Prada Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2012

Again, powerdressing was the theme of a collection. And what a collection. Miuccia Prada said goodbye to all the cheerful bold colors and prints of last season and embraced the powerful men. To the press she described the collection as a riff on powerful men, and how fashion can telegraph authority, might or supremacy. Clothing is a tool of power and a way to express male vanity, she said. Yes, we knew that already.

Dressed in severe coats reminding of Eastern Bloc military dress, the models and actors Willem Dafoe, Tim Roth, Adrien Brody and Gary Oldman walked a massive, carpeted space. The first outfit set a military tone: a smart dark coat over a white turtleneck, slim pants and gleaming dress shoes. Belted coats in lightweight wool played a major part and they were often decorated with badges over the heart. Colors were of course a bit off beat, mustard, purple, grey and black – and the fabrics looked vintage.

Check out the video of the show below.

John Varvatos Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2012

Varvatos’ show was an ode to the city of New York. In a film, played as a background to the show, all NYC landmarks popped up, from the Chrysler Building tot the Statue of Liberty. The runway looked like a regular NYC street and felt raw and real at the same time (just like the clothes).

The models looked streetwise in clothes which had just the right amount of fashionable detailing. Washed of tones in leather were followed by woolen grey and black and scruffy streetstyles changed into a few slick evening looks.

We’re not sure yet about the enormous shearling collars, but those leather sleeves will be a definite hit.

Salvatore Ferragamo Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2012

You don’t have to tell designer Massimiliano Giornetti anything about power dressing, he knows what he is doing at Ferragamo. The fall-collection was powerful in all it’s classic, elegant tailoring:  suits and coats were strong and sharp, the ingredients soft and often velvet-like. Tweeds, bold herringbone  and speckled wools for outerwear, with colored velvet and moiré silks for evening jackets. Footwear stood out, especially the two toned dress shoes.
The colors were a mix of rusts and berry tones often mixing together different shades on looks through to the accessories.

Bottega Veneta Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2012

Tomas Maier of Bottega Veneta likes experiencing with materials, colors and effects. Well, the lean pristine suits he sent out this morning with optical effects in geometric color blocking were sure new and daring. But the effect was not always working out well. Later on the collection took a more cool and rock ‘n roll turn with knits and outerwear, like biker jackets and coats with graphic black rubber details.

In a season of mixed materials, Tomas Maier lightly applied tonal accents and contrasts, like glistening patches that looked like plastic tape. Fabrics were rich and warm, yet ultra light. Flocked velvet dripped from the V-neck of a black cashmere sweater; black cashmere-velvet pads capped the shoulders of short jackets and rubber details gave wool coats an urban touch.

Burberry Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2012

For his fall 2012 Burberry menswear-collection Christopher Baily tried to mix the British City with the British Country-style. That led into a dapper gentleman in a tailored suit, an umbrella with a hand painted handle and a warm, sometimes bulky outdoor coat.  The overall result was polite and charming, traditional and familiar. But sometimes also a bit dull and predictable.

Form-fitting tailored suits played the major role in this collection, some of which came in plum, olive or teal velvet — and others made from herringbone or tweed wool. For a more formal feel, Bailey put velvet collars onto tweed trenches and topcoats. The outdoor-feeling was given by all those typical outdoorsy sports-gear like fishing vests, quilted or not, shooting jackets in leather or suede, chunky sweaters and cardigans.Luckily the polka dot ties and shirts, appliqué fox heads on knits and leather gloves with punkish gold studs gave that typical Burberry edge to the clothes. It’s all in the details eventually.

Jil Sander Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2012

Raf Simons used all kinds of fabric to give his pitch black-collection for Jil Sander the right edge. On a black rubber runway and before a graffiti-stained door he sent out his darkest of dark collections. There was black leather and industrial-age fabrics glistening like wet asphalt to give archetypal male cliches like the businessman, the father, the office nerd an unbelievable and dangerous power.

The collection looked formal with handsome greatcoats, sculpted suits with seamed backs, and pristine shirts and ties. Simons played with proportions, from pencil slim to voluminous and flaring. Longer line coats, either tight or hanging straight, were a major statement.

Accessory of the season will definitely be the Jil Sander lunch-bag shaped leather goods. Sailor-suit flaps with prints of child-like motifs of whales, dinosaurs and fish gave it all a lighter attitude. Simons definitely set the tone for a new fall-season.

An no, no news about Christian Dior yet.

Costume National Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2012

Bohemians were the characters Ennio Capasa of Costume National was thinking about, as an antidote to a materialistic direction that he sees society taking. Capasa called his collection a remix of his dark roots and all his experiences over the years.  There were  space-age boots,  punky mohairs, and  teddy-boy proportions, all elements we’ve seen before in Capasa’s collections – which point towards his passion for British youth cults.

Dolce & Gabbana Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2012

Domenico and Stefano’s ultimate male muse David Gandy didn’t walk in Dolce & Gabbana’s menswear show. He attended the show as one of the special guests, next to Beyoncé’s sister Solange (who has just signed with Next Models) and a few Italian stars.

It was a classic and very Italian show, which had the brand’s masculine tailoring tradition as it’s starting point.

The collection was all about coats (and capes). They were thick and heavy and looked rich due to the many golden embroideries added. They formed quite a contrast next to few the shirtless guys in their camel colored Long Johns and boxers. Yet it seemed bodywear was a big part of the show, since multiple silk pajama’s (we think: Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl) were presented along the way.

Pinstriped, burgundy, velvet or gold and shiny; there were more than enough evening looks to choose from, topped off by a playful ribbon bow tie and a Sicilian cap every now and then.

The full looks, as they were presented on the runway, maybe were a bit too luxurious for most men. Yet there were enough sole pieces to mix and match into a man’s everyday wardrobe.

Streetstyle Trend Report 2011: Funky Hats

A cool hats is the perfect finishing of a trendy look. It will make heads turn in the streets and if you wear it during the international fashion weeks you will definitely get your picture taken by the fashion paparazzi. In Milan and London we spotted Olivia Palermo and Rachel Zoe sporting their signature hat looks, but we saw many more cool headpieces. Like a cap with bunny ears attached to it, a leather aviator hat and let’s not forget the leopard cherries on Anna dello Russo’s hat.

Out of all hats we spotted this season, we selected our Top 5.

Below you can find our gallery full of funky hats.

 

Streetstyle it-girl: Susie Bubble

In 2006 she decided to let everyone in on her ‘fashion bubble’, she started her own blog and has become one of the most popular fashion bloggers ever since. Susie Bubble doesn’t miss any fashion week and is a hard to miss streetstyle personality.

Her outfits are as bubbly as her name suggests. There’s always a nice pop of color and funky sunnies and cool bags make her stand out from the crowd.

Her cool bangs and her friendly smile make this blogger one of our favorite streetstyle ‘projects’.

Check out the bubbly gallery below.

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