Live From... Paris Fashion Week, Day 5

Haider Ackermann 

A perfectly pitched collection from Haider Ackermann, who is becoming a force to be reckoned with on the Paris schedule. No longer the preserve of a small band of fashionistas in the know, Ackermann has extended his repertoire lately, and works colour with a masterly hand for silhouettes that riffed the season’s masculine/feminine vibe, combined with some seriously sensuous fabric mixing.

The look: A seductive twist on the trend for masculine/feminine dressing
Silhouette: Unstructured and layered versus strict hourglass
Key items: Masculine tailoring was the core that ran throughout, with tuxedo-inspired ankle-skimming coats, cinched at the waist and with a soft rounded shoulder, or the sharp peaked-shoulder velvet and satin blazer layered over a trapeze-line dress and narrow cigarette pants. A more feminine mood came into play, with the second-skin pencil skirts, lapping the ankle with a trailing asymmetric hem, tethered with a waist-whittling wide belt, or in Ackermann’s sensuously draped silk dresses, strictly belted and with high, scrunched, wrapped necklines. Cropped tuxedos and soft wrapped leather jackets were teamed with velvet or satin pants, worked in intense jewel-coloured layers, with softly draped satin blouses or tautly ruched fine-gauge knits
Colour: Ackermann’s palette summed up the key colour trends for next winter, with his jewel-bright garnet red, peacock blue and sapphire, mallard green and soft olive, offset with the contrast of winter white, black and mole grey
Fabric & knit: Sensuous fabrications gave this collection its edge, with lustrous silky satins worked against the most sinuous leathers, shearling and suedes, sooty velvet, felted bouclés, sequins and loosely structured tweed
Details & trims: Ravaged hemlines
Footwear: High-heeled platform boots
Accessories: Gauntlets, deep alligator belts, narrow belts, striped scarves

Junya Watanabe

A strongly focused collection from Junya Watanabe, who took the ubiquitous biker jacket as his tipping point and worked it every which way into myriad unexpected silhouettes. Add cocooning knits and textured outerwear into the mix, and you had a highly believable look, a little bit beatnik, a little bit punky gamine.

The look: Subversive biker chic
Silhouette: Hourglass shapes contrasted with ovoid cocooning
Key items: The biker jacket appeared in every manifestation, from strictly waisted and hourglass layered over knee-length swirling skirts, to square-cut and boxy teamed with leather jeans. Or with a graceful picture collar, caped fabric sleeves or a softly caped back, or even cut as a leather cape and simple hip-belted dresses with leather biker collar and sleeve details. Leather dresses offered an alternative look, sinuously cut as a ruched tank, topped with a faux-fur boa, or draped into ovoid-shaped togas. Outerwear was simply styled, with big cocooning coats worked in dimensional faux furs - perfect to layer over a series of knitted sweater dresses and big slouchy knits
Colour: It was black all the way, with the odd jolt of cognac and bisque
Fabric & knit: Leather, crackled leather, faux leather, lightweight wools, heavy-gauge dimensional matted knits, dense faux furs, spongy bouclé knits
Print & pattern: An abstracted skin pattern on faux furs
Details & trims: Zips, corseted waists
Footwear: Masculine chelsea boots
Accessories: Black opaque hosiery

Loewe 

After the kitsch candy colours of summer, Stuart Vevers drove his quirky twists into the classic Loewe style in a much subtler way this season. Yes, there were pops of bright colour here and there, but there were also luxe furs mixed with lo-fi sheepskin, raw antelope hides acting as surprise back panels and a series of bonded leather dresses and tops worn back to front. “Outerwear was our big statement,” said Vevers. “We worked to push the techniques with leather such as bonding, to create more sculpted silhouette. Colour is always important and something about brown just felt right, with pops of colour for the bags.”

The look: Subtly twisted luxe
Silhouette: 60s A-line swing
Key items: With outerwear the core drive this season, options included A-line swing coats with skinny martingales, cropped DB pea coats with bracelet-length sleeves, chunky sheepskin flight jackets, oversized coats with a domed shoulderline and a couple of fluffy fox-fur gilets. Other leatherwear highlights included a matching button-through pencil skirt and stock tie shirt, a dropped-waist dress with box-pleated skirt, short-sleeved sheaths - one with a corseted waist, another decorated with black jewels - and quirky shirts and dresses with back-to-front buttoning. There were coordinated silk separates comprising prim Peter Pan-collared shirts worn with high-waisted box-pleat kilts, and stretch knit leggings and tube skirts that were used as layering pieces.
Colour: A shaded palette built around Loewe’s signature “oro” brown - ecru, caramel, chocolate, chestnut and black against pops of bright kitsch colour - red, turquoise, marigold and oliveFabric & knit: Signature nappa, including new bonded leathers; ostrich, suede, nubuck, shearling, fox, calfskin and antelope hair; silk, bonded cashmere, stretch knits
Print & pattern: A black-and-white trompe l’oeil herringbone and a digitally enhanced repeat inspired by the stained-glass rose windows of Borgo Cathedral, both on silk
Details & trims: Structured seams, fox collars and sleeves, round childlike plastic buttons, skinny martingales, black-on-black jewels, buckled leather kilt straps, back-to-front buttoning, stock ties, box pleats, a contrast antelope-skin back panel on a coat, double-strap collar buckles on flight jackets
Footwear: Shoes were inspired by men’s oxfords, brogues and loafers in rubbed cordovan leather - calf-length lace-up boots and shorter shooties with stacked heels, open-toed slingbacks with kiltie fringe
Accessories: Bags were luggage inspired - a suede Gladstone bag, small hard boxes studded with gold nail-heads. Other bags were small and neatly structured in bright pops of coloured and padded nappa with heavy gold locks. Long fingerless knitted gloves, resin cuffs

Sonia Rykiel 

“This is about a woman who is into life and everything that is going on in the world,” said Nathalie Rykiel backstage after the show. More precisely, it would seem the Rykiel girl is currently “into” Scotland, bringing home its tartans, Argyles and Fair Isle knits, and wrapping them up in a Parisienne medley of pattern and colour. “There has always been tartan at Rykiel, but this time it was more of a focus – as patchworks or against satin,” continued Rykiel. “There were a lot of mixed fabrics and mixed colours this season, but it was still very considered.”

The look: Left Bank lassie
Silhouette: Cosy layers
Key items: It was a mishmash of individual pieces including a host of pant shapes - ski-pant leggings with plaid stripe running down the side, corset-waisted tapered and cuffed tartan pants with a vertical fringe running the length of the leg, snug-fitting flat-front options with mismatched plaid legs, and pair of wide-legged tartan trousers. These were topped with neat sweaters, some with floppy bows or quilted sleeves, others featuring collars and jewel-buttoned henleys. A pantsuit in overscaled grey plaid with a longline DB jacket was the only piece of tailoring, while outerwear was cosy and oversized with huge fur sleeves. Other highlights included a roomy military wool parka and quilted baseball jackets, one lengthened into a coat. Signature sweater dresses arrived long-sleeved and with banded waists, in textured Aran stitches, Argyle diamonds or Fair Isle - the latter topped with a matching cardigan coat with quilted ciré lining - while for evening, maxidresses were fluidly columnar and featured bra cups and lingerie details
Colour: Grenadine and poppy red with yellow cognac, shots of royal blue, Kelly green and fuchsia, with black, cream and faux nude
Fabric & knit: Tartans and plaid wools, knitted Argyle diamonds and patchworked Fair Isles, Aran stitches; quilted satin, kidassia goat, dyed fox, long Mongolian lamb, silk, georgette, wool crepe
Print & pattern: Silhouette maple leaf
Details & trims: Diamond quilting, contrast edging, baseball-jacket collars, fox-fur sleeves, halternecks, bra-cup/lingerie detailing, low-scooping backs, jewelled gobstopper buttons, metallic foil stripes, paillette pattern resembling stylised houndstooth, contrast sleeves (fabric and colour), keyholes, maple-leaf appliqués, tiered stripes
Footwear: Courts with elastic strap, thick-soled mannish lace-ups reminiscent of brothel creepersAccessories: Mini satchels with long shoulder straps, a huge weekend bag in tartan with fringing and quilting; oversized chunky wrap-around scarves, stoles and shawls

Cacharel 

The proportional layering that has appeared elsewhere this season played out at Cacharel, as designer Cédric Charlier worked minimal and sometimes sporty shapes in triple tiers. The cool and neutral palette made the layers look wearable not awkward, at times no more than a couple of graduated tops and a longline pant. Naturally for Cacharel, print was also important and arrived as a hand-drawn floral doodle touched with mere hints of colour. “I tried to develop a new technique for print,” said Charlier. “I wanted to superimpose hand-drawn florals with touches of colour that made them look realistic and surrealistic, creating a new phantasmagoric effect. If the shapes look simple or minimal, that’s great, but the construction is really rigorous.”

The look: Delicate minimalism
Silhouette: Boxy minimal with triple layers
Key items: Triple-layering was Charlier’s key motif, comprising minimal, almost sporty jackets or simple T-shirts teamed with short structured pencil skirts with fluid silk skirts then peeking out at the hem. That same triple layering was also applied to upper layers - those same jackets featuring cutaway collars that revealed a crewneck sweater atop a collared shirt. Elsewhere there were ribbed-knit tunic sweaters, long-sleeved fluid silk dresses in various lengths, funnel-necked coats and jackets, Mongolian lamb gilets and casually wide-legged pants worn with proportionally layered tees, sweaters and tops, repeating that triple-layered effect, while tailoring came in the form of short shorts or cropped pants with elongated jackets
Colours: Ecru and warm white, taupe, putty and faux nude, with washed sage and chartreuse greens, with inky navy blue to finish
Fabric & knit: Silk, wool, ribbed knits, wool crepe, Mongolian lamb
Print & pattern: Whimsical hand-drawn floral placements in white, with dabs of colour - orange, yellow and turquoise - on either an ecru or navy ground
Details & trims: Cutaway collars, bateau and straight-cut off-the-shoulder necklines, turtlenecks, wide hoods, crisp box pleats 
Footwear: Curved-heel ankle boots in orange coral, navy or ecru
Accessories: Frosted-frame round sunglasses

Véronique Leroy 

It was difficult to ascertain which era Véronique Leroy was referencing with her latest showing. There were elements of the 50s in her ladylike below-knee silhouettes, but they lacked the sexy va-va-voom of that period, coming in vintage colour mixes and unseductive fabric textures.

The look: Demure and geeky
Silhouette: Boxy and covered-up
Key items: Boxy tunic shapes coloured everything from woollen shift dresses to tweedy suits, via tunic tops layered over below-knee pencil skirts, shrug-on slope-shouldered jackets and a square-cut bouclé top. Ladylike dress shapes came in chevroned colour-blocked mixes, tethered with incongruous military buckled belts, while a slick patent pencil skirt and jacket nodded towards a more seductive look, and sparse daisy-patterned dresses and skirts brought a more feminine feel into play
Colour: Black and winter white, bisque and camel, with rich shots of midnight blue, chestnut and grenadine, offset with pale mint and apricot as offbeat accent colours
Fabric & knit: Nubby shearling and bouclé brought dimensional textures into play, tweedy effects, astrakhan textures, crepe de chine, wet-look patent, melanged wools
Print & pattern: A micro daisy pattern, colour-blocked chevrons
Details & trims: Contrast binding, leather trimsFootwear: Platform chelsea boots, chunky sandalsAccessories: Constructivist metal earrings, wire-framed spectacles, ankle socks, military-buckled white belts

Viktor & Rolf 

Inspired by medieval knights, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren created an army of battle-ready crusaders, applying their innovative tailoring skills to pleating techniques, which created fierce coats and armoured dresses with edges as sharp as a sword. “We wanted to create a glamorous fashion crusade with strong women battling for beauty,” they said. “We used bonded wools to create sharp, faceted armour that looked like steel, not fabric.” 

The look: Medieval crusaders
Silhouette: Fierce fit and flare
Key items: Military-influenced maxi coats with nipped waists and an A-line flare featured spike-pleated sleeves and necklines, while wool jackets sported face-framing collars and wide revers. Trousers were wide cut with a deep turn-up cuff, or slim with a red officer’s stripe, and bandeau jumpsuits were cut loose, sitting away from the body. Box-pleated skirts were paired with snug sweaters featuring a placement rose intarsia, or organza shirts with spike-pleated sleeves, while draped silk dresses with a cross motif evoked crusade flags. Tailored wool jackets were nipped at the waist and featured ruffled fronts and cutaway shoulders, while cocktail dresses were severe in structure, either with crisply pleated skirts and sash-like wraps around the torso or as a single shoulder strap, or fierce spike-pleated leather dresses in matt silver leather
Colour: Black, red, off white and matt silver 
Fabric & knit: Double-faced wool, bonded wool, tuxedo wool suiting, felted knits, leather, glittery lace, organza, open-mesh knits, velvet, silk chiffon, taffeta linings, quilted PVC, beaver furPrint & pattern: Heraldic rose intarsia 
Details & trims: Sculptural face-framing collars, circular fan pleats, spiky ridged pleats, patent quilted leg-of-mutton sleeves, cutout shoulders, elbow slashes, cadet pleats, ruffles created by squares hung on point, metal-tipped corners, raw edges
Footwear: Ankle boots with winged topline, and tall boots - both with red suede shoes and black patent wells. Patent peep toes with pleated frill, silver-foil sandals with pleated frill acting as a T-bar
Accessories: Across-body satchel, leather clutches in shape of a folded bow, belt bags, gloves with contrast-coloured fingers

Jean Paul Gaultier 

With their beehives and sexy pencil-skirted wiggles, the models at Jean Paul Gaultier could have been the epitome of 60s chic, but this is JPG and nothing is done with a straight face. Forty-something French comedienne Valérie Lemercier opened the show with a partial striptease, while the younger models who followed in her comical wake arrived with greyed hair, dressed in frumpy tweeds and tartans, and dragging wheely-trollies behind them - by all accounts, this was Gaultier’s take on granny chic.

The look: 60s chic with a granny twist
Silhouette: Masculine tailoring vs sexy hourglass shaping
Key items: Every exit was a performance, with models peeling off coats, gloves and scarves in a partial striptease, but essentially looks were built on the repetition of just a few core items - wide-legged mannish slacks, silky pussy-bow blouses, hip-hugging pencil skirts and the occasional box-pleat midi. Wrap skirts were layered over dresses or pants, an effect also achieved with coats, which had contrast panels that created the illusion of a cropped jacket-and-skirt combo - such as the neoprene trench with patent-leather skirt or the alpaca wrap coat with brown leather skirt. Other outerwear options included a couple of quilted ciré puffa coats with banded fur skirts, and tailored frock coats for evening looks, which topped fluidly columnar maxi sheaths
Colour: Black and charcoal grey, tertiary browns and classic camel, navy blue with red tartan, glittery bronzeFabric & knit: Heathered tweeds, herringbone, red tartan, printed silks, super-glossy patent leather, glittery Lurex knits, pinstripe suiting, metallic and multicoloured jacquard, quilted ciré, suede, bonded neoprene printed in chalkstripe; fox, chinchilla, mink
Print & pattern: A printed chalkstripe, variegated stripes - black on red, overlaid spots, 60s geometric wallpaper prints, Art Nouveau floral, a cameo print
Details & trims: Leather collars and edging trims, mink or fox banded trims, black cowls, fur portrait coat collar
Accessories: Extra-long scarves and wraps, silk-fringed silk foulards, tinted sunglasses with graded lenses, peaked catseye opticals with chain, long leather gloves, stud earrings; pull-along shopping trolley

Comme des Garçons 

Rei Kawakubo played with the sum of two parts for her autumn/winter showing, combining crisp mannish tailoring with soft feminine draping for her own idiosyncratic play on the season’s trend for gender-bending.

The look: Gender-bender
Silhouette: Structured tailoring contrasted with soft, bunched drapery
Key items: The masculine tailored jacket was the linchpin of the collection, reworked in several manifestations, which came as spliced half jackets anchoring contrast tied-on sleeves, layered with boyish shorts, demure ruffled cami-knicks and taut transparent tops. Those same jackets added crisp flat planes to Kawakubo’s bunched and ruched scarf dresses in a rainbow of brights - often combined with scrolling satin ruffles - while military-style trench coats were deconstructed and reformed into dimensional knots and twists to create an altogether different hybrid. And to close, a fly-front gilded A-line coat. Plain and simple
Colour: A strictly masculine palette of black and charcoal, with inky blue accented with a rainbow of vivid brights and a hint of cosmetique pink and gold
Fabric & knit: Snakeskin effects, washed wools and flannels, silk, satin, velvety flocking on a flat suiting, silver and gold jacquard, velvet
Print & pattern: Flocked coin spots, a multitude of jazzy scarf prints
Details & trims: Ribbon ties anchoring separate tie-on sleeves, ruched ruffles
Footwear: Flat mannish lace-ups as classic brogues, two-tone effects, and with striped units
Accessories: Ankle socks

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Live From... Milan Fashion Week, Day 4

Sportmax 

A more rustic layered look from Sportmax, where, as you would expect, we were offered some great outerwear and knits combined with the contrast of lush embroidered evening separates and sportif furs, all inspired by the colours and landscapes of a cold Northern Europe.

The look: Love in a cold climate
Silhouette: Tailored and casual layers
Key items: Outerwear is the mainstay of this label - and it was here in spades - from the caped parka to the long, lean blue coat with patent trims and the mixed furs that also appeared as a cosy sweater dress. Two of the most covetable outerwear pieces were a rugged canvas jacket with astrakhan detailing and the long, lean trench in gleaming toffee-apple patent. And to layer under those protective looks - wide silk crepe de chine pants in the palette’s rich colourways, overdyed fur gilets (best in a black mink hooded silhouette), quilted skirts with slashed hemlines and a raft of rustic knits with fur panels, reworked Fair Isle pattern and deep cowl necklines etched with a plaited knitted edge
Colour: A cool palette of black, white and grey undercut with vivid cornflower blue, chestnut, cognac, teal, pumpkin and rich damson
Fabric & knit: An incongruous melange of fabrics that gelled into a tactile urban look. Cashmere and Donegals were offset with the contrast of gleaming patent, and there was plush fur including glossy black mink and curly lamb, crepe de chine, lace appliquéd sheers, embroidered sheers, jersey and a slew of gilded paillettes for a neat tank top
Print & pattern: A soft winter floral in grey and white, with twinkly coloured paillettes; richly coloured floral embroideries on sheers
Details & trims: Contrast piping, patent rims, leather rouleaux ties
Footwear: High laced chunky boots in a move on of this winter’s trend for heeled walking boots, high chunky sandals
Accessories: Gauntlets, socks, patent belts, fur tippets, drawstring pouch bags, clutch bags, boxy clutch purses

Emporio Armani

Maybe it was the upcoming Oscars that turned Giorgio Armani’s thoughts to the world of cinematic references, in particular the genre of film noir, but it was a brave move in a season full of technicolour to send out a collection based almost entirely on a chiaroscuro of blacks.

The look: film noir
Silhouette: Elongated and layered
Key items: The collection played with layering concepts, teaming elongated tunics or slashed skirts over a variety of pant shapes, topped with a series of neat jackets. The look created an offbeat play on proportion, not least a semi-sheer below-knee tunic over deep cuffed jogger-style pants and a curvy tailored waisted jacket. There were velvet culottes, mannish cigarette pants, track pants and a ruffled peplum all-in-one or alternatively, simple skirt shapes, all worked with hip-grazing jacket shapes and saddlebag-style pocket belts. A series of wafting LBDs had a refreshing lightness of hand and for a finale, two vividly coloured Mongolian lamb chubbies
Colour: Black on black, maybe veering towards anthracite occasionally, with highlights of cornflower and hyacinth blues
Fabric & knit: A chiaroscuro of layered blacks worked in matt-sheen combination, with sooty velvet and fur, Mongolian lamb, brushed wool, leather and wet-look sequins, satin and breezy sheers
Print & pattern: A black Scottie dog motif on a black sweater, a black-on-black floral pattern
Details & trims: Sequin detailing, covered buttons, velvet cutout appliqué
Footwear: Knee-high gaiter-style boots, flat slip-ons with a deep sole, T-strap sandals with leopard trimsAccessories: Alligator, Mongolian lamb and patent bags, long gloves, forager caps, I-spy black eyewear

Bottega Veneta 

With bouffant beehives, opaque white hosiery and a plethora of swing coats and shifts, it was hard to ignore the 60s mood at Bottega Veneta yesterday – an era that has been influencing many of the key players in Milan this week.“I wanted to experiment with technique and craftsmanship to an extreme degree. I felt the right canvas for this kind of innovative workmanship was a silhouette that was clean and uncomplicated,” explained Tomas Maier. 

The look: The prim and ever-polished Betty Draper
Silhouette: Soft shouldered A-lineKey items: The show opened with a 60s-infused daywear section – collarless A-line swing coats, boxy skirt suits with trimmed cardigan-jackets, and polo-neck sweaters layered under almost sporty jersey tunics. Swiftly the collection moved into cocktailwear, with a series of sleeveless shifts in silk and lace worn with short necklaces of coloured stones that made up the bulk of the show. There were also slim pencil skirts overlaid with a long swinging fringe and softly shaped fit-and-flare dresses before the arrival of four corseted gowns in folded duchesse satin. Notably, there were no trousers/pants in the collection
Colour: An opening passage of sherbet pink and orange with ochre, coral and shell pink set against Canova plaster white; these shades together with flashes of peridot green were later tempered with backFabric & knit: Shaggy mohair teddy-bear fur, fuzzy pilled wool, dimensional bouclé wools, mohair jacquard, cashmere, crochet knits interwoven with strips of suede, jersey, silk, chiffon, tulle, silk lace and tinted wool lace, silk duchesse, lightweight nylon, waxed leather
Print & pattern: Crackled or scratch prints, overprinting, a spray-painted trompe l’oeil lace
Details & trims: Superfine lace overlays, raw edges millefeuille ruffles running vertically 
Footwear: T-bar courts with skinny straps and skinny heels, either with lace-covered pointed toes or printed cage-straps worn with opaque white hosiery
Accessories: Patchwork woven leather bags with short leather fringes, a clutch bag decorated with spiky leather leaves, a satchel in acid-rinsed silk velvet, hand-painted python and washed ostrich; costume jewellery was made in blackened silver with black and champagne-coloured stones, silver lace cuffs and necklaces; fine jewellery arrived in yellow gold with a black finish and featured faceted stones including morganite, Madeira citrine, fire opal, gold citrine, and Palmeira citrine – this notes the first time Bottega Veneta has used coloured stones other than diamonds in its fine jewellery range

Jil Sander 

Raf Simons’ winter collection continued with the references to maximalist mid-century couture he first touched upon for Jil Sander last season, but this time he added a wintry skiwear influence that brought graphic lines to his oversized silhouettes.

The look: Winter sports
Silhouette: Overblown volume accentuated with padding, slim graphic pants shapes
Key items: Ski pants – with stirrups threaded through wedge-heeled shoes – were the leitmotif, underpinning the overscaled upper proportions. In line, there were tight-fitting hooded knits and padded, skiwear-influenced pieces – including wide-cut jackets, tees, tulip skirts and ovoid-shaped maxiskirts, with shapes referencing the mid-century couture themes Simons has explored before. Coats, jackets and simple tops were cut broad across the back, with shoulders and sleeveheads pushed outward – volume was then loosely controlled with martingales that were anchored at the front or back. The season’s drop-waisted silhouette also made an appearance as a midi-sleeved egg-yolk yellow dress with low, softly tied belt
Colour: Graphic black enhances primary red, yellow and blue, which formed the core palette, occasional highlights include chartreuse, kelly green, mallard, brown and pale silver-grey
Fabric & knit: Experimental surface textures including three-dimensional micro-quilting, embossed treatments, a heavily crystallised surface, fuzzy velour, pebbly bouclé and chunky knit stitches; lightweight down-filled nylon, felted wool, dense tight knits in stretch techno fibres, duchesse
Print & pattern: Warp printed floral duchesse satin, sporty geometric zigzag intarsia
Details & trims: Stirrups or zipped ankles on pants, short turtlenecks, backward-facing one-button collars, silk astrakhan and looped bead embroideries
Footwear: Leather or floral-printed satin wedge-heeled ankle boots with a slot in the heel to thread the stirrups of ski pants through, either lace-up, pull-on or buckled with a mechanical ski-clip
Accessories: Formal ladylike handbags with two top-handles, slim brightly-coloured clutch bags, a through-handled shopper and a hard-box briefcase-style bag with handbag strap; bags and shoes were inspired by Jacques Adnet

Roberto Cavalli 

 
Although the show notes touted a woman who could travel towards new worlds in a space shuttle, when the parade of familiarly rock ‘n’ roll bohemians stepped out into the light it was obvious Roberto Cavalli had not stepped into a new frontier entirely. Instead, his futuristic inspirations arrived via metallic embroideries and gilded fabrics that refracted rays of light all the way to outer space.“I want women to become designers of their own look. I created clothes made up of many layers – soft and structured,” said Roberto Cavalli.

The look: Darkly bohemian with a hint of burnished sparkle
Silhouette: Long and layered
Key items: There was a mix ‘n’ match quality to the pieces in the collection – straight-leg cuffed pants decorated with intricate embroideries or vertically-placed fringing, low-slung pants with a draped pocket , printed sheer blouses topped with sharp-shouldered blazers or ornately embellished wide-cut jackets; devoré maxidresses paired with tailored waistcoats or long-length fur gilets with elongated armholes and shorter drop-waisted dress options topped with feather or fur chubbies
Colour: The collection was laden with gilded metallics of burnished gold, copper and bronze with touches of black and pewter, while rich aubergine, merlot red, midnight blue and a pale vapour grey rounded out the palette
Fabric & knit: Wafting mousseline sheers, devoré, velvet, silk, tone-on-tone baroque floral jacquards; feathers, glossy calfskin, fox, wet-look or metallic leathers and snakeskin
Print & pattern: Degradé animalia including signature snakeskin, creeping Art Nouveau florals
Details & trims: Lashing of metallic embroideries, flyaway feather trims, pieced furs, copper sequins, plissé sheers, short fringing, gold bullion embroidery
Footwear: Heeled loafers with kiltie fringing and tassels and lace-up ankle boots both featuring a 14cm horn-shaped heel and a forepart platform handmade from leather and metal worked with stitching to simulate the bezels of crocodile skin
Accessories: Long flyaway scarves accessorised every exit – strips of georgette and lurex-shot sheers can be custom-arranged via 300 tiny covered buttons for a modular effect; the long-strapped Diva bag launched last season reappears decorated in collection-coordinated metallic embroideries

Pucci 

Citing Tyrolean hunters, Grimm’s fairytales and Robert Polidori’s restoration of Versailles as points of departure for winter, it was clear Peter Dundas had moved on from the boho-luxe look he has successfully carved out at Pucci over the past few seasons. Instead there was more structure and less billow, fewer thigh-high splits, and those sharp-shoulders were replaced with historical puffs.

The look: Tyrolean Heidi gets glammed up
Silhouette: Body-conscious, with no lengths shorter than the knee
Key items: Referencing traditional Austrian costume, Dundas offered sexy corseted dresses with ultra-low scooping portrait necklines, dirndl skirts with wide waistbands, a loden riding coat and puff-shouldered leg-of-mutton sleeved jackets. However, cropped lederhosen pants perhaps edged too closely to the costumic side of the Austrian inspirations. More successful were the button-cuffed pants featuring contrast inner-leg patches and signature tailored and cropped options. These were teamed with pussy-bow blouses – ruffle-fronted or neatly pin-tucked - and those puff-shouldered jackets and shorter smoking styles with wide revers and bow-tied. Despite his new direction, Dundas didn’t ignore his red-carpet clients with a series of mallard green jersey gowns featuring sexy slashes and beaded or sequinned sleeves
Colours: Green was the central colour with shades including dense loden and pine, with mallard hues for evening; elsewhere there were shots of ochre, magenta and turquoise, with lashing of gothic black
Fabric & knit: Embellished loden wools, flannel, signature printed jersey, suede, overprinted jacquards, velvet and devoré, taffeta, fine gilded lace, silk and chiffon; astrakhan, Mongolian lamb, fox and marabouPrint & pattern: Pucci prints in a peacock feather-like formation, all-over swirling prints, hand-painted renderings of signature prints
Details & trims: Ornate jewelled embellishments inspired by Victoire de Castellane, taffeta bows, pussy bows, pin-tucking, puffed sleeveheads, low-scooping portrait necklines revealing fine Chantilly lace lingerie details, tone-on-tone embroideries, goldwork and bullion embroideries, overprinted silk fringing
Footwear: Low-cut heeled pumps with three skinny ankle straps, string strapped sandals, multi-strapped suede knee-high boots
Accessories: Feathered alpine hats, jewel-buckled belts

Moschino Cheap & Chic 

After 3 weeks of back-to-back shows and hectic travel schedules, everyone in the audience at Moschino Cheap & Chic’s showing was more than aware of the Big Four fashion capitals, the locales which provided the inspiration for a witty collection of gamine looks that should have an international appeal.

The look: Fashion well travelled
Silhouette: Short and feminine 
Key items: A series of four separate mini collections from each of the four fashion capitals of Milan, London, Paris and New York, were given their own fashion flavour; all spelt out the same message - that fashion is universal in any language. For outerwear, that meant a sweet tailored coat with a bow trim, a cropped duffel and parka, a knit-sleeve biker and black-and-white baseball jacket, capes and ponchos. Cropped pants, flirty skirts, floor-sweeping maxis and chic lace empire dresses were offset by four shift dresses, each depicting a famous landmark from each of the four cities. Fine-gauge knits with a flower intarsia and an Argyle hybrid
Colour: Camel, black and winter white, flannel grey, guardsman red and purple
Fabric & knit: Luxe wool and cashmere, nubbly tweed, leather, fur, brushed plaids, lacePrint & pattern: Four landmark photoreal motifs – the Duomo, a London telephone box, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty - a pretty floral in black and white or a lilac colourway
Footwear: High-heeled loafers in vivid patent or metallic leather, fur ankle boots, flat Mongolian lamb moccasin boots, heeled patent ankle bots
Accessories: A chain handle shoulder bag with an Eiffel Tower print, feathered bags, knitted gloves, fur hats and hoods

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Live From...Milan Fashion Week, Day 3

Moschino 

A slick showing from Moschino, where the sartorial elegance of masculine military uniforms was contrasted with chic, sophisticated, dressed-up glamour with a 50s diva appeal.

The look: Masculine/feminine
Silhouette: Hourglass shaping
Key Items: Strict riding jackets and military-style tuxedo coats set the masculine mood with immaculate tailoring emphasised by piping and braiding details, both silhouettes teamed with cropped jodhpurs and high wing-collared white shirts. Feminine styling offered the contrast of vintage glamour with sharp side-split pencil skirts and waisted sheath dresses etched with sculpted peplums and ruffled necklines, while simple Chanel-esque cardigan suits had ladylike ruched detailing, and a rose-printed floral satin blossomed as a coat lining or for a simple shift. Other masculine elements came into play with the baby cabled cricket sweaters layered over floor-sweeping pleated skirts and the tuxedo bib fronts that trimmed strict LBDs. And for red carpet glamour, satin columnar gowns in palest shell pink, gold and black
Colour: Graphic black and white combinations were offset with ivory, rich cherry red, French navy, gold, shell pink and flashes of fuchsia
Fabric & knit: Strict suitings, crepes, bouclé, satin, liquid gold lamés, coated lurex knits, brocade, jerseyPrint & pattern: A feminine rose floralDetails & trims: Narrow grosgrain ribbon tie sashes, Piping and contrast braid, velvet trims
Footwear: Laced toeless ankle boots, ankle strap sandals, black and gold laced sandals
Accessories: Pearl-trimmed chain necklaces, gold brooches, camellias pinned at the neck of white shirts, long gloves

Antonio Marras 

Antonio Marras knows how to create a poignant sense of romance, with his vintage-inspired girls exuding innocent charm as though dressed up in their Sunday best. There were masculine elements in his autumn/winter showing too, with nautical influences and whimsical pieced and patched effects as though our heroines had raided the sewing box.

The look: Nautical romance
Silhouette: Elongated with languid A-lines
Key items: Languid dresses came spliced in a collage of print and matt-shine fabric mixes, while long scale-mixed pleated skirts were teamed with neat-fit sweaters and mannish white starched collars. Hand-knitted looks were worked into chunky two-piece jacket and skirt combos, or came as a nautical striped cardigan, circled with a corsage trimmed ribbon sash. Our romantic heroine borrowed from the boys with her long belted coat or the paper bag tailored full-legged pants and her pieced reefer jacket, and there were easy tweed coats or tuxedos dressed up with shards of lace, patches of astrakhan, jet beads and ostrich feather fringing, like precious heirloom pieces
Colour: Olive, inky navy, black, charcoal, blush and a flash of red
Fabric & knit: Masculine tweeds like dogstooth and herringbone, decorated with lace, marabou and beading, contrasted with the feminine appeal of crepe de chine, georgette, satin and panné velvet
Print & pattern: A finely etched floral on dark grounds; micro abstracted spot motif
Details & trims: Nautical lacing on wide-legged pants, metallic embroidery on tweed, ostrich feather fringing, jet beading
Footwear: High platform courts with ankle straps or X-straps
Accessories: Fabric belts with corsage trims, hand-held Sunday best bags, wrinkled stockings

Blumarine 

Anna Molinari took her Blumarine girl on a journey to a whole new country this season, one populated by low-key understated looks with ne’er a print or hint of rock-chick glamour anywhere on the horizon. It was chic and modern with a subtle sense of the 60s influences that are starting to emerge here in Milan this week.

The look: Gamine 60s
Silhouette: Short, A-line and leggy
Key items: The thigh-high A-line skirt anchored the collection, trimmed with leather strap and buckle detailing and teamed with skinny rib sweaters or short-sleeved turtleneck knits. The shift dress was the other key item, completely plain or with a 60s-style hip seam and worked under a classic, neatly tailored Crombie-style coat or a soft belted trench – best in bonded Nubuck. Simple cardigan suits came with leather facings and Molinari was right on the season’s trend button with her lean tunic and pant combos. Little black lace minidresses offered a more vampy look, swept into floor-skimming proportions and a palette of vivid brights for evening  
Colour: Black and stone opened the collection, then morphed into classic navy before a passage of intense brights – marigold orange, daffodil, orchid, cornflower and viridian green worn top-to-toe with coordinated matching accessories 
Fabric & knit: Cashmere knits and wovens, Nubuck, leather, shearling, double jersey and lace
Details & trims: Leather facings and buckle strap details
Footwear: Over-knee Nubuck boots, flat coloured boots, wide ankle-strap courts
Accessories: Hand-held double-strap bags and totes, lace envelope purses with chain handles, leather cuffs

Aigner 

If Etienne Aigner’s autumn/winter collection didn’t have quite the je ne sais quoi that the 70s-fuelled spring/summer showing had, it was a neatly rounded look all the same, with more subtle 70s references via longer lengths and new proportion play.

The look: Urban rustic
Silhouette: Elongated and subtly 70s
Key items: The longer dirndl or soft full A-line skirt, best in soft leather, was a key piece to tie back to the collection’s soft, feminine blouses or waist-grazing cropped jackets – a perfect outerwear item to team with Aigner’s signature 70s-style pants. Elsewhere it was all about the classic DB camel coat layered over mannish trousers, a crisp midi-length military coat in guardsman red, waisted full-skirt dresses tethered with calfskin belts and plush fur gilets, cocooning fur coats and a throw-on plush-touch capelet
Colour: A rich rustic palette of camel, pine, damson, bark browns and guardsman red offset with black and winter white
Fabric & knit: Leather and cashmere, country checks, satin and fur, silk faille, nubby tweeds and velvet made this collection a tactile affair
Print & pattern: A singular black and white abstract print worked into a soft shirt; woven plaid
Details & trims: Flat self bows at the waist of skirts, black velvet ribbon ties
Footwear: High-cut platform ankle boots in high-shine leather, calfskin or leopard print
Accessories: Hand-held boxy bags, envelope bags with long shoulder straps, fur bags with chain handles, calfskin belts and long leather gloves

Etro 

Protected from the elements of a harsh winter, Etro’s woman is swathed in tactile wraps, fringed wools and rugged furs. With a raw, primitive edge to the collection, winter signals a tougher mood for the signature boho girl. “My inspiration was antique textiles - tapestry, haberdashery and carpets aged by time. There are a lot of primitive touches too - she is often wrapped up in blankets, cocooned and protected against the raw elements,” said Veronica Etro.

The look: Primitive ethnic
Silhouette: Soft structure, wrapped layers
 Key items: Pant shapes are loosely voluminous, sometimes cropped or overlaid with split-panel skirts, while tops and dresses are wrapped around the body - cutting diagonally across shoulders and down around the waist with layer-tiered skirts; a similar effect is achieved with fringed blanket-wrap coats. Chunky rib poloneck sweaters are thick and heavy, while breezy printed chiffon or silk blouses are layered with fur gilets 
Colours: Dark black, grey and midnight blue punctuated with orange, emerald green, ochre, gold and russetFabric & knit: Diffused wool plaids, grainy Donegal tweeds, tapestry-style jacquards, tartans, mannish pinstripes, crackle-glazed leather, fur-effect tufted wools, chunky ribbed knits; printed silks and chiffons, iridescent nylon Lurex, curly lamb 
Print & pattern: Prints are characterised by a watery, faded or rusted quality. Tapestry motifs, reverse carpet prints, antique tile prints, paisleys cut-up and worked into stripes, a tufted wool trompe l’oeil, placement zigzags on black ground, border prints 
Details & trims: Crewel-embroidered florals, wool fringing, silver coin embellishments. Fur sleeves and collars, wrapped tops and shawl-like shoulder drapes, turtlenecks 
Footwear: Platform pointed loafers with chain detail, buckled boots with lamb linings, platform gladiator sandals 
Accessories: Spike through-lobe earrings, Deco-style geometric earrings, amulet necklaces; skinny leather or chain belts; square hard-frame handbags, mohair slouch socks

Gianfranco Ferré

The architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright provided the inspiration for designers Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi this season - linear and graphic but not afraid of a sinuous curve, think Guggenheim. The collection followed these principals with pieces that were smooth and lean but at the same time cut sensuously over the feminine form.

The look: The ultimate in sophisticated luxury
Silhouette: Softly shaped columns, demure knee-lengths
Key items: It was a focused collection that was built on the repetition of a few repeated items - the high-necked shift dress cut just below the knee and often panelled in a faux top/skirt combination, wide-cut cabans with an off-centre fastening and upturned collar worn with low-slung belts to create the illusionof a dropped waist, and a pair of zipped ankle pants that were tapered and tailored. Other separates included an embroidered leather pencil skirt, organza blouses with cutaway shoulders, and a long-sleeved shell top with sheer/satin conceal-and-reveal stripes, while for evening sinuous gowns were softly columnar
Colours: Luxury pales - ivory, warm white and oyster highlighted with silver; intense darks of navy, onyx and purple
Fabric & knit: Silver lamé, panne velvet, superfine hammered crepe, worsted cashmere, silk wool blends, silk duchesse, ultralight stretch leathers, nappa, tulle, grosgrain, organza, iridescent blue chiffon; calfskin, astrakhan and curly lamb
Details & trims: Silver beadwork, ball-bearing studs and rows of wet-look bugle beads; shallow cowls, cutaway backs, turtlenecks, contrast waistbands, front-back fabric splicing, string/cord banding, spine-tracing zips, spaghetti straps
Footwear: Pointed courts (US: pumps), ankle boots in pieced leathers, calf-length boots with wide toplinesAccessories: Low-slung skinny belts, metal bow belts; round-cut metal-edged Moonlight bags in chamois suede or crocodile feature cabochons with black and ivory stones

Versace 

 
It was a relatively low-key season for Donatella Versace - save for a few clouds of marabou feather and the odd gold button. Gone was the high-octane eveningwear, with a collection focused on real daywear, with military coats and plenty of LDDs (little day dresses).

The look: Streamlined Versace
Silhouette: Still body-conscious, but more demure lengths played down the usual sex appeal
Key items: Streamlined shift dresses were at the heart of the collection - some with high necks and a cutaway shoulder or a squiggle of coloured snakesin, others thick-strapped pinafores with a tulip placement appliqué; belted military coats with gold buttons were the other key motif, also worked into cropped cadet jackets worn with short flared skirts. Leatherwear included a fit-and-flare coat and a couple of snug-fitting jackets and box-pleated skirts in smooth slicked-black leather, and a skintight snakeskin LBD with contrast-coloured threaded leather details running down the sides. For evening there was more movement, with minidresses sprouting clouds of marabou feathers, a high-low hemmed gown with trailing silk chiffon and marabou skirt, and a slinky silver-beaded halterneck column with an unexpected marabou train
Colours: Black with white, gold, purple, jade green and single shots of poppy red and rich egg-yolk yellow
Fabric & knit: Wool crepe, felted cashmere, slicked leather, snakeskin, tactile suede, silk chiffon; black mink, fox, marabou, banded chinchilla, sheared rabbit
Print & pattern: A tulip motif with creeping stem
Details & trims: Gold military buttons, faux pockets with buttoned flaps, spliced fox-fur sleeves, leather chain links, snakeskin squiggles, suede-panelled scrolling tulip motif, cutaway backs, silver beading
Footwear: Calf-length sandal boots, either lace-up or fastened with gold buttons at the side
Accessories: Green fox-fur ruffs, belts with military-esque brass plaque buckles


C’N’C Costume National 

There is probably no more commercial an item than the biker jacket, so the idea of reworking the piece into a full collection is a savvy one and bound to ensure all the cool girls keep the cash registers ringing next winter.

The look: Cool girls go biker
Silhouette: Layered with occasional flared swing shapes
Key items: Various reworked biker jackets - sleeveless gilets, classic with contrast sleeves or worked as a coat with a down-filled nylon hood and caped back. Short layered dresses featured peekaboo sheer panels at the chest, while pants were either signature skinny leathers or a long tailored flare
Colours: Biker black with tomato red or canary yellow; chestnut brown with grey
Fabric & knit: Leather, wool, brushed wool checks, fine open-mesh knits, ultra-sheer crepe
Details & trims: Flattened unzipped hoods created caped panels at the back of coats and jackets, proportional layering, fabric splicing in contrast texture and colour
Footwear: Pointed platform shooties
Accessories: Two-pocket clutch bags carried through the centre (in two sizes) and mini zip-round wallets carried as clutches

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