Live From... Milan Fashion Week, Day 1

Burberry Prorsum

             

Christopher Bailey confidently strode out in a new direction for spring/summer, leaving far behind his recent preccupation with military looks in a collection celebrating handcrafted artisanal detailing. It was one of his best to date, as quirky homespun individuality replaced the homogenised face of the global fashion industry.

The look: Artisan at work

Silhouette: Oversized and relaxed

Key items: Bailey's lean military jackets are left behind in favour of easy oversized parkas, DB trench coats, cropped boxy anoraks and wide-cut duffels – all featuring some sort of quirky detailing, like handcrafted wooden toggles and natural horn buttons. Tailored jackets come with casual patch pockets and trouser shapes err on the soft and relaxed, with high-waisted belted silhouettes and pleated carrot-leg effects. Knits and shirtings lend themselves to the designer's preoccupation with all things artisanal, with beaded Fair Isles, DB Aran knit cardigans, blanket stitch or raffia-trimmed cropped knits and boxy shirts with appliquéd felt bird trims, as well as a raft of colourful African-style ikat prints. And watch the impact on the high street of the relaxed-neck patterned tees. Expect to see crochet and beadng replace conventional T-shirt graphics any day soon

Colour: A rich palette that combines low-key brights with vegetable-dye styled darks. Think mossy greens, conker browns, clove, beetroot reds, garnet, indigo and dark peacock undercut with emerald, chrome yellow, violet, clementine, bright Oxford blue and amber

Fabric & knit: Classic gaberdine, broken twill, chambray linen, compact cotton poplins and compact double-wool linen blends sit side by side with coated nylon canvas, bonded leather, waxed printed cotton, denim, garment-washed linen raffia, striped jacquard and beaded Fair Isle knits

Print & pattern: Ikat patterns, bold naive abstract prints with a handcrafted ethnic feel

Details & trims: The whole collection is based on detailing, with simple homespun techniques like hand-crochet wooden beads worked as collars and trims, hand-shredded raffia, crochet raffia detachable collars, crochet trims on tees, felted appliqué and hand-crafted wooden buttons or toggles along with more functional utility details like drawcord hems, button guards, storm hoods and press studs

Footwear: Bailey brings artisanal looks into play with his cork-soled moccasins and loafers, trimed with tapestry

Accessories: A raft of woven and plaited leathers for tote bags, linen crested totes, crochet raffia caps, acetate sunglasses

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Live From... Milan menswear, day 1

Burberry Prorsum

            

Inspired by the world's strange weather patterns, Christopher Bailey presented a collection of Burberry weather boys in outerwear designed to protect from the wind, snow and rain. The latter included transparent PVC rain macs that kept the models dry during a real shower of water in the parade finale.
"The moulded coats were inspired by an early 60s Burberry ad campaign and the work of Barbara Hepworth, which led to these sculpted shapes with a kick at the back,” said Christopher Bailey
The look: A coat for all seasons
Silhouette: Oversized trapeze swing shapes and a more forgiving trouser shape than usual
Key items: Outerwear is the principal component in the new swing shapes, with extended martingales controlling a kick flare at the back. Duffels, blanket coats and commuter macs; oversized quilted puffa coats and short shearling jackets with exaggerated collars or wide hoods. Pant shapes are more forgiving than usual with elasticated waists and single pleat fronts creating a looser fit at the top, narrowing to a straight or tapered leg. Knitwear includes chunky cable-knit jumpers and a checked golfing sweater with insert yoke
Colour: A palette of pop brights including thistle and royal blue, pea green, tangerine and sunshine yellow. A secondary palette of subdued neutrals includes charcoal and mid-range greys, honeyed camel and natural white
Fabric & knit: Heavy duty wool and twill – bonded, laminated and paper-handed; oversized herringbone, micro-check tweeds; blanket check and tartan wool, glazed and lacquered cotton, down-filled and quilted nylon, plastic vinyl mohair and cable knits twisted with fur and doeskin; jaguar mink, rabbit, shearling and shaved faux fur
Details & trims: Leather edging, fur collars and lapels, wide oversized hoods and exaggerated stand-up coat collars, hand-woven leather buttons, luggage stitching, extended and eather rope martingales, raw-edge constructions
Footwear: Zipped ankle boots and tasselled loafers with thick tread rubber soles, nylon and leather low-top trainers
Accessories: Oversized leather-trimmed totes, holdalls and travel bags, a new satchel/briefcase shape with wood details, fur flat caps, silk scarves

Costume National Homme

            

Ennio Capasa continues to push the boundaries, taking classic tailoring and splicing it into laser-cut silhouettes combined with bonded fabrications for a modern take on menswear.

The look: Tailoring with a twist
Silhouette: Classic menswear shapes reworked for the modern man
Key items: Shortened jacket silhouettes update Capasa’s tailoring, often etched with contrast stitching to emphasise the silhouette. Casual jackets are cut into boxy shapes, maybe with trench detailing or contract sleeves and contrasting heat-sealed bonded trims or come as elongated biker-inspired coats with contrast leather sleeves. Brushed mohair knits complete the youthful feel
Colour: A classic palette of winter darks – black, indigo, loden and grey – accented with flashes of pumpkin, ochre, sapphire and red
Fabric & knit: Flannel and boiled wool, leather, bonded trims, mohair knits
Details & trims: Laser-cut raw edges, often showing contrast stitching for emphasis. Bonded contrast trims. Fur trims
Footwear: Black slip-on ankle boots
Accessories: Neat document cases or pouches

Dolce & Gabbana

            

Signature tailoring-meets-rugged-casualwear at Dolce & Gabbana. Bryan Ferry is the house's icon du jour. The lothario rock star sat centre front row, with his latest album the soundtrack.
The look: Poor boy made good
Silhouette: Shrunken and boxy over easy low-rise pants
Key items: Shrunken tailoring comes as form-fitting DBs or truncated 1SB jackets teamed with tapered low-rise pants. Cocooning flight jackets and blousons add a rounded feel to the silhouette, with big fur parkas and slick tailored Crombie-inspired coats completing the outerwear options. Slim white or striped shirts and poor-boy striped knits are teamed with overdyed denim jeans, with lounge-lizard velvet tuxedos adding the final sartorial touch
Colour: Black, grey and white are teamed with flashes of vermilion and burgundy
Fabric & knit: Boiled flannel, carded pinstripes, distressed velvet, tapestry and brocade,checked velour, pied de Poule, Prince of Wales check, denim and painted denim, painted leather, digitally printed velvet and poplin, faux fur
Print & pattern: Graphic black-and-white all-over patterns on jeans, Bryan Ferry slogan tees
Details & trims: Velvet revers and trims, satin binding on velvet tuxedos
Footwear: High-shine brothel-creeper shoes
Accessories: Small crown trilbies, slim-jim ties, thin braces ( suspenders US)

Ermenegildo Zegna

            

The Orient is the stopping-off point for Ermenegildo Zegna’s opulent autumn/winter collection, which celebrates all things tactile with a subtle sense of luxury.

The look: East meets West
Silhouette: Luxe layers
Key items: Luxurious leather and shearling outerwear – think parkas, trench coats and duffels reworked with fox-fur trims – layered over belted 4-pocket tweed jackets and Prince of Wales 3SB checked suits. 6-button collarless knits are teamed with slim flannel and tweed pants. A landscape-inspired intarsia adds a novelty touch to soft-touch sweater knits. Gilded jacquard shirtings and shimmering tuxedos complete the opulent oriental feel
Colour: A rich medley of gilded golds and browns with camel, red and charcoal grey
Fabric & knit: Fabrics emphasise the luxe mood that underplays the collection with flannels, Prince or Wales and windowpane checks, Donegals and silky jacquards are tempered with rugged look of leather, shearling and fox fur trims
Print & pattern: A subtle jacquarded scroll pattern, novelty landscape intarsia knit
Details & trims: Fur trims
Footwear: Antiqued shaded Oxfords and loafers, laced three-quarter-height military boots, chunky lace-up shoes
Accessories: Fur trapper hats, flat buckle belts with hanging purse bags, checked wool ties

Jil Sander

            

Raf Simons continues with his use of bright almost-neon colour to give life to the minimal Jil Sander shapes and silhouettes. Engineered quilting is the new leitmotif, bringing a sense of creative modernity to the collection.The look: Laidback sports luxe and signature minimalism
Silhouette: Generous boxy fits on top, lean below
Key items: A series of unstructured and generous-fit blazers and coats are offset against slim straight-leg pants. A masculine twinset arrives as a polo-neck sweater and snug-fit cardi combo, ribbed turtle-neck sweaters, streamlined crombie coats and scrubs-like square-cut tees are minimal in shape and detail. Outerwear items include 4-pocket parkas, oversized anoraks and voluminous blousons, quilted suits and padded T-shirts give pieces an indoor-outdoor feel
Colours: Signature shades of white, black and navy are punctuated with shots of chartreuse, fuchsia, neon pink, orange and bright royal blue
Fabric & knit: Melange flecked wools, jersey suiting, nylon, felted wool, melton, bonded mackintosh, cashmere blends, alpaca knits, ribbed knits, engineered micro quilts and thin down-filled nylons
Details & trims: Contrast-coloured faux-layered turtle necks, micro quilting and textured surfaces, high-breaking revers
Footwear: Polished formal lace-ups and loafers with rounded toes and leather-covered soles

John Varvatos

            

Layering was undoubtedly the key statement from John Varvatos, with lightweight tailoring paired with everything from chunky knitwear to biker jackets, topped off with sash belts, scarves
and shawls.

"A freewheeling mix makes for an anti-uniform statement: sophisticated and rustic,” said John Varvatos

The look: Rock 'n' roll traveller
Silhouette: Relaxed and easy with scruffy layers
Key items: Unlined and weightless outerwear and lean three-quarter-length coats layered with raw-edged tailored jackets, untucked shirts, wasitcoats and shawl-collared zip-through cardigan-jackets; Fair Isle crew-neck sweaters featured contrast wool sleeves; snug washed suede biker jackets; pants are slouchy but slim and tapered at the ankle, rugged combat trousers
Colour: Claret and plum, slate and charcoal greys, coal black and moss green, rust-tinted brown
Fabric & knit: Beaten, crumpled and love-worn treatments and finishes, washed leather and suede, loose-knit brushed mohair knits, slubby wool boucle, small-scale Fair iIles, chalk-stripe suiting, wool and linen mixes, cold-dyed moleskin, seersucker-effect wools
Print & pattern: Traditional woven checks
Details & trims: Zip-close blazers with rounded edges, flannel collars, contrast sleeves, hook and eye closures or studs in place of sleeve buttons on tailored jackets, faux layered lapels, raw edges, peaked lapels
Footwear: Sturdy but beaten lace-up work boots with chunky soles
Accessories: Skinny knotted scarves or large leather-fringed wraps and shawls, horn pendants, keychains with fur tails, beaten fedoras, fingerless gloves, tasselled belts and wrap-around necklaces, sand-blasted briefcases, leather and felt totes

Roberto Cavalli

            

In a celebration of the masculine form, Roberto Cavalli opts for a snug silhouette that hugs shoulders and thighs, while flared pants and polo neck sweaters add a groovy 70s vibe.



The look: A 70s-influenced groovy mood
Silhouette: Snug tailoring and bootcut pants, slouchy oversized knits
Key items: Tailoring hugs the body, with jackets fitted tightly across the shoulders and chest, accentuated with broad lapels. Sleeves are narrow cut and and waists nipped, while suit trousers are slightly flared or bootcut; the 70s influence gives rise to polo sweater-and-blazer combos worn with snug-fitting jeans; oversized knits include a shawl-wrap sweater in a bobbled popcorn stitch and a slouchy loose-gauge knit jumper with dipping hem
Colours: Russet and cigarillo browns, petroleum blue, olive drab, grey
Fabric & knit: Suede, velvet, shearling and rugged furs, mohair, black leopard-spot jacquard, printed jersey, soft flannel
Details & trims: Stitching that mimics reptile scales, Navajo-style leather inlays on the back of tailored jackets, pieced and spliced suede, snakeskin side panels on pants, whip stitching, satin lapels on tux jackets, glitter beaded collars, fur collars
Footwear: Cuban-heeled suede ankle boots
Accessories: Scarves and foulards, feather pendants and Navajo beaded chokers and plate necklaces, wide-brimmed alpine fedoras, hard-case luggage

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Live From... London Fashion Week, Day 5

Clements Ribiero

            

Closing the final day of womenswear shows, design duo Clements Ribeiro was welcomed back on to the London runways last night with their first show in five years. Chanelling a softly 60s California vibe, the collection was expertly executed, edited (just 24 looks), and entirely covetable.
"The mood is long and linear - it’s all about the mid-calf length and, of course, lots and lots of print. For colour, we started off wanting something quite tropical, but then we found the prints and thought, 'California!'" Inacio Ribeiro told WGSN.
The look: Neat and prim
Silhouette: Midi-lengths, long and lean
Key items: Flat-front flared pants; columnar dresses and mid-length pencil skirts; waisted dresses with wrap top; long-line cardigans with pailette trim or neatly fitted collared cardigans; striped sweaters with buttoned shoulders; loose-fit cotton smock dress with decorative tone-on-tone yoke; swing jacket and box-pleated A-line skirt suit; pleat-front shorts with crisp button-down shirt
Colour: Sunshine yellow, mustard and fawn with chocolate brown, navy and warm milk white
Fabric & knit: Printed silks, georgette, cotton poplin, matte piqué jacquard, matte matelassé, Breton-striped knits, lace
Print & pattern: A white-on-fawn degradé lily of the valley silhouette floral, an overblown leaf-green creeping floral on navy-blue ground, three different poppy prints in placement bands working the length of trouser legs or dress lengths
Details & trims: Paillette rosettes, flat printed silk flower appliqués, three-dimensional knitted pockets, scalloped Chantilly lace trim, contrast-print panels
Footwear: Printed silk platform wedges with three-layered flaps at front
Accessories: Chunky clustered-paillette rope necklaces


Ashish

Designer Ashish Gupta described his muse as "the bastard child of Calamity Jane and Rooster Cogburn" in his show notes, setting the tone for a wacky Western theme, narrated in Gupta's signature sequins.
The look: Pop-trash rodeo
Silhouette: Flips between boyfriend baggy and slinky sexy
Key items: Western rodeo shirts and oversized T-shirt tops, worn with fringed hotpants or straight-cut jeans; slinky minidresses, square-cut T-shirt dresses and racer-back mid-length column dresses; fringed jean jackets, tracksuit sweatshirts and jogging pant shapes
Colour: Sky blue, rodeo red, neon pink, marl grey, mid-wash denim blue, black and white
Fabric & knit: Signature all-over sequins and paillettes, stonewash and tie-dye denims, sweatshirting
Print & pattern: Paisley bandana prints, circular tie-dye, trompe l’oeil crushed and creased denim. Sequinned motifs including cow print, leopardprint, coin spots, coyote heads, flames, and Western checks, plaids and ginghams
Details & trims: Long fringing in leather, suede or chain, draped cowls at the back of dresses
Footwear: Hand-painted cowboy boots (Ashish for Topshop) in two lengths, decorated with Western-themed appliqués or kitsch logos and branding
Accessories: Bandanas, trucker caps, stetsons, feathered headdresses


 Burberry Prorsum

A heavily rooted biker theme ran through Christopher Bailey’s spring/summer collection, as he continued his foray into the house’s archive and reworked it for today’s all-knowing sassy Burberry girl.
The look: Luxe biker chic
Silhouette: Overtly body-con
Key items: The biker jacket and the biker jacket… Not forgetting the revamped trench. Bailey reworked classic biker heritage shapes, cutting them skin tight, cropping them to mini proportions, working them in silver or in python, or banding them with wet-look quilted patent and studding them with a battalion of gold spikes. Flippy peplum hems sat atop the tightest quilt-panelled or snakeskin leggings. Military detailing came into play for next summer’s narrow trench-updates - only size 6 and below need apply. A small selection of boxy satin shifts gave way to signature ruching and petal-tiered silk body-con dresses, next summer slashed low to reveal bare backs harnessed with leather straps
Colour: Stone-coloured neutrals added a luxe touch to biker silhouettes, teamed with accents of neon-like brights - turquoise, orange, magenta and lime - for wet-look patent accessories. Black and silver were the grounding colours, while those neon-like brights worked for slick satin shifts and a muted palette of saxe blue, military green, amethyst and elastoplast pink added a more feminine feel for tiered layered silk dresses
Fabric & knit: Leather, python, metallic leather, silk organza, silk, wet-look patent, ruched washed leather and silk satins, dense stretch qualities. Fine-gauge knits with mesh
Print & pattern: An abstracted leopardprint on ruched sheers
Details & trims: Quilted panels, contrast fabric/material blocking, leather straps on dresses, bristling spikes, mesh inserts
Footwear: Vertiginous high-heeled shoe boots with biker detailing
Accessories: Wet-look patent in brights for wide belts, python patchworked bags, biker belts with double chains, long envelope-shaped bags, double belts


Amanda Wakeley

Amanda Wakeley marches to her own beat, eschewing transient trends in favour of her signature brand of luxe sportswear and full-on evening elegance, all perfectly chimed with a simple colour palette and tactile luxe fabrications.
The look: Tribal safari
Silhouette: Soft, unstructured and draped
Key items: Luxurious tie-belt coats, simple sheath dresses worked in long or short proportions with subtle asymmetric details, draped tulip skirts and fluid all-in-ones. For evening, the emphasis was on draped toga-like silhouettes and simple columnar bustier dresses - elegant, simple and indisputably Wakeley
Colour: An almost degradé-like palette of luxurious sand-toned neutrals, morphing into cement greys, anthracite, deadly nightshade and cappuccino, punctuated with watermelon pink, ultramarine blue and white
Fabric & knit: Tactile fabrics with a luxe touch included sanded silks, punched leather, silk crepes and fluid silk jersey, mouselline sheers, silky crepons and mercerised jersey
Print & pattern: A splatter fresco print on sheer
Details & trims: Bands of pewter-like beads and multiple silver chains worked into over-layers or as design-defining trims
Footwear: Bronze leather open-front sandal boots
Accessories: Rose-gold cuffs and minimal collars, double leather belts, deep corset belts


Jonathan Saunders

A wonderfully fresh collection from Jonathan Saunders - an assured highlight of the week - saw the print designer soften his signature graphic style with short and swingy swimwear-inspired shapes and a "light and optimistic" colour palette.
“I tried to not work the prints in such a controlled manner this season - all the artworks are painted by hand and the diffused effect was airbrushed. It's a much more free way of working - it loosens everything up a bit and makes it feel less like architecture and more like clothes,” Jonathan Saunders told WGSN.
The look: Crisp summer sportswear
Silhouette: Short and swingy
Key items: Short skater skirts paired with sheer T-shirts or crisp cotton shirts buttoned to the neck, fit-and-flare sundresses or pencil-slim tailored bustier dresses with a sweetheart neckline, columnar maxidresses, simple halterneck slip dresses with delicate organza overlays, culottes, box-pleated circle skirts, swimsuit-inspired halterneck tops
Colour: A refreshing palette inspired by the off-beat combinations of artist Allen Jones - zingy Seville orange, grass green, sky blue and optic white, set against cement grey, café crème neutrals and black
Fabric & knit: Cotton poplins, linen weaves, printed organza overlays, swingy viscose, taffeta for party-dress options
Print & pattern: Crisp hoop stripes, airbrushed stripes, a screen-printed mono-colour silhouette Hawaiian floral, flecked spatter print, heat-sealed wet-look placement stripe
Details & trims: Grosgrain ribbon trims, sporty grid-mesh panels, micro-sequin border pattern, sash-wrapped waists
Footwear: Colour-blocked courts with ultra-low-cut vamps and ribbon-tied ankles, bow-trimmed leather sandals with coloured stacked leather heels
Accessories: Wide grosgrain ribbons with a skinny leather waist belts on top


Todd Lynn

Todd Lynn offered his most severe silhouettes to date, with reed-thin pants, corseted jackets and body-contoured dresses cut so slim, they resembled second skins, perhaps a conceptual synergy with his use of pythonskin for summer 2011.
The look: Snakeskin thin
Silhouette: Strictly tailored
Key items: Strictly tailored dresses with funnel necklines; narrow-cut city shorts; super-slim cigarette pants; funnelneck biker jackets with quilted shoulder panels; sharp-shouldered tailored jackets with corseted waists; asymmetric wrap jacket with buckled strap; straight-cut skirts with python patch pockets
Colour: Sandy beige, verdigris green, vapour grey, saxe blue, washed gold and dark anthracite
Fabric & knit: Leather, suede, pythonskin, stretch linen, cotton jersey, ramie silks, woven stripes
Details & trims: Silver zips snaking up the spine of dresses, tracing trouser pockets or contouring dresses; coiled mirror panels, spliced python panels
Footwear: Extreme platform/block-heeled shoe-boots by Christian Louboutin
Accessories: Asymmetrical leather panel harness, silver Shaun Leane shoulder pieces and carapaces


Marios Schwab

Cut through the intricately worded press release, and the Marios Schwab collection was full of the kind of desirable pieces any girl would want for next summer, from feminine slip dresses to mini biker-inspired jackets.
The look: Boudoir biker girl
Silhouette: Feminine and flirty versus body-con biker chic
Key items: The pretty camisole slip dress ran throughout this collection, with lingerie-inspired detailing such as lace edging, fluted hankie hems and multiple fine straps criss-crossed at the back. Contrast that feminine look with slick leather pants, leather shorts and pencil skirts, or with cropped biker-inspired jackets and tattoo-printed jersey. One stand-out dress came in
form-fitting stretch charmeuse with filigree lace inserts strategically placed to accentuate feminine curves
Colour: An offbeat mix of colour that unexpectedly worked with boudoir poudre pinks teamed with turquoise, a shot of pistachio green, tan and black
Fabric & knit: Crepe de chines, fluid silks, stretch cottons and charmeuse, lace, leather, printed jersey
Print & pattern: A tattoo print underpinned the collection, worked on pale poudre or turquoise grounds
Details & trims: Multiple straps with lingerie clasp detailing, lace inserts, self-coloured lace trims and edging, handkerchief hems, pintucks, D-rings, elastic gussets on leather. Swarovski crystal trims
Footwear: Black or tan shoe boots with contrast topstitch placements and D-ring trims
Accessories: Leather bridle harness, printed clutch purse, metal cuffs, D-ring trimmed belts


Jaeger

Stuart Stockdale continued to carve a signature look for the Jaeger London label, combining luxe sportswear with crisp angular tailoring and strongly defined silhouettes.
The look: An essential luxe summer wardrobe
Silhouette: Soft sportswear versus angular tailoring
Key items: The simple shift dress appeared in several guises, from crisp 60s colour-blocking to luxurious summer suede and sheened satin. Masculine tailoring inspired mannish ivory and black coats, maybe teamed with narrow cigarette pants. The parka came into play, reworked in cropped silhouettes, worked as a sporty utility dress or a billowing outerwear piece layered over a matching sporty dress in one of the strongest looks from the collection. Elsewhere it was all about slouchy crochet knits, soft suede shorts and semi-sheer tunic tops for a melodious riff on luxe sportswear
Colour: A strong dramatic palette of black and ivory, with watermelon, old gold, ink, absinthe and cornflower, grounded with luxurious neutrals such as buttermilk and sand
Fabric & knit: Luxurious fabrics are the hallmark of the Jaeger London brand, this season appearing as summer suede and leather, weightless eyelet cottons, double-faced satin and semi-sheer organza-like weights. Knits were super-fine or came as chunky crochet
Print & pattern: Stockdale addressed the emerging trend for cut-about stripes, along with a dramatic abstracted placement in watermelon reds or black on an ivory ground
Details & trims: This brand relies strongly on seasonal detailing, and for summer we will see contrast banding and colour-blocking along with subtle high-low hems
Footwear: Chunky platforms, ankle-strap sandals and sporty flats completed the look
Accessories: A great leather-trimmed canvas bag, coloured bum-bags, small cross-body bags, leather belts

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