Spijkers en Spijkers Fashion Presentation Milan FW2010

Der mittler zwischen hirn und händen muss das herz sein ! or: Without the heart, there can be no understanding between the hand and the mind. This quote, coming from Metropolis, was written on the invite for the presentation of the Spijkers & Spijkers’ fw 2010 presentation. The Dutch twin-sisters presented a collection inspired by the German sci-fi movie Metropolis, produced in the twenties and directed by Fritz Lang.

Colors (black, brown, silver, gold), graphic art, the mirrors, images of the city by night, techno-like effects and the face of the Metropolis-robot were all used in the collection. Of course the designers gave it their own twist. The result was a modern, ladylike collection with 20’s influences without being too retro.

Short, pleated skirts were mixed with sweaters, tunics in silver and bronze were combined with leggings in the same color-effect and overalls with graphic details looked almost chic with a chiffon blouse printed with skyscrapers by night.

The accessories were matching: small parts of a machines formed golden and silver necklaces and bangles, some decorated with colorful stones. It’s a pity the collection got pushed aside by the killing showschedule in Milan – it deserves the attention.

Jil Sander Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

The soundtrack at Jil Sander consisted of shooting and screaming voices; this was a woman on a mission. It was from the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. A part of the collection had the same sci-fi computer-game fantasy: form fitting catsuits,  rompers and knitted shorts suits all in black. The boots with velcro-closures did it too.

Another part of the collection Raf Simons presented, was modern and classic: fly-front jackets, skirtsuits, and slim coats in supple, light tweed and softly colored windowpane checks. This is the Jil sander-brand as we know it from her succesyears in the nineties. This was retro-minimalism at its best. Young women wil like the short skirts and tough boots, older women will feel comfortable in the black dresses and pantsuits. The luxury is in the fabric and make without screaming the brands name.

Versace Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

Even though Versace gave two fashion shows, they both were way too crowded. Every possible position in the small show area was taken.

After a guy swept the runway it was showtime!

At the sound of a motorbike the models appeared in Donattela’s tough-looking designs. In the biker-inspired clothes full of zippers they looked feminine and powerful at the same time. Some shiny metallic looking skirts in blue and chartreuse green stood for the chrome work of a motorbike. A few patched leather pants were meant to wear while sitting on top of that bike.

Versace’s overcoats might have been a little masculine, they surely looked good. Their color combinations, leather details and large standing collars worked together just great.

The dresses showed some resemblance to those of the 2010 summer collection. Yet due to the use of a thicker fabric they formed the perfect winter variant.

For evening Donatella used the shiny, colored leather again. First on some short party dresses and later as a detail on a few plisse chiffon evening gowns. Those sexy gowns had high slits, cut-outs and trains.

The colors in this Versace collection were very strong and matched well with the biker theme. When all models posed in the middle of the runway at the end of the show, it even became clear how great those colors looked together.

Streetfashion Milan FW2010 Day 2

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.

Gianfranco Ferré Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

The catwalk at the Gianfranco Ferré show had the shape of an H, so the audience was divided in two. The enthusiastic people seemed to be sitting on the right side. They applauded for several looks, while the left side just sat there quietly.

The looks that gained the most applause were a shiny gold coat worn by Natasha Poly and a long evening gown with a low back in the same shade. We loved a camel colored skirt worn with a beige top (both with a lot of texture) and a white pair of high waisted pants combined with a white top (both with visible pleats).

Some of Aquilano and Rimondi’s coats were pretty strong as well. They came in black, gray and beige and had lots of leather and fur accents. They were worn on top of some (knee-length) skirts and thanks to the waist belts they emphasized the models’ slim silhouettes beautifully.

The whole collection was, as the designers put it themselves,  very modern, dynamic and super feminine.

Alberta Ferretti Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

Although Alberta Ferretti had to design a winter collection her dresses were just as airy as they were last summer. Alberta used a lot of see through material and shiny silk-chiffon. She introduced some pleated designs and brought back the nudes from her summer collection. Instead of the flowers from last season the dresses now got crystal embellishments, gracefully put around the neckline and on the shoulder.

We know the dresses looked wonderful, but there is no way women are going to wear these ‘summery’ dresses in their daily life next winter. For a special party or a chic event, on the other hand, the dresses and ankle boots will be perfect. Especially the evening dresses looked very delicate. Some of them had transparent sleeves, but you had to take a close look to even see the fabric.

Apart from the frilly dresses there were fur coats that actually seemed appropriate for winter. They came in cream, blue, gray and black. Their waistbands and pleating at the back made them look extra elegant.

Commercially this was a smart collection. The women buying the new Alberta Ferretti dresses will need to buy one of the designer’s fur coats as well to keep themselves warm throughout the winter. Still it seems like their legs will be cold next year.

Emporio Armani Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

The Emporio Armani collection was pretty and upbeat, just what an uptown girl needs. A short fur or leather jacket, loose pants which narrow at her feet, a draped top and of course a glitzy dress for the night.

Armani played with textures, colors and shape. Techno-materials were used next to more traditional textiles as organza, wool and velvet. Colors were typical Armani-style: taupe, dove-gray, beige, slate and cloudy gray. Although the brick-orange was quite surprising  and didn’t do it for us. But maybe his growing Asian market will love it.

Throughout the collection we noticed a refined exchange between masculine and feminine, which is typical Armani. Jackets, pleated at the back, were made of organza, a chalk stripe waistcoat took the place of a T-shirt and shirts evolved into featherweight ultra-feminine tops.

DSquared Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

Phew! That was a hell of a collection and show at DSquared, especially after such a trendsetting show at Prada.  Men put in cages of glass, models landing at the runway behind the bars of an old elevator, elektro-disco yelling and clothes that looked like twin-brothers Caten revisited The Matrix.

They took the successful movie as one of their reference points, but also manga and Jekyll and Hyde. The result was a dark sci-fi collection full of black leather, latex and red details (underwear, gloves, legs).  It was all about shape and a sharp silhouet softened by fur-coats. There were some nice pieces: a leather and wool trench, some tailored jackets and a chic Forties-style dress, nipped at the waist and cut with a wide neck. Hopefully they will make the pencilskirts with a split before they hit the stores, because models could hardly walk in them.

Extremes were the high heels with spines as the heel, veins in blue and red drawn at a nude top, metal chains and bones-accessoiries.

Prada Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

You don’t wanna fight with the new Prada-woman. She looks sensuous and very elegant in her 50’s housewive dresses, but she’s in control and self assured. She is who she is.

This was yet another Prada-collection which leaves you distressed and thinking about what was going on. Someone called it retro-future, severe chic or restraint meets assertiveness,  I would call it women breaking free. Disturbing jazz filled the room and the models were walking down the runway with beehive-hair, bare faces and in prim dresses with high pointed shoes.

Take a closer look and you see the silhouette of the breasts sticking out, push up ruffle bra-dresses and a glimpse of knitted collars at chic coats and LBD’s with a plastic ruffle. It was exciting to see fuller-figured girls at the show – Doutzen Kroes and Lara Stone a.o. – who walked secure and celebrated their femininity. Interesting were the sweater-dressing – a blue cable knit at a full cable knit skirt – the dark 50′ prints and the rubber coats in camel. The collection was about sex appeal, but in Prada’s world, it’s not about baring all. It was conservative, sometimes almost funereal, except for the suggestive, exaggerated focus at the bust.

Hopefully the thick knitted knee-highs and maillots don’t itch too much, because they add just that edgy touch to the outfits. Especially worn with those fragile looking patent leather shoes.

Fendi Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

Karl Lagerfeld dared to combine two big fall trends in his Fendi collection: fur and patchwork. His patchwork fur coats came by in all shapes, sizes and colors. Yet none of those coats convinced us that the combination of fur and patchwork will become a huge hit. Especially not the first one, in white, gray and black. It looked like a mix of a panda- and a dolphin suit and didn’t do anything for the model’s body. Other patchworks in hues of beige, camel and brown were better, but never stunning. It just seemed very unnatural to combine so many different types of fur in one design.

Front row guest Rachel  Zoe must have loved the show, though. Karl introduced some waistcoats in fur as well. And we’ve seen Rachel Zoe in one of those quite often…

Karl’s waistcoats were worn on top of long, loose-fitting skirts and blouses with wide sleeves. Brown waist belts finished the looks. A beige coat with matching dress, made from a fabric that resembled an enlarged corduroy, caught our attention. And the color pallet of green, brown and mustard yellow appeared to be lovely.

Towards the end of the show many black dresses were shown. In these dresses lots of texture, as well as some see-through fabric could be seen.  The dresses were transparent in all the right places and had just the perfect length. They looked elegant and feminine and were sexy enough to make some of the men at that cocktail party look twice.

« Previous Page — Next Page »