Ciao Milano!
This week, the Italian fashion capital saw almost everything, from 20’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s vibes to Spanish and gipsy looks. But, whatever it was the designers’ inspiration, one thing was always there – the typically Italian young and joyful spirit.
Gucci, designed by Frida Giannini, presented the spring collection on the first day of the Milan Fashion Week. Giannini found the muse for the next season on the second decade of the past century, the woman of the Jazz Age. The collection was composed by long pants embellished with gilt buttons over the ankles, low waist flapper dresses and short metallic jackets.
After the Fendi show - in which Karl Lagerfeld (creative director), besides the exquisite fifties clothes, presented gorgeous handbags – the D&G was one of the highlight shows of the week. I simply loved, loved, loved the entire collection made with fabric that, to me, would make beautiful scarves with all the mixture of patterns and colors. This sexy gipsy inspired collection of both maxi and mini skirts, short dresses with the tiny knots on the side, the pants, the shirts, and even bikinis, combined perfectly with the golden jewelry and sunglasses, not to mention the golden flat sandals and the wedges.
But this “gipsy-chic” mood wasn’t present only at D&G show. When I saw the Emilio Pucci’s collection my mind was straight to Esmeralda, from Disney’s movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame, because of all the high waist maxi skirts with the bandeau tops, the lace pieces and the famous prints from this Italian house. The Missoni collection for the next spring also translates this Spanish gipsy influence that has risen in Milan.
Rossella Jardini was also inspired by nuestros hermanos, but in a different way. The designer of Moschino presented a toreador style collection – skinny black pants, matador hats, black jackets with gold embroidery and beads, gold door-knocker earrings. To be honest, I’m not seeing anyone wearing all this pieces together, but they are amazing when wearing as separates (especially those jackets).
One thing I had noticed was the presence of the bandeau tops combined with high waist skirts or shorts in different shows (a new trend for the spring, for sure), like in Versace, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana. Donatella got inspired by the sea and went back to Versace’s classics: biker jackets, studded second-skin pieces, pastels and goddess dresses.
Both Prada and Dolce & Gabbana showed influences from the fifties. In Prada show, the fifties vibe emerged from the flames and the cars prints on the clothes, remembering the Hot Rods from this decade. Despite the “manly” inspiration, this was a very feminine collection, also with many pastel tones, pleated skirts and flower patterns.
The Dolce & Gabbana collection was very Italian. Colorful prints, 3-D lace and gorgeous bejeweled embroidery pieces came down the runway while the Sophia Lauren’s Mambo Italiano was playing. The appearance of the two designers, with all the models wearing shinny bodies behind them, was the perfect end to a brilliant collection.
The last day of runway shows was more “contemporary”. Roberto Cavalli stayed true to himself, presenting a collection with a rock star mood, showing androgen looks of pants and blazers as well as metallic and animal printed dresses, which we will probably see on the red carpet. More casual than Cavalli’s, the collection from DSQUARED2 is perfect to summer festivals, like Coachella.
Last Tuesday began the most glamorous fashion week of all in the city of lights, with the Portuguese designer Fatima Lopes showing her collection on the Eiffel Tower. However, since the rumor was spread, and now with its confirmation, the fashion world has the eyes on one man: Kanye West, who will present his first womenwear collection on the October 1st - and I can’t wait to see it!
Catarina Venâncio
