This season, Milan explores fashion through time and turns women into Byzantine princesses, Hollywood flappers, Belle Epoque heroines, 1940’s femmes fatales, wartime coquettes and blue-blooded schoolgirls. After all, who wants to go unnoticed?
Dolce & Gabbana added yet another chapter to their ‘Sicilian story’, while following the old Couture tradition of thematic collections. The Byzantine mosaics of the Cathedral of Monreale, located in the Province of Palermo, inspired thirty-one out of the seventy-five models in total.
In a quite mystical tone, golden detailing, ‘precious’ stone encrustation, geometrical friezes, and coloured glass portraits of Christ in majesty, angels, apostles, Theotokos, or the Virgin Mary, and Norman Kings, all paid tribute to the Greek tradition of mosaics, icon-painting, and Medieval miniature: the splendour of Byzantium and Venice’s eastern artistic influence. These gorgeous jewel-like dresses were accessorized with immense Christian Orthodox cross necklaces and pendants.
We couldn’t help but fall for the extraordinary ‘flower garden’ shoes and the beaded bags that referenced mosaic portraits and Agatha, Sicily’s Patron Saint. There were also a series of grey flannel looks that went hand in hand with the 1940’s trend that we spotted on many Milanese catwalks.
Indeed, next fall, Bottega Veneta plans to revive the glamourous Film Noir look: the Lauren Bacall wavy hairstyle, bright red lipstick, broad shoulders, elbow-length sleeves, belted and ‘nipped’ waists, and full skirts. Thomas Maier also drew on Abstract Art for a number of impressive sculpted and lively coloured dresses, which added to the powerfully seductive allure.
In a similar style, for her Prada collection, Miuccia gave a sexy twist to this 40’s spirit. Although the knee-length skirts and grey suits were all there, the typical broad shoulders were rather rounded to enhance ‘generous’ busts. The Vichy fabrics in baby pink and blue, woollen herringbone patterns, red and turquoise leather flared skirts and remarkably ‘worked’ bulky sleeves did indeed embellish this wonderfully retro collection.
Antonio Marras’mix-match style served a more ‘wartime’ version of the 40’s trend. All materials seemed humourously recycled: various types of men’s cloths like checkered and striped wool suit pieces were combined with silky feminine flowery fabrics. In other words, Oriental prints mixed with grey tweed flannel and tartan, as well as military blanket material and furniture fabric. Marras’ fashion statement? Resistance and survival!
In contrast, for his Emporio Armani line, Giorgio turned to the Roaring Twenties flapper style for a brilliant collection entitled, ‘La Garconne’. Among our favourites were the classic suits with cute Peter Pan collars, tubular dresses, bi-colour Mary Jane shoes and superb bowler hats in luminous pastels. We also particularly liked the Oriental sculptural evening outfits, velvety jackets with loose-fitting trousers and magnificent Art Deco bejewelled brooches.
On her part, romantic designer Alberta Ferretti chose the lean, long silhouettes of the Belle Epoque as inspiration for her next fall collection. There were indeed numerous layered and flared skirts and floor-scraping gowns with puffy sleeves in white lace and black velvet belts. The formal redingotes with pleats in Ferretti’s signature Prussian blue and Belle Epoque checkered tartan resembled the stylish wardrobe Princess Sissi would have packed for long train journeys.
Last but not least, for Moschino, Rosella Jardini presented a super preppy collection for British elite school enrollees. All the extra-curricular activity costumes were there: horseback-riding competition looks, with jockey helmets and insignia, fox hunting leather Pocahontas outfits, ski resort sportschic pullovers and shades, not to mention the jabot collar black leather jacket for rebellious heiresses on rock nights out. Daytime wear included all sorts of Stewart Royal tartan uniforms with ‘old school’ vests and bowties. The ultimate tip for getting the over-achieved, ‘old-money’ look right? 18th century shoes with an over-sized sequined buckle!
Louise Kissa
lkissa@neurope.eu
