Innholdsfortegnelse for Spring - Summer 2018 i SHOWDETAILS MILANO+PARIS+BEST BRANDS

Magnetism. An electric charge, an energy that catches the eye, that draws in everything around it. Not using metal, iron or minerals, but the enchantment of silks and cottons. The suggestion of pigments, the alchemy of reflections create a kind of magic. The transformation of materials, the fusion of embroidery and prints, a contamination at work. Magnetism is what exploded on the Milan runways, telling different stories through unexpected combinations, poetic hybridisations, forces of attraction and mutations. Magnetism is a new vision of seduction. The jeunes filles on the runway are naughty, never affected, profound and hiding secrets. Their arms are veiled in tulle gloves, their lingerie is visible, their slip dresses transparent. They love strong contrasts; at times they wear milk white underwear alongside irreverent, sporty, urban elements, in…

Militant is the one who defends an ideal. Militant is the one who never asks permission. Who chooses action, words, communication, who writes a manifesto. Today, militant is the one who prefers to take a side. Who decides to wear a message. Without shouting, but with a voice. The clothes, jackets, garments shown in Milan exhibit new codes on their fabrics, new rebellious vocabulary, new fighting tactics. What makes Prada’s protest so incisive is the use of image. Double-breasted coats, oversize suits and masculine shirts feature pencil drawings, cartoons, stories of heroines and courageous women. To invite reflection, to give shape to a collection that is dedicated to the female universe and that marches towards a world without prejudice. Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini showcases a collection that mixes masculine and…

La sfilata è un’esperienza multipla, mutevole, imprevedibile, sensoriale. Un rito, una liturgia. Gli abiti sono universi eclettici, come specchi, frammenti di vetri colorati, a comporre figure, simmetrie, sinergie cromatiche. È necessario restare in silenzio, osservare. Lasciare che lo sguardo venga catturato da visioni caleidoscopiche. Gucci incanta e ipnotizza. Porta in scena donne erranti, che attraversano epoche e mondi lontani, che profumano di incenso, di mistero. Sono vestite di bagliori, in un tripudio di paillette, cristalli, ricami preziosi. Indossano smanicati di pitone, tailleur satinati, lunghi abiti. Non temono i rettili, né gli accostamenti cromatici più audaci. Hanno un’aura anticonformista, un fascino indomabile, un’estetica esoterica. Mosaici cangianti per Dolce & Gabbana, e fioriture preziose, ex voto, nappe, corone dorate, bottoni gioiello. Ma anche immagini di Cupido, angeli, zebre, limoni, Madonne e Regine…

EXILIA: THE REVOLUTION DELIVERING THE WISDOM OF THE PAST TO THE FUTURE / EXILIA: LA RIVOLUZIONE CHE CONSEGNA AL FUTURO LA SAGGEZZA DEL PASSATO For Exilia’s Spring/Summer 2018 season, the watchword is Revolve: i.e. looking back in order to move forward, but above all updating the tradition and culture of the company headed for over 30 years by Sanzio and Maria Paolucci, now assisted by their children, grandchildren and highprofile co-workers including sales manager Fabiola Montanari and style consultant Marta Lopez Garcia previously to Custo Barcelona, Moschino and Pin-Up Stars. The new lingerie, corsetry and beachwear collections have arisen from a project that focuses on Italian-made artisan product. The lingerie and corsetry lines, for example, are aimed at a multi-faceted world that only women can interpret: an easy, practical, contemporary…

MILANO September 20, 2017 “Anima Mundi” is fusion. It’s a mixture of tribalism and tradition, a blend of high quality craftsmanship and spiritual sensitivity. “Anima Mundi” is a collection that takes the colours and consistency of the land to narrate the spirit of a universe that has no boundaries, that belongs to all human beings. Shirts were in wrinkled voile, like opaque landscapes, or else pure white light cotton. Knitwear featured little points of light. Vibrant, floating, cosy, soft and light, dotted with little sequins and hand-embroidered details. The linearity of pinstripe was broken up on the skirts by soft plumage. Then, the volumes became bigger and the hemlines longer. Bright natural fabrics or Prince of Wales featured plissé and flounces. But above all feathers: emerging from knitwear, bursting from…

MILANO September 22, 2017 A palette of neutral, defined and precise tones gave an urban, spontaneous edge to the “Addition” collection from Damir Doma. A fern green trench paired with trousers with denim cuts remade into a patchwork design and loose, flared dresses in purple tones that left the shoulders bare. Mandarin was used in more linear, functional pieces such as tunics, blouses and skirts, without losing elegance and charm. The palette included bleached effects and airy fabrics: skirts with ruffles, peplums worn over blouses and suits with a single button catching the eye. But above all there were lots of ribbons: wrapped around the waist, left hanging or interwoven in a play of symmetry and asymmetry. And finally, black and anthracite in dresses with a reworked minimalism, teaming vintage…

MILANO September 22, 2017 Lightness is the calling card of Loro Piana, which this time produced a collection of premium fabrics. Including an exclusive: a 12-micron wool in superfine and fine yarns, knitted using extremely delicate processes. The clothes had an impalpable consistency and softness, ideal for summer evenings and sea breezes. The light cashmere gave a sophisticated touch to the casual wardrobe. Fluid ribbed dresses came in warm vermilion or cobalt and featured pleats underlined by contrasting topstitching. Light and refined matching shirts and skirts in all-white sporty-chic style were suitable for holidaying on a yacht alongside little navy blue summer coats. Black and white prints were floral and minute with fine lines. A sleeveless piece with mink and chinchilla fur panels was great for cooler temperatures. All in…

MILANO September 23, 2017 Silk Roads, Zen gardens, the Orient. Shirtaporter knows their secrets and reveals their sophisticated, delicate essence. Its latest collection is an exotic journey featuring oriental symbols, Chinese and Japanese legends, images from the land of the Rising Sun. A series of flora and fauna prints, sea beds and florals, carp and fish swimming amid flowers and dream-like landscapes. The dresses have feminine, romantic shapes, the edges are like waves at the ends of the garments. And Shirtaporter also threw in a touch of Fifties American college style with initials or patches and crests of the word LOVE. Some details were reminiscent of old school tattoos: prints like the tattoos of sailors voyaging eastwards. Towards adventures in peach, sea blue, pale pink and black and white. Le…

MILANO September 23, 2017 Theatrical, narrative, poetic. Antonio Marras revealed his spring season like a casket, raising the curtain on a dream-like world with a retro feel, including old needlework, lace, velvet and painstaking embroidery. It was a homage to love, dedicated to Giulietta Masina, the wife and muse of the Italian film director Fellini. The clothes were light, evanescent and ethereal. Slip dresses with flounces, ruches and long ribbons. Prints of nocturnal flowers, golden lace, tea-stained crochet. Layering and transparencies acted in unison with the loose, flared, irregular shapes. Skirts were gently turned over, gathered, decorated with ruffles. Denim embraced romance and came embroidered with minute buds with silver reflections, stone and crystal petals, and raised flowers. Even the trenches were edged in lace. The palette included a symphony…

MILANO September 23, 2017 For Bottega Veneta, spring is all about colour. Simple shapes were paired with a pale, refined palette of soft tones that never lost their intensity and blended with elaborate embellishments. Alongside elegance, Tomas Maier teamed the purity of the silhouette and the richness of the decoration. Little linear coats were covered with studs, pencil skirts with little round mirrors. Trenches had reptile embroidery, mini metallic spheres and bolts around the edges. Jumpsuits were edged with strips of python or else velvety and coated with green colours. Mini-dresses in pastel shades of powder blue and sand had iridescent fringes and beads. Long dresses were covered with big sequins or festooned with coloured crystals or metallic fabrics. The harmony of colours came in unusual and melodious combinations -…

MILANO June 18, 2017 Associations and connections, but also contrasts and unforeseeable configurations. Dean and Dan Caten mixed and reassembled different ingredients, almost as if they were making a collage. Combining all-new elements, they created visual synergy and aesthetic circuits. Biker jackets were paired with airy mermaid skirts with flounces and pastel transparencies. Hibiscus-printed shirts were worn with animal mini-skirts. Mini-dresses were layered over military shirts with crests and logos. Cardigans were oversize while sweatshirts were styled with super-slim trousers. The whole collection had a strong personality and an American feel. Buckles were a key feature: numerous, frequent, repeated in side bands on the clothes. But also zips, which appeared on black leather dresses. Flounces, lace and transparencies added a touch of glamour to Dsquared2’s work. The colour palette included…

MILANO September 21, 2017 Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Venturini Fendi produced a contemporary manifesto of colour, paying homage to Giacomo Balla with an explosion of straight and oblique lines that ran parallel or overlapped one another thanks to the sheer blouses, trenches and duster coats. Freshness and tailoring wove a geometric tale. Even the most traditional suit was criss-crossed with white stripes over a cobalt ground and a reworked shape. The shoulders were uncovered by the cuts and turn-ups worked into everything from shirts to trenches. The lapels featured unusual topstitching: strips of leather in a tone on tone dance. Tropical floral prints, botanical laser embroidery and hanging ribbons created a multicoloured dynamic. The clothes were brightened with shades of ivory, vanilla, pink sand, musk green, coral and Prussian blue.…

MILANO September 20, 2017 Hypnotic, esoteric, poetic. The Gucci collection is an eclectic liturgy, shown inside a gigantic space that mixed archaeology and sculpture, classical statues and Egyptian portals. Alessandro Michele, the alchemist behind the Maison de l’Amour, was playing with symbolic contaminations and hybridisations. Some of it recalled the Eighties. The big broad, sharp or rounded shoulders. The sparkly dresses covered with big sequins. The silky suits embroidered with snakes in strong contrasting colours. But there were also petticoats, slip dresses and white lace, pulled out of a trunk and smelling of naphthalene, and patchwork dresses with little embroidered characters, reminiscent of grandmother’s quilts. Neutral tweeds were layered with sportswear touches. And a touch of the circus: clown or trapeze artist suits embroidered with crystals. Gucci’s hypnosis turned glam…

MILANO September 22, 2017 Marco de Vincenzo wants to baptise Sicily with its ancient name, rescuing it from obscurity and printing it on souvenir T-shirts. So, the letters in “Ultrapharum” dominated on white cotton, in different shaded colours, almost like an optical illusion. And that’s not all. The symbol used for graphic details and embroidery was a heraldic crest of a female head with three bent running legs, echoing another ancient name of the island: Trinacria. The collection was infused with a light, carefree feel. Silk shirts had pussy bows and came with matching cardigans and skirts in a play of rainbow colours. Dresses featured shaded fringing or prints of hands in bold purple and turquoise. The fluidity of the shapes gave a relaxed mood, typical of Sicilian dressing, to…

MILANO September 23, 2017 The brand was celebrated in a joyful homage to its unique style, filled with vital energy, form and colour, to celebrate Angela Missoni’s twentieth year as creative director. A kaleidoscope of colours explored the richness of the glossy, matt, interwoven yarns, to reveal the world of knitwear. Different weaves were used to create stripes, bands, zigzags, or else perforations, lace effects, firm fabrics, images of stylised faces, in a collection that bridged the past and the future. There were soft knits, oversize cardigans, multi-coloured bodysuits, laminated jumpsuits, butterfly sleeve dresses, airy rarefied skirts, long mesh tunics with crystal reflections, and innovative oneshoulder cloaks. The rainbow of colours depicted a long summer to be worn with big straw hats under the Italian sun. La celebrazione del marchio…

MILANO September 23, 2017 Mysterious, magnetic: Lorenzo Serafini’s muse was Tina Chow. The model and Eighties icon, daughter of a German father and Japanese mother, a symbol of different, fascinating cultures and influences. A woman with a strong personality and androgynous style. This collection inspired by her featured brazen girls with a fresh, à la garçonne mood wearing little scarves tied at the neck, jumpsuits, dungarees and military garb paired with oriental shirts with delicate floral prints and precious touches. The obi belt, worn by men and women in Japanese culture, was the leitmotiv of the collection. It was tied harmoniously around uniforms with new wave stripes, mini-dresses with loose sleeves, kimono-shirts, and soft printed dresses. Finally, blue and white nautical style dresses evoked a sober femininity. The colours were…

MILANO September 23, 2017 Like in a Botticelli painting, the pigments used in the Salvatore Ferragamo collection were borrowed from nature, spring and flowers. Harmonious lines and ultralight dresses came in pastel colours, geranium, mango, peach, poppy and teal. Silky colours reflected glassily on slip dresses that undulated over the body. Ribbons, fringes, optical prints and transparencies enhanced the brand’s strong feminine identity. Reptile was a key feature. Dresses and pencil skirts were in neutral shades of python with little round cut-outs revealing the skin. The more linear pieces played with solids and voids, with laser-cut floral motifs. There was some patchwork with shirting fabrics. An evening dress in amethyst was a sparkling combination of small and large sequins in purple and opalescent colours reminiscent of quartz. Come in un…

MILANO September 22, 2017 Baroque and Animalia, Native Americans, Tresor de la Mer, starfish, shells, butterflies, and Vogue covers, Pop Art, Warhol, portraits of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean, Byzantine crosses and Madonnas. It was a tribute to Gianni Versace and a celebration of the brand’s heritage. Donatella Versace dedicated this collection to her brother, exactly twenty years since his death in Miami Beach. It was a homage to his work, inspirations and collections, and was full of energy and daring. Archive pieces, iconic dresses, symbolic garments from the Nineties came back to the runway reworked and combined in new ways. Prints were the biggest focus, but there were other key Versace elements as well, such as denim shirts, black leather trousers, sheaths, bustiers, super slim jumpsuits, silk, velvet, buckles…

La grande diaspora. Come definire altrimenti il fuggi fuggi verso altre città di marchi che fino alla scorsa stagione rappresentavano per la New York Fashion Week un significativo punto di riferimento? Proenza Schouler, Rodarte, Altuzarra hanno lasciato sulle passerelle newyorchesi un vuoto che neanche uno show-evento come quello di Philipp Plein, con tanto di sfere stroboscopiche, eroine delle favole in versione fetish e performance di Dita von Teese nella coppa di champagne, faticano a colmare. Anzi, sembra proprio che la tendenza sempre più spinta alla spettacolarizzazione e la ricerca di consenso (soprattutto dal pubblico virtuale dei social piuttosto che da quello del mondo ‘reale’), servano in qualche modo ad eludere penuria creativa e, appunto, carenza di nomi importanti. In un articolo del New York Times, la giornalista Vanessa Friedman parlava…

NEW YORK September 12, 2017 Exotic atmospheres in the new Nicholas K collection, which debuted on Instagram with a lookbook shot at Azulik, a sustainable-luxury hotel in Tulum, Mexico. Twin founders Nicholas and Christopher Kunz return to the travel theme, which goes well with their nomad-urban style, highlighted here with strong military and ‘jungle’ touches in shades of green, camouflage motifs mixed with animal and chunky ethnic necklaces. The lines were mainly fluid, with airy kaftans, shirtdresses, harem pants open at one side, jumpsuits, ‘wrap’ shirts tied at the waist and asymmetric dresses. A sustainable location and sustainable materials, with organic cotton and hand-treated ikat prints teamed with washed silk. Atmosfere esotiche per la nuova collezione di Nicholas K che ha debuttato su Instagram con un lookbook realizzato all’Azulik, un…

NEW YORK September 11, 2017 Backstage at the show, Phillip Lim cited flamenco dancers and ’90s minimalism as the starting points for his new collection. Indeed, aside from having ruches, flounces and flaring, the shirts, cropped tops, skirts and dresses also had that airy quality typical of the Spanish dance’s costumes. They were combined in eye-catching ways with tailored pieces such as pinstripe jackets and trousers or sporty vests or streetwear pieces such as denim jackets and baggy trousers. There were also lots of coloured stripes and bands, some of which were iridescent for a sportswear touch. A variety of trenches, all sleeveless and/or destructured, in unusual colours such as acid green or camouflage designs, added an urban touch to various looks. Phillip Lim, nel backstage della sfilata, cita come…

NEW YORK September 7, 2017 The American dream, an integral part of the Calvin Klein identity, once again provided the inspiration for Raf Simons, who this time celebrated its horror and beauty by dipping into film narrative and Pop Art, whose symbols were cut up and reassembled on clothes with ruined, disturbed, faded or coated surfaces. Warhol’s screen prints decorated impalpable dresses with hanging laces, reminiscent of vintage nightgowns, and vests tucked into long hand-painted circle skirts, while synthetic materials such as rubber, latex and nylon were used for tops and dresses shot through with zips, drawstrings or doubled with tulle or else covered with long fringes. All these elements spoke of a transgressive and cerebral sexuality linked to the history of the American brand. Il sogno americano, parte integrante…

NEW YORK September 13, 2017 ‘Swimming Pools’, by Slovakian photographer Maria Svarbova and Xavier Cugat, the 20th century Spanish musician and bandleader, and a mambo, conga and samba champion, were the two references for Delpozo’s latest summer collection, featuring an array of Swing Era looks. Rattan hats with big side bows were paired with dresses, tops and skirts with added flounces, ruffles, ruches and sculptural asymmetry, reminiscent of real flamenco costumes, made more eyecatching by pastel tones interspersed or alongside bold colours such as red and orange. The darts on the trousers also added movement, while other dresses featured pleated tulle for a dynamic effect. ‘Swimming Pools’, la serie fotografica dell’artista slovacca Maria Svarbova e Xavier Cugat, musicista e direttore d’orchestra spagnolo del secolo scorso, asso di mambo, conga e…

NEW YORK September 10, 2017 Upgrading from a presentation to a full-scale show, Jonathan Saunders for Diane von Furstenberg showcased a collection that aimed to translate ’70s glam using innovative fabrics, together with the colours and prints the British designer handles well. Fluid dresses of various lengths with handkerchief or asymmetric hemlines were decorated with daring colour blocking or graphic motifs, hand-painted or else ballerina fringes, and worn with peep-toe laceup boots or platform sandals. Trousers were loose and high-waist and paired with cropped jackets and soft blouses or long matching cassocks tied at the waist with a long hippie-chic sash. Maxi-jewellery and bags of various sizes completed the look. Promosso con lode dalla presentazione alla sfilata, Jonathan Saunders per Diane von Furstenberg fa sfilare una collezione che vuole tradurre…

NEW YORK September 8, 2017 A skilful play of draping and asymmetry was at the heart of Jason Wu’s new collection which drew inspiration from the elaborate tailoring of Madame Grès, the queen of draping, on peplums sculpted and fluted like marble. And just as the great couturière created her clothes directly on the body of her clients, so Wu’s clothes seem to have been sewn onto the silhouette while staying fluid and impalpable thanks to the use of silk, chiffon and crêpe georgette. In another similarity with Grès, fabrics were slashed to reveal erogenous zones such as the abdomen, now ‘only’ sensual but scandalous at the time. Dense floral patterns mimicked an abundance of draping and panelling, while solid colours such as ivory or powder pink highlighted every fold…

NEW YORK September 13, 2017 At the Park Avenue Armory the only sound was the models’ steps as they walked in flat sliders and sandals on the old wooden floor. Marc Jacobs’ soundtrack-free show still managed to amaze its audience with its diverse tribe in colourful, elegant silk turbans by Stephen Jones, which matched the rest of the look. Everything was thrown into this show, from an oversize men’s suit to a sequinned dress, from a cape worn with bermuda shorts to a parka with a tracksuit, to an ethnic beaded top over track pants with side bands. Everything came with “exuberant styling of layering and accessories” accompanied by bold colours and mainly macro prints. Dentro la Park Avenue Armory il solo suono che si sente è quello dei passi…

NEW YORK September 9, 2017 Philipp Plein’s bad girls are back, this time presented as subversive fairytale heroines with a dark/punk edge, with short fetish crinolines layered over dresses. ‘Good Gone Bad’ is the title of the collection, appearing on T-shirts and T-dresses decorated with cartoon characters and/or branded ‘Plein’. Even the jackets and denim trousers, aside from being ripped and frayed at the edges, had little glittery fawns and rabbits applied down the leg, creating a clear contrast with studs and other metallic appliqués. The evening wear also showed its darker side. Long allblack dresses with plunging necklines or sky-high splits and black leather harnesses attached to the crinolines, trapping flounces, satin and chiffon in a fetish cage. Tornano le cattive ragazze di Philipp Plein, questa volta presentate come…

NEW YORK September 6, 2017 Tom Ford’s menswear is so successful, so why not include its most representative pieces in the womenswear collection too, together with that sexy, strongwilled attitude the Texan designer has always had? Therefore, the blazer was the key piece in almost every look. Single or double-breasted, matching or separate worn with turned-up carrot trousers or silk shorts and stiletto heels, featuring imposing structured shoulders and big peaked lapels, in fuchsia velvet or denim with matching jeans. The jacket was also worn over nothing more than a matching bra or fluid jumpsuit with a plunging neckline or a bodysuit that was so high-cut the hips were exposed. Some leather activewear and jersey column dresses made an appearance, but the strongest image was the masculine jacket with its…

Milan is an old chest for pulling out memories, packed with traditions to be reinvented. Contemporary, all-new, exclusive trousseaux take shape. They are white memories, contaminated by styles, by aggressive, seductive elements. A new femininity invades the runways, full of connections and slashes, innocence and shadow. Ermanno Scervino’s woman is light and shade. She bares all, shows her most hidden, vulnerable sides, dressed only in a slip dress. Ethereal, she wears pure, white silk, decorated with embroidery, intarsia and raised embellishments. Then she puts on pieces stolen from menswear – pinstripe jackets, bombers and oversize suits. She considers the harmony of genders, cheekiness and sensuality. Blumarine pays homage to spring and youth. Its collection smells of lily of the valley and violets and feels like a fresh morning. Girls that…

Magnetismo. Una carica elettrica, un’energia che cattura lo sguardo, che attira a sé tutto ciò che la circonda. Non vi è metallo, non vi è ferro, non vi sono minerali. È l’incantesimo delle sete, dei cotoni. È un sortilegio, la suggestione dei pigmenti, l’alchimia dei riflessi. È la trasformazione della materia, la fusione dei ricami e delle stampe, una contaminazione in atto. Magnetismo, quello che esplode sulle passerelle di Milano, che racconta storie diverse attraverso accostamenti imprevisti, ibridazioni poetiche, forze di attrazione e mutazioni. Magnetismo è una nuova visione della seduzione. Sfilano jeunes filles maledette, mai leziose, profonde, che celano segreti. Hanno braccia velate in guanti di tulle, hanno lingerie a vista, sottovesti trasparenti. Amano i forti contrasti, talvolta indossano biancheria color latte accanto ad elementi dissacranti, sportivi, urbani, in…

Militante è colui che difende un ideale. Militante è chi non chiede mai permesso. Chi sceglie l’azione, la parola, la comunicazione, chi scrive un manifesto. Militante oggi è chi preferisce schierarsi. Chi decide di indossare messaggi. Non chi grida, ma chi ha voce. E gli abiti, le giacche, i capi che sfilano a Milano esibiscono sui propri tessuti nuovi codici, grammatiche di ribellione, tattiche di cambiamento. Ciò che rende la protesta di Prada così incisiva è l’uso dell’immagine. Cappotti doppiopetto, abiti oversize e camicie maschili ospitano disegni a matita, fumetti, storie di eroine e donne coraggiose. Per invitare alla riflessione, per dare forma ad una collezione che è dedicata all’universo femminile e che marcia verso un mondo senza pregiudizi. Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini fa sfilare una collezione che mixa maschile…

MILANO September 21, 2017 Capucci composing a dance of pigments. Shaping purple substances and mandarin rinds, playing with, freeing and rewriting combinations. In this show, it created flared dresses with geometric cuts and other more fluid dresses, like cascades of colour in which bold orange featured alongside cherry in a plissé decoration, a ruche or a ribbon. Even cooler shades were teamed in a colourful tango. A green drape interrupted the linearity of a fuchsia and black mini-dress. Long emerald green ankle-length skirts were paired with the magenta tones of a perforated blouse. The volumes were soft yet sculptural. Electric blue was teamed with black, staying intense and defined even on light dresses, or sculpting the raised sections and puckered fabric of a super-slim jumpsuit. The collection defines a season…

MILANO September 21, 2017 It was a glamorous poolside party at Emilio Pucci. Tinged with watery tones of sky blue, pale green and chlorine white. Dresses came in terry cloth, like luxurious bathrobes, or else resembled a towel simply wrapped around the body. Blouses and split skirts were white, fresh and came with laser cut surfaces. The volumes were airy and light, as if billowing from a sea breeze. Long, fluid dresses were printed in orange colours with touches of mauve and ink, while iridescent stones embellished short sleeves. Mini-dresses featured turquoise waves and tops like delicate bikinis had cut-outs or raised embroidery with delicate crystal buds. Tunics and capri pants were given pastel prints, light transparencies and touches of colour. A white kaftan was fluid, elegant and embellished with…

MILANO September 23, 2017 Between mysteries and secrets, towards a new dimension. Manuel Facchini presented his collection in an unusual space: a black box where the clothes, the visions, could be seen through little holes. His creations were wrapped in mystery and drew inspiration from crop circles, which became graphic motifs and decorations. Circumferences and round shapes were repeated in small and raised varieties, embroidered onto leather, laser cut, heat-stitched onto casual T-shirts, edged on necklines, or became metallic details at the bottom of zips. They dominated skirts, dresses and biker jackets. All this was perfectly balanced alongside two-colour stripes, which highlighted the sporty side of trousers, jumpsuits and mini-dresses. Trenches were maxi and the more elegant dresses were compositions of hanging strips. The key to the collection was a…

MILANO September 24, 2017 Lines. Ecru and black lines that run parallel, that converge, that stand out on fabrics, that slide over long dresses and shape the body. Lines that make up animal prints and zebra effects. Lines that play with shapes, transparencies, layering, with sharp suits, maxi dresses, midi length trousers. Lines that run over materials, natural fabrics, pure linen. Because every piece in the Terre Alte collection knows and pronounces the language of linearity. The volumes are precise and punctual. Light fringing trims a jacket, giving a spontaneous allure. Pencil skirts are created from delicate mesh, blouses leave the shoulders bare, edges feature colourful stripes, black blazers have zebra printed lapels. High tailoring and unique craftsmanship celebrate balance, grace and measure. Neutral, sophisticated colours embrace white, black, sage…

MILANO September 23, 2017 Aquilano.Rimondi chose to focus on the simplicity of the line in black & white. Elementary geometry and two-colour stripes. Oversize volumes, asymmetric shapes, precise cuts and an understated yet high-impact structure. The inspiration was Joan Mirò and his primary colours, so pure and strong in red, blue and also black. The graphic was the dominant component of the collection. Stripes invaded cotton, poplin and jersey. All-over prints bore the names of the two designers on skirts, shirts and sheer trenches. Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi injected sportier pieces with an elegant appeal: white T-shirts had beads and sequins in geometric designs, long dresses were covered with beaded mesh, slim trousers had contrasting colour side bands. Shirts were extra-large while jackets had metallic details. Tailoring allowed art…

MILANO September 20, 2017 There is a harmony in Cristiano Burani’s collection, a harmony that teams bold colours with checks and pinstripe, that pairs masculine cotton with silk organza and nylon, that combines faux patent leather and polyurethane patches. Neon tints shine brightly on asymmetric dresses, sharp trenches, mini or midi skirts and evanescent blouses. Tulle is plissé or wrinkled, playing with layering and transparencies, adding a lightness to the volumes. Knitwear comes in cashmere interwoven with leather threads, and features geometric embroidery and rainbow fringes. Prints are floral, exotic and luminous, allover on silky suits. The colours are also harmonious: greys alongside greens, whites and purples, shiny tobacco and pale vermilion. It is the reflection of a new femininity, an emotional journey that knows no bounds. The energy of…

MILANO September 23, 2017 Cheeky and sensual femme-enfants, vaguely shadowy and naughty, paraded for Ermanno Scervino, which retrieved and reinvented menswear pieces or clothes pulled from old trunks. Covering their arms with gloves, the girls wore bombers, oversize down jackets, rigorous pinstripe or gutsy leather jackets, paired in a contrast of genres with light swing skirts cinched at the waist. The iconic slip dress was printed, intarsia’d and decorated with raised lace, becoming the absolute star of a new contemporary style for day or evening, without being too romantic. The light, airy dresses came in a mix of floral patterns embellished with ribbons and ruffles. Lace was a recurring theme throughout: as a decorative detail, laid over prints, as an intarsia, edge or neckline, in a whirl of white macramé.…

MILANO September 20, 2017 A creature out of a dream or a nightmare, angelic and unsettling at the same time, lost somewhere between romanticism and disenchantment, though always dream-like and evanescent. This was the woman that Francesco Scognamiglio dressed in ethereal ruffles and metallic bombers. Despite the contrasts, there was a synergy running through the collection, a dialogue between delicacy and perdition, freedom and decadence. Mini-dresses were soft, with chaste buttoning or deep necklines. White mid-calf length dresses were decorated with black lace. Leather was worn, metallic, sculpted into ruches, flounces or silver pleats. Prints placed on sweatshirts depicted night-time kisses, while on silks they featured exotic palm trees and tropical flowers. The colour palette included pastels and metallic tints from pink to bronze, white to black. Creatura di un…

MILANO September 23, 2017 A liturgy of white, an assonance of purity and material. Sacredness of form and understatement. Making their début for the brand, Luke and Lucie Meier dedicated themselves to constructing a cathedral of clear elegance. The entire collection was based around the brand’s signature white shirt. White and flawless, it had soft sleeves and unbuttoned cuffs. Loose volumes, masculine cuts, and clean, precise, sharp lines. It elongated into a tunic or an ascetic dress. Little straps cinched the waist. The Jil Sander style was channelled in tailored constructions with a balance of minimalism and poetry. Little coats were plissé in dark colours. Loose skirts were layered and asymmetric. Knitwear was loosely knit, light and airy in warm shades of saffron, green and powder blue. The materials were…

MILANO September 24, 2017 Marni rediscovering, deconstructing and re-editing its heritage. Under the genius, creative control of Francesco Risso, it dipped into the memory chest and made couture pieces from the Fifties contemporary again. Reinterpreting, reworking and exasperating them in their shapes and volumes, making them new. Bustiers were longer and tinged with green, pink, red and blue, buds, stripes and bold tartan. Full skirts fluttered under sculpted jackets, while cocktail dresses were loose and shaped with fringed edges. Trenches came in a mix of prints and tartan, with all-over flowers on monochrome backgrounds and fur coats had the romantic, intimate allure of contemporary dressing gowns. Trousers were loose and soft, in premium fabrics such as brocade. Then came the romantic florals: organza dresses were covered with crystal and bead…

MILANO September 21, 2017 Anything is possible with Jeremy Scott. And Moschino never stops surprising. This time, herds of unicorns met punk, giving shape to an all-new Rainbow Couture. Bright My Little Pony T-shirts were paired with feathered skirts, leather biker jackets and fishnet tights. Plissé tulle tutus were dotted with studs and paired with satin bustiers, biker boots, buckles and metallic details. This was an anarchic, multi-coloured ballet with traces of the Eighties about it. Vivaldi’s “Le quattro stagioni” dressed in rock style, finding a new gutsiness, a contemporary rhythm and dresses that blossomed like flowers on the runway. Long impalpable stems were topped with flower bodices whose petals made a kind of ‘he loves me he loves me not’ game. Lilies, tulips and orchids became eccentric sculptures inhabited…

MILANO September 21, 2017 The Prada collection is militant and subversive. It burst onto the Milan runway without asking permission. It gave a voice to feminism, politics and art, like a veritable call to arms. It expressed a rebellious, ardent language in the shape of menswear fabrics, plastic-coated trenches, creased prints and daring two-colour combinations. The graphic leitmotiv of this collection was comics, thanks to Miuccia Prada’s collaboration with artists who draw women’s stories. Faces in black and white or pastel tints ran throughout the collection, storyboards contaminated skirts, little coats and maxi dresses. Like the pages of a book, they told of female courage and the struggle of heroines from every era. Biker jackets were oversize, dark, white or pop orange, and covered with studs. Knit bustiers featured asymmetry,…

MILANO September 22, 2017 Technical fabrics, nylon and velcro. But also silk, cotton and leather. Sportmax played with materials and combinations. It teamed elements, shapes and volumes to produce an athletic, free style. Colourful parkas, sweatshirts and sporty trenches featured alongside leather bombers with striped knit details on the sleeves and hems. Fluid, liquid, glossy dresses were shot through with arcs of striped elastic tape. The same tape added dynamic colour and gathers to shirts, T-shirts and skirts. The latter were asymmetric, voluminous, rolled up, gathered by hooks and metal buckles. Body-con ribbed knitwear and leggings had athletic, almost nautical, lines. Even the prints were sporty, with moving stripes, diagonal and oblique lines that ran parallel or around little splashes of colour like petals. The colours were neutral, from navy…

MILANO September 22, 2017 Vionnet explored the lightness of the Far East in its silks and transparencies with a watery, luminous consistency. It was a dance inspired by Bushido, the philosophy of the Japanese samurai. Dresses were re-visitations of men’s kimono, draped in light-coloured silk. Dark bands wrapped around the waist recalled martial arts uniforms, or else dropped down from the shoulders like ribbons. Delicate ink designs on white backgrounds represented little scenes and Japanese cherry trees. Double-breasted jackets were fluid, with little buttons and topstitching marking out the neckline. Dresses were flared, iridescent and plissé, with light puckering or prints of Japanese chrysanthemums. Goga Ashkenazi completed the collection with a more playful outfit: a dress made entirely of little multi-coloured cords. The colour palette veered towards blue, lilac, sea…

NEW YORK September 12, 2017 Stacey Bendet dove into the history of New York’s iconic Chelsea Hotel, known chiefly for having hosted writers, musicians and artists over a long period. The collection’s folk imprint, part of the Bendet signature style, was expressed with flounced, ruched, handkerchief hemmed dresses with asymmetric and/or drop shoulders, a pastel colour palette with bold floral prints reminiscent of a spring garden. The tops, skirts and trousers flaring out in pure Seventies style featured floral motifs or embroidery, while monochrome or sequinned party dresses were better suited to a party at the Hotel Plaza, but in general the fresh contemporary, bohemian atmosphere of the Chelsea was predominant. Stacey Bendet scava dentro la storia dell’iconico Chelsea Hotel di New York, noto principalmente per aver ospitato per lunghi…

NEW YORK September 7, 2017 Tomas Maier is another of those designers to choose optimism despite, or perhaps because of, the current uncertainty. He does so by presenting a colourful collection packed with prints and airy lines, for casual daywear that often looks to sportswear. The presentation opened and closed with tracksuits - easy pieces brightened by floral camouflage designs almost concealing the side bands on the trousers. In between, the looks featured contrasting buttons and metal eyelets that decorated necklines, shoulders, pockets, edges and belts. Another recurring detail was the nylon straps used as shoulder straps on dresses or inset into the waistline like a double or triple belt. There were also shorts, shirts, knits, bombers and cropped jeans - simple pieces enlivened by colourful graphics and/or eye-catching details.…

NEW YORK September 9, 2017 It was a real #WANGFEST held on the streets of New York complete with a party bus and trucks loaded with models, who poured out onto the street and walked between the barriers. Alexander Wang once again adopted a hybrid format, teaming the traditional fashion show with a touring event, where his signature luxury street style was proposed through layered cut-outs and deconstructed layering. Classic menswear pieces were shot through with zips that created double layers or paired with ‘unfinished’ lingerie, or else with sportswear elements, such as a zipped sweatshirt worn over a striped sea blue shirt. Then there were fetish bustiers worn under or over a dress, leather and denim jeans, sporty trousers ripped like jeans, while the leitmotiv of the collection were…

NEW YORK September 11, 2017 Carolina Herrera’s show was held at the Museum of Modern Art and it was the first time the institution had allowed its space to be used for a fashion show. It was certainly an honour for the designer, who returned the favour with an optimistic, polychrome collection, perhaps as a homage to the exhibited works. But aside from the bright colours, there was no artsy reference; just clean daywear mainly comprising dresses with big shoulders, tiny waist with or without a belt and airy skirts with pleats or draping. As well as colour, there were also polka dots, stripes, floral and tile motifs, while the evening wear included iridescent lamé and sequins with a silhouette-enhancing hourglass shape. Special mention goes to the two-colour court shoes…

NEW YORK September 11, 2017 Derek Lam’s new tribute to America was staged in the Pool Room of the legendary Four Seasons and featured his style prototypes, from jeans to sportswear to military tailoring, with a nod to the ’70s for which the designer has a weakness. Easy yet refined, this was a wardrobe suitable for everyday wear, with comfortable masculine suits, leather shirts worn with high-waist trousers, duster coats with contrasting details and tunics with folk stripes. The denim was dark and solid, and appeared in total looks, blouses were soft and in some of the looks had little cut-outs over the abdomen, as did some of the dresses, while evening looks gained knots at the bust and, in one case, came in khaki. Nella Pool Room del leggendario…

NEW YORK September 8, 2017 GCDS, the brand run by Giuliano Calza, arrived for the first time in New York to present its summer collection, which put an ironic take on the yachting club set and high society in general. Truman Capote’s socialite friends, the so-called ‘swans’, were beautiful, rich and stylish. They were transposed and reinterpreted according to a colourful streetwear aesthetic consisting of layering and witty combinations. The swan was printed or applied onto mini-dresses and mini-skirts, cropped sweatshirts and swimsuits, while ‘yachting club’ lettering or the brand logo was emblazoned on hooded sweatshirts, tracksuits, bumbags and underwear elastic. Denim, technical fabrics and knit were used together, while the footwear, from sneakers to pirate boots to suede boots, was the result of prestigious Italian craftsmanship. GCDS, il marchio…

NEW YORK September 8, 2017 Twenty years in the business provided Jeremy Scott with inspiration on a silver platter. This show featured all the symbols of his style: cartoon motifs, street and sportswear, a mix of patterns such as animal and camouflage, glittery surfaces, bad taste and irreverence teamed with a sense of humour - all on a body-conscious silhouette that revealed plenty of skin. If you are a Scott’s girl, you can’t help wearing tiny mini-dresses and skirts in bright and/or iridescent colours together with baseball caps, cropped tops and bra tops, ripped denim in pure Californian style, T-shirts and sweatshirts with explosive graphic motifs and, ça va sans dire, combat boots or thighhigh laced boots, perhaps with a bodysuit and lean jacket. Vent’anni di attività offrono a Jeremy…

NEW YORK September 13, 2017 ‘How to dress for the heat in the city without looking sloppy’. Michael Kors’ new collection seemed to offer an answer to the dilemma of every fashion victim, and it involved flipflops, sarongs and bermuda shorts - in short beachwear for the New York streets. The solution lies in mixing them with oversize menswear tailoring, producing a relaxed yet deluxe, airy yet sophisticated look. There were T-shirts, sundresses, shorts and sarongs with tie-dye or tropical prints worn with long blazers, XL shirts with extra-long sleeves and soft trenches - all embellished with pseudo-Hawaiian garlands, brown leather belts and large rattan or leather bags. Evening wear had the same style but looked to the tuxedo jacket, iridescence and black. ‘Come vestirsi in città con la calura…

NEW YORK September 12, 2017 Using the tried and tested ‘see-nowbuy- now’ formula, Ralph Lauren is making public another of his passions, which may even top his love of fashion: cars. The designer’s show was set in his Bedford Mills garage, with the models walking through parked cars, including a super-rare 1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. The opening looks were a series of tailored suits in houndstooth and Prince of Wales, paired at times with long double-breasted coats, which later became long dresses of various types, from a bustier to a slip dress, some with a shiny iridescence. More in-theme looks followed: leather pieces, biker jackets, evening wear that recalled the chrome and numbers of racing cars, with red, yellow and metallic silver in line with the display. Con la…

NEW YORK September 8, 2017 No wonder Tory Burch chose the garden at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum for her latest show. The museum library is home to the albums of David Hicks, the legendary British interior designer whose patterns inspired this new collection. Tile and/or floral designs in fresh spring colours decorated fluid silk tunics and dresses often worn with a double brown leather belt and cassocks paired with impalpable knee-length shorts or skirts, all with the brand’s signature folk look. Solid colour pieces in ivory or sea blue had the same soft, sleek silhouette, but patterns were the leitmotiv of the collection, even spreading to the bags, which were big totes in canvas and leather. Non è un caso che Tory Burch scelga per la sua sfilata…

HEAD OFFICE (except Italy) AIE S.R.L. Via Manzoni, 12 20089 Rozzano (MI) Italy Tel. +39 02 5753911 Fax +39 02 57512606 info@aie-mag.com www.aie-mag.com ARGENTINA AIE S.R.L. Tel. +39 02 5753911 Fax +39 02 57512606 info@aie-mag.com www.aie-mag.com AUSTRALIA EIGHT POINT DISTRIBUTION PTY. LTD. Unit 5, 20 Narabang Way NSW 2085 Belrose Tel. +61 2 99862359 andrew@eightpointdistribution.com.au www.eightpointdistribution.com.au AUSTRIA PGV AUSTRIA TRUNK GMBH St. Leonharder Strasse 10 5081 Anif/Salzburg Tel. +43 62 468825233 Fax +43 62 46882775233 angelika.dygruber@pgvaustria.at www.pgvaustria.at BAHRAIN AIE S.R.L. Tel. +39 02 5753911 Fax +39 02 57512606 info@aie-mag.com www.aie-mag.com BELGIUM AIE S.R.L. Tel. +39 02 5753911 Fax +39 02 57512606 info@aie-mag.com www.aie-mag.com MODE...INFORMATION BELGIUM BVBA Baarledorpstraat 92 9031 Gent Tel. +32 9 2244387 Fax +32 9 2244395 info@modeinfo.be www.modeinfo.be BRAZIL B. AND WHITE REVISTAS IMPORTADAS Rua Vespasiano, 560 Vila…

The fashion show is a multi-layered, changing, unforeseeable, sensory experience. A ritual, a liturgy. The clothes are eclectic universes, like mirrors, fragments of coloured glass, composing figures, symmetry, colour synergies. Keep quiet and observe. Let the eye be captured by kaleidoscopic visions. Gucci enchants and hypnotises. The show featured errant women smelling of incense and mystery through distant eras and worlds. It was all about shine, with a whirl of sequins, crystals and precious embroidery. They wore sleeveless python pieces, silky suits and long dresses. They had no fear of reptiles, or the most daring colour combinations. With an anti-conformist air, they had an indomitable charm, an esoteric aesthetic. Iridescent mosaics for Dolce & Gabbana, and precious florals, ex-voto offerings, tassels, gold crowns, jewel buttons. But also images of Cupid,…

Milano è un antico baule da cui pescare ricordi, gonfio di tradizioni da reinventare. Così prendono forma corredi contemporanei, inediti, esclusivi. Sono memorie bianche, contaminate dagli stili, da elementi aggressivi, seducenti. Una nuova femminilità invade le passerelle, vive di connessioni e fenditure, innocenza e tenebra. La donna di Ermanno Scervino vibra di luci ed ombre. Si spoglia di tutto, si mette a nudo, mostra i suoi lati più nascosti, vulnerabili, vestita solo di una sottoveste. Eterea, indossa sete candide, pure, cosparse di ricami, intarsi, decorazioni a rilievo. Si copre poi con capi rubati da un guardaroba maschile, giacche gessate, bomber e tailleur oversize. Contempla l’armonia dei generi, malizia e sensualità. Blumarine intesse una lode alla primavera, alla giovinezza. La sua collezione profuma di mughetto e di violette, ha la consistenza…

MILANO September 23, 2017 Musicians, creatives and the art scene in Seventies and Eighties New York inspired Bally, producing an urban couture collection that was youthful, fresh and filled with street and bon-ton touches. Sporty pieces had a retro feel: a brown cashmere tracksuit, comfortable track pants in pastel shades or intense red matched the trench coat. Coats came in soft colours, tailored tartan or floral motifs, in upholstery fabrics with soft fur collars. The graphics were important. The Bally logo was taken from the archive and reworked into all-over prints on silk shirts or loose trousers. The shapes were often oversize and loose with a natural, spontaneous style. The colour palette embraced all the neutral, delicate, light shades of cream, pale pink and beige. Not forgetting red and a…

MILANO September 24, 2017 Cristina Gavioli celebrates the poetry of parallel and perpendicular lines and the equilibrium of grids. Dresses are fluid and airy and feature horizontal stripes in pastel colours, metallic reflections, lurex accents. Loose trousers embrace vertical lines in shades of vermilion, orange and white, or are printed. At times they pair geometry and florals, segments and embellishments. The focus is the waistline, cinched by white ribbons or stiff belts. Blouses and shirts are romantic with lace insets or light floral prints. A skirt in tulle and plissé is an ode to spring, with its fleur-de-lis colour and light consistency. If the March wind is blowing, throw on a soft cardigan in a neutral colour or an elegant trench with sharp lines. This elegance is not the showy…

MILANO September 23, 2017 Romanticism, experimentation. But also Seventies night-life, excess and refinement. This is Enrico Mazza’s Rock Couture. Piercings dominate the collection with their transgressive yet elegant look. They appear as zip pullers, contemporary cufflinks or embellishments. Organza and silk come together in fil coupé fabrics, skilfully made by Italian artisans. Leather pieces envelop the body, highlighting its form, through elaborate bustiers, biker jackets with wide lapels, shoulder straps with accentuated shapes, embroidered and studded with a military appeal. Metallic details add raised geometry to some of the garments, producing golden, silver or optical white reflections. Lips made from jeans studs are printed on dresses and T-shirts. The palette is neutral and soft, ranging from pink to ivory to sand. With a touch of black and white. Romanticismo, sperimentazione.…

MILANO September 22, 2017 The shirt is the heart of the collection. Mono-colour or printed, impalpable, sheer, or oversize and masculine. Flared or loose, with a bow at the waist or a modern lavallière at the neck. Whether ironic or delicate, its allure remains intact, its iconic refinement and simplicity. It also transformed into a long blouse or a silk crêpe de chine dress with chaste tone on tone buttons. Flounces were a recurring theme: on loose skirts and long trousers that skimmed over the floor with slits. The variety of fabrics included poplin, denim and stretch cotton gabardine. The prints were influenced by Pop Art: an ironic, witty portrait of Rossella Jardini, illustrated by artist Antonio Pippolini, decorating silk in a mix of colours. Alongside stars, hearts, polka dots…

MILANO September 20, 2017 The brand’s signature lightness remains intact. But the winds of change are blowing in the new collection from Alberta Ferretti. The look was still feminine and sophisticated, but with minimal clean lines. The watchwords were grace and measure. Onepiece swimsuits were paired with a mannish blazer or a long parka for a refined maritime style in dark colours. There were also fluid, liquid dresses, impalpable and ethereal in organza and floaty veils, in pastel shades of sand, ivory and coral. Feathers covered sheaths and long mermaid dresses, embroidery appeared as silver leaves illuminating the silhouette. There were shimmers, sequins and spangles on blouses and mini-dresses, but also maxi crystals embellishing the necklines. The later looks were also about shine. Metallic dresses glimmered in shades of pink,…

MILANO September 23, 2017 Lolitas, blossoming girls. Candid femme fatale. Sweet seductresses in fluid dresses. The Blumarine take on femininity feeds on contrasts. It is timid yet seductive. Immaculate yet intriguing. Anna Molinari showcased delicate slip dresses, lace bustiers, lingerie with lilac flowers, ruched slip dresses. Nightwear mixed polka dots with lace, black with white, short with midi hemlines. Elaborate negligees embroidered with lily of the valley and violet buds were teamed with sensual kimono. When the silk fell to the ankle, the splits opened up to show the legs. Shoulders were always uncovered, thin straps were tied in a bow or accompanied by floaty butterfly sleeves. The most sumptuous outfits came in black, the most innocent in pastels, while shades of pink, sea blue and green dispersed into the…

MILANO September 24, 2017 Bewitching Queens of Hearts paraded for Dolce & Gabbana, wearing gold crowns, bustiers, stiff corsets, pointed bras, tulle and lace slip dresses, Fifties outfits and waspie dresses. All rigorously black. Then came a burst of colour: lingerie hyper-decorated with sparkling florals, crystal jumpsuits, suits in sheer or premium gold fabrics. Linear jackets were mosaics with ironic botanical buttons. An explosion of prints and a whirlwind of images: cans and hearts, flying cupids, blindfolded cupids, playing cards, big Queens of Hearts. A series of baroque and kitchen garden symbols: peas, radishes, carrots, onions. But also zebras, fish, suns and biscuits. A Madonna was immersed in a vermilion sky, surrounded by sparkling embroidery and captioned “Queen of Love”. Allblack mini-dresses featured sacred hearts and ex-voto offerings. The colour…

MILANO September 22, 2017 Birth, catharsis. Etro is candour. It is immobile, solemn, reminiscent of white Eastern temples, purifying rituals, bright trees of life. The clothes in this show had a sacred aura about them. They were ethereal, airy and marble-like all at the same time, with lace and imperceptible cashmere designs. Long or short, they had a watery elegance and an alabaster charm. Silvery reliefs decorated the cloth, turning into embroidery, becoming jewels on necklines or stones and mirrors in the jackets. Later the colours were more intense - skirts came in kaleidoscopic tints of purple, bordeaux and Sienna. Precious intarsia, sparkling encrustations, florals and Indian embellishments gave dresses and neck scarves a bohemian allure. Trousers were oversize or slim, paired with minute tops and silky robes. The Paisley…

MILANO September 22, 2017 When painting meets elegance, when the expressive power of art interweaves with Giorgio Armani’s vision, you have a collection of sophisticated harmony and balance. Shapes, volumes and colours act in unison. The clothes came to life with light pastel brushstrokes and prints were delicate florals with watercolour buds and petals, or else intense, unexpected textures of vermilion, magenta and mint. The cuts were understated and sober. The trousers were silky and fluid or else masculine and anklelength. Pleated skirts played with glossy two-colour designs. Outerwear highlighted high tailoring, jackets were short, long, double-breasted, with geometric shoulders; suits were grey, with oriental influences, without lapels. The glam evening wear was all about Black Couture. Black and precious, embroidered with crystals and sequins, asymmetric, premium materials, refined and…

MILANO September 22, 2017 John Richmond produced a collective image that incorporated and gathered together metropolitan quotations, iconography and subcultures. He mixed hip hop, new wave, punk and electro, rhythm and musicality to his research. He formulated a portrait of an iridescent, rock and irreverent generation that is always changing. This was expressed in the flounces and ruches bouncing on sparkly dresses alongside dragon prints and embroidery. Studded flowers, little cupids amongst the stars, skulls and swallows created an eccentric procession of images and suggestions. A tribute to David Bowie was found in fringed denim. Optical prints were paired with candy pink leather jackets, whose lapels featured an angel. Shirts were brazenly transparent, mini-skirts came in leather, trousers were shot through with zips, and necklines were deep. The colours were…

MILANO September 21, 2017 Down Baudelaire’s alleyways, or in the crossroads of an unforeseeable city, amongst shop windows and cafés, hidden courtyards, where time is fleeting. Max Mara translated urban architecture into sharp tailoring, producing clothes that revealed their flawless construction thanks to the light, transparent consistency of organza. Impalpable trenches and duster coats in linen crêpe and linear denim coats. Jeans were slim and saturated with anthracite tones, black skirts falling to the ankle, white kilts, fastened with a metal buckle at the side, featured open pleats. The logo was embroidered or printed tone on tone. Floral prints recalled nature growing out of concrete, little thistles sprouting up between paving slabs and in cracks on the street. The atmosphere was that of an urban déjeuner sur l’herbe, so contemporary…

MILANO September 20, 2017 Alessandro Dell’Acqua for N°21 composed an aesthetic of transparency. He underlined the play of overlapping and layering. His woman had a very feminine essence and no fear of revealing herself. Lingerie in crimson or flesh colour was clearly visible under sheer layers, plissé skirts and fine knitwear. Chiffon slip dresses were embellished with tone on tone feathers. Lace slip dresses recalled an insurmountable ideal of beauty, an intimate and composed purity. There were also plenty of contrasts: a maxi bomber in sky blue with a bold red print, buttoned-up polo shirts with sharp collars, trenches covered with diaphanous, impalpable fabrics. Pencil skirts were festooned with crystals in little bright clusters or dotted with large black sequins. Skin tones, from nude to powder pink, were paired with…

MILANO September 22, 2017 Sensual and strong: the woman dressed by Paul Surridge, in his first collection for Roberto Cavalli, teams minimalist shapes with graphic, refined details. There were athletic influences in the long-sleeved second-skin knits, yogastyle jumpsuits, and body-con minidresses. But the cleanness of the long dresses with sensual necklines was blended with rich embroidery and prints. Chiffon pieces were embellished with shimmers and transparencies. Bustiers featured glossy stone and crystal encrustations. Trousers, bodices and gilets came in all-black or brown python leather. Of course, there was no shortage of Cavalli’s signature zebra and tiger stripes: feline mini-skirts, twocolour biker jackets in white and sand, oversize trenches, palazzo pant suits and sleeveless lapel-less blazers. The colours were dark, from blue to black, but there was also nude, brown and…

MILANO September 22, 2017 Purity of form met natural and neutral colours such as sand, white, mauve and powder blue. Elegance turned into leather, silk and suede. Premium materials, love of tradition and high-end craftsmanship: every detail spoke of Made in Italy style. Suede and leather are the main materials in the collection, featured in refined ankle-length trousers, pyjama sets of various lengths, pastel shirts with python details. Tiny perforations on duster coats and little spring jackets lightened the garments. Wraparound skirts had wide front splits and taped edges forming points and decorating the hemlines. Trenches were elaborate and original: precious intarsia of synthetic fabrics and bright leather, with vibrant nappa leather alongside the zips. Silk shirts were printed with landscape paintings of Italian scenes. Every piece was suitable for…

The great diaspora. How else to define the fact that a number of brands that until last season were seen as significant landmarks at New York Fashion Week have now fled to other cities? Proenza Schouler, Rodarte and Altuzarra have vacated the New York runways, leaving a gap that not even a show-event like Philipp Plein’s can fill, despite its featuring stroboscopic lights, fetish fairy-tale heroines and Dita von Teese performing in a champagne glass. Increasingly, the constant drive towards fashion as spectacle and the search for consensus (especially from the social media audience rather than the ‘real’ world) seem to be a front to mask a lack of creativity and, as we have seen, a shortage of big names. In a New York Times article, journalist Vanessa Friedman wrote…

NEW YORK September 12, 2017 An endless holiday for Cynthia Rowley and her ethereal sirens, who keep on wearing their swimsuits and beachwear even after returning to the city. As we have seen in other collections, Rowley too has adopted the strategy of pairing them with tailored pieces such as a tonal structured blazer for a refined, rigorous look. Other beachwear pieces, such as shorts inspired by US basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, were sheeny with a belt and paired with a tucked-in soft blouse. The dresses were mainly long and fluid with a bohemian twist, while one iridescent ‘scaly’ skirt recalled a mermaid’s tail. Una vacanza senza fine per Cynthia Rowley e per le sue eteree sirene che continuano ad indossare costumi da bagno e look da spiaggia anche al…

NEW YORK September 6, 2017 Zac Posen is increasingly choosing the studio over the runway and so it was for this collection, made especially for the designer’s typical customer: an upper class young lady or a film star. For the first, there was a lace suit, twin-sets, flared skirts and cocktail dresses with three-dimensional appliqués and floral embroidery, while the second could choose from evening dresses in various styles but in mainly sculptural lines, with smooth or silky surfaces or else covered with floral appliqués or flower prints. Skirts were given movement with flounces, puckering, pleats and side panels, while bodices were fitted and clean or else matched the rest of the look. Per Zac Posen lo studio sostituisce sempre di più la passerella ed è così anche per questa…

NEW YORK September 11, 2017 Anna Sui showcased a nostalgic collage that mixed the Victorian age and late-’60s counter-culture, obtaining a kaleidoscope of colours and materials with a wide variety of accessories that ranged from round sunglasses to passementerie belts, ethnic jewellery to maxi canvas haversacks. The long printed hippie dresses and lace and needlework frocks were great. Folk blouses and frayed hot pants were paired with lace-up boots while the shapes ranged from loose through layered to tapered. The clash of colours and materials was emphasised by tie-dye effects and Art Nouveau-style prints, ethnic motifs and esoteric symbols, for a joyful homage to female freedom. Anna Sui porta in passerella un collage nostalgico che mixa età vittoriana e controcultura di fine anni ’60 ottenendo un caleidoscopio cromatico e materico…

NEW YORK September 9, 2017 If a brand has a faithful following, it means that those people love the things the brand comes up with. For Custo Barcelona that means lots of colours and details, which in this collection were particularly used on looks with a clear streetwear edge. Duster coats and tracksuits in synthetic sheer organza with embroidery, sequins and gold appliqués were worn with flat double-strap sandals, tank tops and mesh knits also hyper-decorated and/ or iridescent were paired with baggy trousers or skinny biker-style stirrup pants. Mini-dresses featured asymmetry, transparencies, cut-outs and patchworks of material. The accessories were given the same decorative treatment. The many baseball caps featured couture embroidery and iridescence. Se un brand ha un proprio fedele seguito, significa che quel seguito ama le cose…

NEW YORK September 7, 2017 The first Desigual show under the creative direction of Jean-Paul Goude was a whirlwind of the Spanish brand’s signature bright colours and witty details. Celebrating eclecticism and diversity, together with all the cultures of the world, Goude showcased sailor stripes (and uniforms) and ethnic prints, cartoons and floral motifs, mesh and lace, esoteric symbols and animal patterns - all in a mix & match that attracted the eye because the combinations were well thought out and never veered towards bad taste. Amongst the tribal looks, including raffia anklets and maxi rattan headpieces, there were also simple, casual pieces such as cable knit cotton sweaters, jeans, micro biker jackets and multicoloured sneakers to complete truly spectacular outfits. La prima sfilata di Desigual sotto la direzione artistica…

NEW YORK September 11, 2017 Helmut Lang, the iconic ’90s brand run by a series of creative directors since 2005, when the founder withdrew from the fashion scene, is now under the control of 26-year-old editor in residence Isabella Burley, who has launched a designer residency program. First up is streetwear brand Hood by Air’s Shayne Oliver, who has given the collection a fetish injection, a characteristic already present in the original brand but here pushed to the max. The Pearl River location provided the backdrop for a parade of porn stars in costume, so there were asymmetric bras with built-in harnesses, miniskirts and suspender belts, and black leather boots with stiletto heels. Some minimal pieces, such as black trousers, structured coats and sheer dresses with breath-taking splits, also made…

NEW YORK September 9, 2017 To celebrate her 25th year in business, Jill Stuart drew inspiration from her archive, but the designer took pains to point out that “none of the pieces were taken from my archive; they were inspired by my archive, from ’93 till now”. She produced more of her floral prints inspired by a botanical garden on organza or sheer lace dresses, with puff sleeves and ruches or flounces, layered over romantic shirts and fishnet ankle socks and platform sandals. The alternative to flowers were white-onblack polka dots, which decorated sheer blouses and long dresses, while the finale returned to more botanical prints on layers of organza. The bondage corsets and golden harnesses, shaped like a bustier, were created by a young designer called Lady Grey and…

NEW YORK September 11, 2017 Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, the creative duo who made their début for Oscar de la Renta last season, have yet to figure out their style balance. Their points of reference for next Spring were Pop Art and a stash of letters written by Mr de la Renta together with thank-you notes Kim and Garcia have received from actresses Emma Watson and Elle Fanning. The founder’s graphic and especially his name were reproduced on outerwear, knits, dresses, both on the entire surface and on fragmented insets; paint blotches and splatters mixed with sequins decorated denim outfits, shirts and much of the daywear in general, while lettering returned on the evening dresses, which also featured in silver sequins or dégradé tulle. Laura Kim e Fernando Garcia,…

NEW YORK September 11, 2017 The Olsen twins presented the new collection by their brand, The Row, known for its understatement and premium materials, in the soothing confines of the Carlyle Hotel. In search of something extremely soft and romantic, the two sisters dressed their signature vertical silhouette in daywear of comfortable high-waist trousers paired with basic white vests, matching jackets, extra-long coats almost skimming the floor and cocoon coats pulled down at the shoulders, with obi belts at the waist. Later there were fluid, dreamy tunics fit for a priestess in eye-catching colours. The final one, in lilac, featured a cross-body drape that created poetic movement. Ospitando una colazione negli ambienti tranquilli del Carlyle Hotel, le gemelle Olsen presentano la nuova collezione del loro marchio, The Row, noto per…

NEW YORK September 10, 2017 “Delicacy can be strong,” said Victoria Beckham about her new collection, which focused on neutral and pastel colours and a fluid yet sculpted silhouette, just like the personality of her woman. Checked shirts were tucked into sheer pencil or flat pleated skirts in silk, masculine looks were destructured or softened by pastel tones, tunics were worn loose over soft trousers, while dresses were long with lines gently caressing the body. For the evening, they gained plunging necklines and/or bright details. Ruffles added movement to the surfaces and edges, which were otherwise linear and easy. “La delicatezza può essere forte” dice Victoria Beckham a proposito della sua nuova collezione, tutta incentrata su toni neutri e pastello e su di una silhouette fluida ma al contempo scolpita,…