Rochas Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

The Goldie Hawn movie ‘Cactus Flower’ from 1969 was the inspiration for Marco Zaninin’s third collection for Rochas. And so we could tell. Most of the outfits could have come straight from Goldie’s wardrobe for that movie..

The clothes were colorful, very retro and as Zanini put it himself: ‘smiley and joyful’. Every look, with unexpected combinations of shades and fabrics, made us more excited.  And suddenly a turquoise skirt, a yellow lace top, a gray coat, a purple ribbon bow and deep red gloves didn’t look all that bad together. Woolen cardigans with elbow patches formed a good mix with small belts and long gloves as well.

Everything had a great sixties/seventies vibe:

The golden lame, used for some pants, dresses, skirts and tunics.
The pink, brown and beige color combinations.
The ruffled collars and wide sleeves.
The metallic fabrics.
The pant suits
The tunics
The cropped pants.
And not to mention the model’s big hairdo’s!

This Rochas collection might have been very diverse, yet Zanini’s craftsmanship held all pieces together perfectly.

Dries van Noten Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

It was a different setting and a different collection at Dries van Noten. Especially after his colorful mix & match of east & west this spring, and the show he held in an empty and  stripped bank. His casual/elegant fall/winter collection was presented in one of the gilded salons of the Hotel de Ville. Malcolm Mclaren did the soundtrack: sweet and classical with angry singing.

Army green became elegant and feminine when used in tailored skirts, pants and sleeveless trench-like coats. Gray popped up in tailored jackets, big sweaters and dresses. The hourglass silhouette was also present here, thanks to the  full skirts.

The realist floral prints (in red, blue and green), men’s inspired jackets and animal prints gave it just that rebel feeling. But also because it looked like these women just put their outfit together without thinking too much about the effect and result. This was how they felt and how sthey wanted to look.

Beautiful. Casual. Sensual. Original. Femine.

Versus Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

Skirts like cupcakes, that’s the best way to describe the stiff  pleated miniskirts Christopher Kane created for his second Versus-collection. It is amazing to see how well the British designer is reviving Gianni Versace’s heyday style. The young, strong but sexy look is still there, but the styling, colors and textiles are modern and very now.

Dresses had that slightly fetish look, but the skirts were playful mixed with T-shirts printed with old Bruce Weber for Versace photos and fluffy cardigans. Colors moved from peacock blue and plum to red, navy and black.

Roberto Cavalli Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

It was a every inch a very decadent show at Roberto Cavalli. But decadency is part of the house’s dna. And like more designers in Milan, Cavalli celebrated his roots (he’s 40 years in business no, and yes the guy is 70) and went back to the early days when he was designing for the happy, hippie few.

Cavalli’s fw2010 collection was  shaped around the rich hippie, bohemian look of his early days in the seventies. Lots of harem pants, draped dresses in tulle, long floorsweeping dresses, brocaded military coats, jackets in studded leather, faded animal-prints and embroideries all over. Colors were dark and rich (black, white, gray, red), the styling was mix & match.

Missoni Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

Again Angela Missoni presented a collection full of lusciously layers, this time – according to the shownotes- inspired by ‘Africa meets Scotland, folk meets punk’ .

It was a cocktail of patchwork skirts, tweed shorts, cropped sweaters draped at the back, thick pullovers and wrap-coats. Cozy tartans met tribal patterned knits, here and there deconstrcuted and accessorized to Masai effect.

Colors were wonderful, different tones of brown, black and gray met with more brighter colors as lightblue, red and green. Silver and metallics added some light and glamor. Shoes were in matching fabrics and colors.

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.

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.

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