Dolce & Gabbana Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

The Dolce & Gabbana fashion show started with a short (black & white) film in which we saw Domenico and Stefano working in their atelier. We watched them putting their first designs together and saw how they put them on on some models. We could see the joy in their eyes as they slowly created several gorgeous designs, of course with a little help. Actually, all of the atelier’s employees were introduced in the film. In their long, clean, white jackets they smiled at the camera as the first models came up.

The fall/winter collection was built around three themes: Sicilianita’, sartorialita’ and sensualita’. They were reflected in several ways:

1. Domenico and Stefano (after 25 years) went back to their Sicilian roots (Sicilianita’).

2. The clothes represented Dolce & Gabbana’s signature tailoring (sartorialita’).

3. The models looked very feminine and sensual in the lingerie-inspired designs (sensualita’).

We listened to the Moulin Rouge soundtrack ‘Come what may’ as the first models quickly passed in some black tailored jackets combined with short pants and lace dresses. When a few corsets were introduced, we were sure: the lingerie-influences from last summer were back.

The models all wore gold accessories. Some of the clothes were decorated with lots of golden coins. And the ‘new women’, as Stefano Gabbana put it, carried an I-pod with golden earphones.

All girls  looked very lady-like. Though the double breasted jackets might have looked a little masculine, they were executed in a soft and feminine way. The fabrics: lace, silk and satin added to the sensual feeling of the collection.

Leopard prints, polka dots and floral prints combined beautifully with the black of the collection. Like in the summer collection those different prints were matched in one look. It looked stunning.

During the finale 75 models came onto the runway, dressed in fitted black jackets combined with shorts and small dresses.

The show made us shiver and, as we heard, it made the people backstage shed a few tears.

Emilio Pucci Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

It’s Peter Dundas’ third season at Pucci and he has taken the label to a darker, more risky place. In a season where designers go for minimalism and a structured ladylike silhouette, he presented a sexy collection with a bohemian touch and lots of red-carpet potential.

Dundas opened the show with a long purple jersey dress in a houseprint from the Pucci-archives, but he dip-dyed it in purple. This set the tone for the rest of the collection with ultra, ultrashort dresses – even the models were complaining about it – fringed scarf-dresses and big feather details. New were the tailored jackets in strong, clean lines. They were mixed with high waisted, suede flares. Eveningwear was pure glamor: long dresses with plunging necklines or minidresss with gold lace inserts and high slits.

Marni Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

It’s always a surprise which direction the Marni-collection goes. Bohemian, more severe, vintage luxury? For next fall the designer Consuela Castiglione brings light and the optimism of spring to the stores. Not only because of the slightly faded colors – tabac, pink, red, yellow and green – also for the 3/4 pants, bermudas and T-shirts with prints done by the artist Gary Hume.

The overall character of the collection was ladylike, with hourglass cut, stiff skirtsuits, sleeveless jackets and dresses. A small pleated, separate apron added  hips and shape to the silhouette. The colors, metallic details, mosaic prints and treated fabrics  – laminated, transparent, dense, inside out, unfinished –  added a contemporary  elegance tot the clothes.

The shoes and boots- in perforated leather and ponyskin – were tough and modern, the bags elegant and with a modern classic character. And of course the accessories were to die for, big chunky necklaces in matching colors were the finishing touch.

Streetfashion Milan FW2010 Day 3

What are you wearing during the coming fashionweeks? Your Balenciaga-heels, your latest Marni-dress or that vintage YSL? Maybe we’ll spot you in Paris, Milan, New York or Amsterdam. During the fashionweeks we refresh our streetwear posts regularly. We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy fashion and your own personal style. Next stop: Milan.

Gucci Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

This was one of the most simple, easy and safe Gucci-collections I’ve seen in years. No real focus at bags – a few totes, croco shoulderbags and clutches – thigh high boots and high heels. The silhouet was pretty straight, sometimes bodyhugging. Short dresses in white, black and gray showed flashes of skin and were pimped up with silver details at wrists, neck or waist.Other dresses were more draped and had a painterly prints.

Pants were Gucci-like: slim, low at the waist and mixed with short (fur)jackets, silk tunics or a printed shirts. Big 70’s inspired coats in camel were eyecatching. This is what Gucci is known for, but I was hoping for a little bit more firework and inspiring ideas. The eveningwear though had just that extra elegance and sexappeal, great for a red carpet-moment instead of those big in your face gowns. Hopefully Rachel Zoe will be inspired, she was sitting frontrow at Gucci.

MaxMara Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

While the so-called ‘Face of the Future’, actress Zoe Saldana (from Avatar), attended the MaxMara show, the brand in fact returned to tradition. The traditional aspects of the collection were the silhouettes and the fabrics.

Long coats were the showpieces of the fall/winter collection, so hopefully it’ll become a cold winter. The coats came in cashmere and corduroy. From the waist down they resembled wide pleated skirts. They were so long, their fabric even touched the floor. The coats’ upper parts had some military influences: double breasted, epaulets and XL collars.

The models marched on the runway in high black boots. A few times their loose-fitting, high-waisted pants were tucked in those boots. Leather belts with big pockets attached, gave the collection a masculine touch. Fur mittens were a funny extra.

The second half of the collection the corduroy returned in a few tops.  It formed a great contrast with the golden lame dresses that quickly followed.

The last few pieces of the show looked like they’d taken the longest to make. A black skirt, dress and coat were beautifully embellished with shiny crystal flowers. These delicate items felt a bit Russian.

It seems like the military trend is up for a second season. Although we’ve already seen a lot of it, MaxMara’s ultra-long military coats were a pleasant surprise.

Antonio Marras Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

Antonio Marras didn’t just chose a theme for his show, in fact a real classic story was the inspiration for his winter collection.

Marras told the story of Paska Devaddis, a female bandit who ruled the Sardinian mountains around 1900. Devaddis was renowned for her mixing of men’s and women’s clothes. She used to ride on her horse a lot, so to the sound of galloping hooves the show started.

The version of Devaddis Antonio Marras presented wears floral lace dresses in bright colors. Yet she hides these feminine dresses underneath several different thick layers. She puts on all these layers to keep herself warm.

One of the items Devaddis likes to combine with her dresses is a heavy sleeveless coat in tweed or fur. She wears the ones that have been disassembled and are sewn back together. Capes and military cloaks with epaulets also fit her clothing style.

Every now and then Devaddis shows her feminine side by revealing some body parts through a very transparent dress or some see through lace. She also wears pleated skirts and her capes have many jewel embroideries.

Although Devaddis is no longer with us, she might just become the next style icon. The combination of clothes was really great and refreshing and with the Devaddis story in mind it all looked even better.

At the end of the show the window frames that were hanging at the beginning of the runway were lifted and all models appeared again. To the sound of trampling hooves the 43 Devaddis look-a-likes strolled down the runway one last time.

Etro Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

A Wunderkammer perfumed with amber and absinthe, that was the startingpoint of Etro’s collection. The result was a collection with sensual, oriental influences and the somewhat rounded silhouet of Paul Poiret. Kimono-dresses, layering, satin, new style paisleys and neo-colonial dressing.

Male and female, plain and printed melted in the same look. Mini-robes draped over the double breasted blazer were teamed with harempants, furcoats and cocktail frocks became cardigans. Colors were vibrant with the shades of semi-precious stones: emerald, jade, amber.

The eveningwear was sensual and bodyhugging: satin dresses with samurai-dragons at the back or draped with prints like tattoo’s.

Giorgio Armani Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

With his winter collection Giorgio Armani promoted ‘The new chic’. According to the show notes this meant the whole collection was ‘precisely stated in shape and color’.

The new chic surely wasn’t represented in the black ‘wigs’ the models wore on their heads. It seemed as if they’d just attached a mop to their hair that covered up a big part of their faces.

The new chic did have a lot to do with shape. A-line and asymmetrical shapes dominated the runway. Just like in Giorgio’s summer collection their were more than enough one-shouldered dresses. A lot of looks formed a mix of a skirt and a (black velvet) jacket. Armani in fact introduced ‘The new jacket’, fastened by the hooks at the side to create a ‘wave effect’.

Coral red, Tibetan orange and a hint of green were the new chic colors. They were combined with black and white and corresponded with the colors of the lights on the catwalk.

They even popped up in Giorgio’s sleek evening wear. The dresses had a lot of shiny details. Jewel embroideries – mostly floral shaped – were placed all over some pink and red designs. Large brooches were a nice and chic addition.

We loved the new chic idea, but though the collection was pretty chic it might have been a little more renewing.

Bottega Veneta Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

This was a different collection at Bottega Veneta. Tomas Maier switched the nonchalant chic for tough, black leather and over-designed pieces. No more sweet, simple dresses in light colors, but rather severe looking dresses in black wool, leather or mixed worn with high boots and triangle-shaped bags. There was even a loosefitting, draped overall in black.

The Bottega Veneta collections used to have a certain edge, colorwise, in shape or in the use of fabric. The fw-collections looked a little bit dreary though. But that doen’t mean there was nothing we loved:  the fluid looking dresses in purple and gray, the coats in shiny techno-fabrics, the eveningdresses in pleated, sheer organza, the pantsuit with green metallic shoes and the pink leather pants with lighter colored shirt.

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