It was the fashion capital’s turn to showcase its Spring Summer collections and Milan certainly did not disappoint. The Italian city provided us an exploration of both the past and the future. Here is our quick recap on what you might have missed.
Gucci
There are few brands out there that can open a fashion week quite like Gucci. Its creative mastermind Alessandro Michele launched the week with a mixture of past and future elements gracing the illuminated purple runway that added an extra pop on the beach.
Michele put forward some standouts including overtly-structures blazers, bedazzled racing jackets, checked suits and fur coats. Varying styles from full on mink fur coats and discreet trim was employed for the ultimate effect of class and style.
Roberto Cavalli
For his debut collection at a fashion house known for its unapologetically vibrant take on glamour, Paul Surridge went for a somewhat introspective approach in comparison to his more extroverted Roberto Cavalli predecessors.
Working with the house pillars – animalier, colour, lithe and floaty silhouettes – the designer mingled this with sports-luxe, athletic elements to channel a wearable, everyday wardrobe for the Cavalli woman who wants her garments to work hard. A markedly more minimalist approach to fur, this was a collection about forging a new sensibility for the house while remaining true to it foundations.
Fendi
At Fendi, Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Veturini Fendi debuted a forward-thinking tropical flavour full of shades of ocean blue, seafoam green, coral pink and sand. This delivered an upbeat take on futurism – chic and breezy.
Triangles and chevrons were a weapon of choice for Lagerfeld when it came to evoking futuristic sentiment throughout the collection. Cutouts, necklines and prints all took on the triangular motif, offering a fresh perspective on the so often clichéd theme of futurism.
Lightweight furs of mink and karakul presented itself in geometric intarsias and printed logos. This collection may not have the street cred of Fendi’s menswear, but it was technically superior fashion. For the finale, soundtrack maestro Michel Gaubert played Harry Mancini’s breezy evergreen Lujon. “It was used in The Big Lebowski,” he explained. “And we liked that perversion. The Fendi woman isn’t as straight as she looks. She’s got a lot of secrets.”
Marni
Marni’s Francesco Risso hasn’t had the easiest of rides since succeeding Consuelo Castiglioni with his debut women’s collection last February receiving mixed reviews. Risso had a point to prove and certainly set his tone by sticking to his creative euphoria.
It was a lovingly, spontaneous collection which surfed through a multitude of worlds.
In designs you could find swimwear from the 50s and immense polos and skirts. It was presented with delight and attracted attention with many colours and patterns. A flapper fancy came in delicate layered slipdresses with demonstrative embroidery and in extreme furs, belted low on the hips in a contrasting colour, the extra long tie trailing decadently on the floor.
In a season where everyone from New York to Milan has referenced a certain escapist party spirit, Risso’s second Marni collection for women was a welcome departure from that clichéd reference, and a lot of fun.
