their tendency for flashy, celebrity driven couture, and returned to fabulously tailored, sexy classics that delighted critics. It was a personal and passionate showing, that had the designers refer to their sartorial training through an introductory film, and later revealing unbelievable quality at the hands of their atelier team in this large collection. The duo continued to draw inspiration from Sicilian women, with their traditional black lace that found its way onto the runway from sheaths worn over silk slips, lingerie looks, and knitted suits and dresses. Polka dots, florals and leopard prints all added to the unique look that is Dolce and Gabbana in this immaculate collection.

Fendi

Karl Lagerfeld unveiled his version of this season’s strong sportswear trend which contained both sleek lines and volume. Moving between stylized structure and more relaxed silhouettes, Lagerfeld explored the details in his gray, navy, beige, and mustard designs, complete with utilitarian laced rubber tipped boots. There were swing coats, billowy blouses and smock dresses, but Fendi has always been known for their super deluxe furs, which were excellently executed here.

Haute Style will be following Paris Fashion Week and reporting to you the latest fashion trends as they happen!

For more of Carrie Mitchell’s style insights, visit StyleGroove.com

Images Courtesy of WWD