First View Milan Womenswear FW2012: Sharp & Graphic

Pleasure and having a good time was the lead team for some of the designers in Milan this week. It translated itself in a series of glorious graphics and optimistic vibrancy. All had their reasons to come up with the full dose of color, black and white contrast and sharp metallics. The mood ranged from Rock Chick rebellion to retro reminiscence and faint memories of Robocop and Blade runner. Clearly this was not just about having fun. It was serious couture craftsmanship and a minute interest in shape and detail. We saw geometric print, graphic straight-line cutting and embellishment. Next to positively shining metallics, iridescence, shining foils, plasticised embroideries and holographic surfaces.

At Prada the pants made the story, but it was the embroidery in all its glassy glamor that brought an extra dimension to this powerful show, Versace showed some robotic retro futurism, where Moschino threw a parade with cheerleader skirts and uniform jackets, Prada again played with daring color harmonies in optical patterns and Blumarine staged (as well as Fendi) funkiest and artistic furs painted in more than bright colors.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View Milan Womenswear FW2012: Dark Vision

Beauty and confidence are what designers wish for their models to spread in Milan.  ‘Importance’ being a more significant message for women then mere ‘power’ as Miuccia Prada stated. And that is what we recognize. Dark glamor in various signatures ranging from soft ‘Goth’ to dark romance and reminiscent opulence. The future is taking refuge in the past and historical icons are wonderfully mutated in futuristic executions. The mood is stern yet the detailing rich and affluent. The spirit dark but generating pleasure rather then gloom. Love for materials is translated into embroidered and bejeweled aspects, laser cut lace effects and lots leather and lush velvets.

Prada shows virtual princes, avatars of fashions digital age – where Etro frames its iconic patterns in androgynous sculptural tailoring, Versace taps into a more sacral and medieval inspiration adding armors, chain-mail and crucifixes. Gucci mutates menswear into fluid classical drama with a smooth pre-Raphaelite twist.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

Marni Catwalk Fashion Show Milan Womenswear FW2012

Control and precision; grace that is dry, assertive, with a hint of tension. An idea of graphic composition permeates the Marni collection for fall 2012: pure lines, decisive volumes. As if obeying to a precise layering plan, outfits have a constructivist feel with a sleek outlook and a tactile intensity.
The silhouette is neat and precise, to-the-knee, with a dropped waist. There’s an idea of clothing as a soft, architectural element. Exact capes create a firm halo around the body. Decoration turns into construction, playing with the weight of surfaces.  An air of grace and rigor runs through: the neck is always covered. Prints are used as an accent: a single outsized flower, papiro jacquards and brocades.
The palette has notes of butter, crimson red, clear blue with touches of pink, blush, tan and broken with notes of black, tobacco and saffron. Fabrics have a compact hand: silk wool double-face, lurex jacquard, wool crepe. Exaggerated, oversized patent leather and snakeskin add weight and presence.

Antonio Marras Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2012

Inspired by singer Milly, a singer who was a living metaphor for Milan in the 20th century (and the lover of the king of Italy), Antonio Marras presented a stunning series of fall/winter clothing.

His pieces were detailed and romantic. Worn on the runway they were like little pieces of art translated into contemporary womenswear.

Marras’ designs represented Milly’s souvenirs from all the places she had been and all the men she had loved. And without knowing what those might have been, you could see the clothes were telling a story.

Gorgeous tweeds (perhaps from a coat of one of Milly’s lovers?), English walpaper florals (from one of the rooms she may have slept in), embroidered fall leaves (which might once have decorated a skirt or dress) and richcolored slightly graphic  patterns (origanited from an old tapestry?) together formed a rich and classy mix.

Used on structured coats, pencils skirts and blouses with pointed collars they made the young models look like graceful, elegant ladies. Ladies with an exquisite, original taste of fashion that is. And though the designs might have had a classic forties touch to them; every single one of the looks will easily create a wow-moment seventy years later, in winter 2012/2013.

Streetfashion Milan Womenswear FW2012 Day 4

What are you wearing during the fashionweeks? Your Miu Miu-shoes, your latest Jil Sander-jacket or that vintage Gucci? 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 Fashion Week.

Jil Sander Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2012

With hist last collection for Jil Sander, Belgium designer Raf Simons tried to tell a poetic story of the hours in a couple’s domestic life, from a woman’s morning lingerie to wool coats and black cocktail dresses. This show contained all the designs Simons surprised us with over the past few years, a fully modern perspective on construction and deconstruction, on feminine colors, on magical ideas. And we are going to miss him for that.

Simons made his final Sander collection one of positive beauty, poetic, gentle and refined. He opened with double-faced clutch coats in  pale pink and dove gray, tobacco and bright pink – with a hint to late-Fifties couture. He then went to dresses with an innovative lingerie reference. He even used PVC looked for folded dresses and skirts and they looked lovely rather than aggressive.

Jil Sander might return to teh house she left years ago, but it’s going to be a totally different ball game for her. Raf Simons proved what he is capable of and he will just improve every season. It won’t be easy for Jil Sander to equalize what he left behind.

Emporio Armani Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2012

Today’s Emporio Armani looked like fun. Fun to wear and fun to watch. Outfits were outspoken when it came to silhouette and print. Besides they were finished off in all kinds of playful ways (ethnic, chunky jewelry and eye catching hats).

We saw cut out jersey jackets, combined with striped, structured skirts and berets. Models wore knee high shorts with woolen vests and wide decorated hats. Fringed coats were presented next to tweed and polka dot versions. And there were some peplums in the mix as well.

Along the way Armani, who is always a great fan of the basic shades (black, blue, grey) experimented with busy prints and rainbow colors. He presented some great colored coats and skirts in line with the fun colored trend of the moment and perfect to brighten up a dark day. It might have been slightly out of his comfort zone, but we would love to see that ethnic/bright colored Emporio more often.

 

Bottega Veneta Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2012

The fall-collection of Bottega Veneta exuded in precision and discipline, with lean silhouettes and narrow fit. There were tailored jackets and skirt suits cut straight. It was just simple, chic elegance in black, navy and maroon. Fabrics were rich and decorations modest, a big brooch, pendants and earrings. Controlled, but not forced.

The Best of Raf Simons for Jil Sander: 2006 – 2011

Designers come and go. Some stay longer than you expected. Some are more succesful than the other. Raf Simons surely set things in motion when he started working for Jil Sander. Looking at all the collections he designed for the house, you can see his confidence growing by the season. He took the time to develop his signature and blend it with the heritage of the house. The cut of the clothes, the silhouettes, the fabrics, the colors. For the first time in a long period the Jil Sander show was something to look forward to.

The last few seasons Simons experimented with couture-shapes and see what it brought us. Other designers got inspired and followed. The same happened with his color-blocking, the longer skirts, the stripes and the play with transparency. We’ve tried to find the best of Raf Simons for Jil Sander, and we realize there is so much more to show you.

Thankfully Raf Simons is not leaving the fashion-stage, we will see much more of him in the future. Maybe at Dior, but definitely at his own menswear-label. To be continued.

Versace Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2012

The models in the Versace show looked dangerous. Or, like many fashion-editors said: like actress Rooney Mara in her performance as the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  The clothes were all gothic drama, dark and underground. There was no sparkle of sunny glamour.
The show opened with two black velvet dresses — one covered up, one bare — both embroidered with leather Byzantine crosses. The crosses appeard small and big, in the middle of a corset or at a breastplate. There wer some colorful prints, letters that spelled V E R S A C E. It looked a bit cheap.
More Versace were the chainmail dresses and open metal mesh – it gave the models an air of savage crusaders.

 

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