Live From...Milan Fashion Week, Day 3

Alexander McQueen

Without naming any particular names, Sarah Burton drew inspiration from English rock, channelling the rakish charm of iconic frontmen. It was a natural fit for McQueen's signature tailoring and dark flamboyance, but also tapped into the emerging trend for a rock 'n' roll renaissance seen elsewhere in Milan this week.

The look: Rock gods

Silhouette: A mix of lean tailoring and occasional easy volume

Key items: The opening looks are the leanest and meanest –  a pair of elongated straight-cut suit jackets with sharp shoulderlines is paired with straight-leg pants cropped before the break of the boot, their clashing checks and stripes setting the tone for the looks that follow; there are velvet blazers pinched at the waist with single buttons, softer shaped jackets albeit still in that longer length and wide pyjama-style pants. The sometimes foppish flamboyance of the rock god translates into shirts with flyaway neck ties or a long fluid trench coat worn with dusted plum-coloured pants and a printed silk shirt, while the offbeat sartorialism of the English rock star arrives as mix 'n' match three-piece suits; occasionally there is also a hint of early 60s mod styling, with the snug-fitting bomber jackets and nautical striped sweaters

Colour: Optic black and white with shots of red and yellow, tempered with dusty pinks, chalky neutrals and inky midnight blue

Fabric & knit: All the rock 'n' roll favourites are present – velvet, silk, lustrous patterned jacquards, lurex metallics and chest-baring semi sheer knits

Print & pattern: Bicolour humbug stripes (vertical), gingham checks in clashing scales, photoreal flames, diffused stripes

Details & trims: Lurex stripes, a creeping floral embroidery, shell trims

Footwear: Pointed ankle boots some with spectator toe caps, dusty suede Chelsea boots, slippers

Accessories: Foppish floppy hats, structured fedora with velvet ribbon and upward feather trim, round sunglasses with black-tinted lenses and glossy black frames, shell-studded belts

D&G

Print and pattern were at the top of the agenda for Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana's showing for their D&G label. They ploughed a furrow through their scarf drawer, combining traditional silk foulard patterns in clashing combinations and relaxed summery silhouettes.

The look: Summer resort

Silhouette: Unstructured volume

Key items: The relaxed mood of the show permeates the soft drapey pant shapes worked in silk foulard or washed linen, often sporting a denim waistband – a homespun look, which also impacts on pieced and patched denim shirts with mismatched pockets or silk foulard panels and jersey sleeves. Drapey blousons and bombers in richly patterned silks partner soft silk shorts, distressed denim jeans and marled grey or silk foulard tees. Denim effects and washed linen ground the collection for soft unstructured suits, maybe teamed with semi-sheer knits, while a parade of foulard patterned swimwear adds the final flourish

Colour: A multicoloured extravaganza with a grounding of washed denim blues and warm nutmeg browns

Fabric & knit: Silk foulards, washed linen, leather, denim and denim effects, washed drill, jersey

Print & pattern: Extravagent scrolling scarf prints worked in clashing combinations

Details & trims: Cut-off recycled denim waistbands, elastic welt trims, drawstring waists

Footwear: Hand-stitched moccasins in foulard printed or brightly coloured suede

Accessories: Raffia trilbies, foulard printed hats

Gucci

Frida Giannini drew on the sort of  young bohemian aristos-come-rock stars that inhabited Saville Row and private members clubs like Scotch of St James in the 60s and 70s for her spring/summer inspiration. The result was a beautifully crafted collection that played with traditional values and gave them a modern youthful twist.

The look: Gentlemen’s club

Silhouette: Classic with a modern twist

Key items: This collection was built on classic wardrobe pieces, revamped with modern detailing in the snap hems on skinny pants, the collarless necklines on soft jacquard shirts, piped pockets and covered buttons on neat SB tailored blazers, thermoseal details on lean colour-blocked cabans and safari jackets or the micro check lining on a washed nappa coat. Pant shapes veer from easy rise and pleated to ankle-skimming and skinny, teamed with marled or melanged knits and a raft of luxe leathers from quilted bombers to smooth Harringtons and sinuous shirt jackets. And for evening those dashing young dudes are perfectly suited and booted in graphic checked tuxedos, blazers and silk faille pants or rock-star gold brocades and sexy lurex knits

Colour: Sand neutrals, inky blues, steel greys with pops of brick red, aubergine and sky blue for shirtings. Black and white or old gold for evening

Fabric & knit: A twist on the traditionals with pied-de-poule suitings, micro checks, Prince of Wales checks – new in waterproofed nylon – black-and-white checks, suede, washed nappa, velvet and brocade. Textured marled knits, lurex knits

Print & pattern: Woven checks rather than print and pattern

Details & trims: Contrast top collars, piped flapped pockets and covered buttons, thermoseal details creating graphic contrast on casual jackets and outerwear, back vents, buckled tab details

Footwear: Classic crocodile loafers with horsebit buckles, contrast heavy-sole derby lace-ups

Accessories: Maxi travel bags in crocodile or rawhide and canvas. Leather framed sunglasses

Versace

   

There was an experimentation with volume and proportion that felt new for Versace this season, as Donatella played with shrunken uppers and new fuller bottomweights, which, after winter's severe and strict offer, felt better for it.

Add to that Donatella's bold injection of summer colour and several of the house signatures - such as baroque motifs and Greek key prints - and the show steamrollered into a fresh and successful position.

The look: Italian stallion

Silhouette: A new focus on volume

Key items: Jackets including a plethora of bombers and bikers in a variety of fabrications feature narrow waists drawn taut around the torso to create upper volume, while pants and long shorts feature triple-pleats to bring this same sense of volume to the bottom silhouette. Tailoring also feels fresh, with new proportions seeing broad DB suits with low-breaking buttoning or elongated SB suits drawing the eye downward. Elsewhere key pieces include sleeveless tanks in glazed wet-look knits, a suede-panelled Western shirt and a slimmer trouser shape with bondage style buckles running the length of the leg

Colour: Donatella wreaked havoc with summer's colour card, going all out with shocking brights of azure blue, canary yellow, bold Kelly green, coral red with hot pink, and salmon, worked against steel and slate greys, sandy neutrals and rich tan leather; watch also for crisp resort white and lustrous black as key anchors

Fabric & knit: Light summer suitings including Prince of Wales check and dogstooth, crisp neat cottons, printed silks, perforated suede, slicked leather, mesh, open stitch knits, engineered knits, wet-look glazed knits, sheer patterened knits

Print & pattern: Greek key placements, optical Greek key repeat, signature curlicues and baroque leaves

Details & trims: Gold eyelets in placement formation, medusa-head buttons and medallions, multiple buckles

Footwear: Leather sandals decorated with Medusa-head medallions, multi-strap patent gladiator sandals styled with socks, smart suede loafers

Accessories: Smart leather holdalls, hugely oversized totes, squared sunglasses with metal greek key detail across the flat topline, ribbon key chains

Nicole Farhi

Nicole Farhi returned to the men's runways with a sparsely styled collection of clean minimal silhouettes, with an emphasis on functionality, teamed with innovative fabrications. The result was ineffably modern and clinical with a lightweight fiunctional feel.

The look: Modern minimalism

Silhouette: Clean simple unstructured layers and neat tailoring

Key items: This collection emphasises fabric innovation and functional detailing through strong tee-shaped tops and simple half-sleeved shirts overlaid with clear plastic, teamed with straight-cut basic pant shapes. Bonded Aran effects bring a tailored blazer shape up to date, while casual double-zip jackets and trench coats conceal matching mesh inners. Knitwear veers between simple textured ladder stitch tunics to a V-neck cabled tank layered over a ciré tee. This key silhouette is also worked in Neoprene with a contrasting mesh back, while mesh shorts take on an airy summer feel and functional parkas and double-zip casual jackets provide lightweight outerwear options


Colour: White dominates for a clean clinical feel, teamed with sandy neutrals, pale pebble greys, taupe, ink and black with accents of bright yellow and sage

Fabric & knit: Innovate fabrics have dominated the last few seasons at Nicole Farhi – the sort of fabrics you need to touch and feel before their compexity becomes a reality, with papery cotton, Neoprene and bonded effects, clear plastics, cire nylons, airy mesh, smooth flat jacketweights contrasting with canvas

Details & trims: Detailing takes on a new emphasis, with mesh inners, contrast fabric facing, knitted welts, double-ended zips, binding trims

Footwear: Contrast sole derbys with exaggerated rands

Accessories: Plastcic clip harnesses, sou’wester hoods

Etro

Provence and the Mediterranean coast proved fertile ground for Etro's spring/summer collection, providing a landscape of opportunity for different looks, ranging from nautical to bohemian intelligensia and Riviera playboys.

The look: A year in Provence

Silhouette: Louche, layered and unstructured

Key items: Easy oversized trench coats and soft duster coats are the perfect lightweight throw-on coat shapes to offset softly structured SB and DB tailoring layered over paisley shirts and tunics, or even sporty nylon cagoules in an offbeat sporty/formal mix. Textured knits are a key item for next summer and here they are worked with easy plaid shorts and printed paisley pants. There are nautical connotations too in the piped-edge SB blazers and striped knits, while colourful pattern mixes and relaxed separates speak of a more artistic look at play

Colour: The Provencal landscape colours a palette spanning warm earthy neutrals and sand-toned pales through to an ocean of marine and washed sky blues, with vivid accents of mimosa yellow, poppy red and lavender

Fabric & knit: Linen forms the core to the collection, coming in muted micro checks, windowpane plaids and washed plains, along with two-tone suitings, mohair, Madras plaids, cottons, nylon or ciré, silk, suede and textured cotton-blend knits


Print & pattern: Paisley is a signature of this house, and for spring/summer 2012 it is worked in warm muted colours or in bold bicolour combinations in a dark motif on a white ground, which looks new and fresh. Paisley motifs even scroll in faded tatoo-like patterns across fine-gauge knits. Elsehere, simple coin spots proliferate across shirts and even suiting, while multicoloured checks clash in mismatched combinations 


Details & trims: Nautical piping or contrast-bound edges

Footwear: Tasselled or kiltie-fringed loafers, classic loafers


Accessories: Wide-brimmed unstructured straw hats, flowing scarves, woven or plaited leather belts, striped knitted ties, Paisley printed leather totes, leather bags

Iceberg

Achieving the ultimate smart-casual mix was the aim at Iceberg, where cardigan-jackets replaced tailored blazers and traditional wool suitings such herringbone and dogstooth arrived crumpled in thin summer weights.

The look: Smart-casual

Silhouette: Comfortably lean, unstructured

Key items: The knitted 2B blazer is undeniably the star piece, as snug and comfortable as a cardigan but with definite tailored constructions. These are teamed with casual pants – either flat-front or with a double-pleat creating roomy volume at the crotch - both options rolled or cropped above the ankle. Summer styling relies on layering contrast-coloured tees with cutaway or irregular necklines, while a few sporty outerwear options including yacht jackets and flyweight nylon parkas are typical of the brand. Suits are deconstructed to achieve that smart-casual tone – a pair of Prince of Wales checked trousers exited with a snug-fitting Western shirt, its matching DB jacket arriving in the next look

Colour: The palette is built on tonal ranges of blue – from sky and ultramarine through to navy, and grey – from ash to slate – that are punctuated with flashes of bright pillarbox red and sunshine yellow

Fabric & knit: Cotton, silk, marled jersey, fine-weight suitings, pique knits, silky nylon, Prince of Wales check, herringbone and dogstooth wool suitings, thick double-faced wool, knitted Breton stripes, chunky knits, cable stitches, smooth leather

Print & pattern: Overdyed denim-effect treatments in black or blue, dip-dyed jacket edges

Details & trims: Untrimmed edges, cutaway T-shirt necklines, coloured waistbands, coloured knit strips on the inside of jacket and cardigan closures, contrast colour drawcords

Footwear: Casual blue or grey suede lace-ups with rubbed/stained toes, chunky crepe-soled kiltie-fringed suede loafers

Accessories: Bookish optical, faded leather holdall, tricolour leather satchel, a coloured nylon utility bag

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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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WGSN talks to Veronica Etro

WGSN fashion editor Jodie Ball caught up with designer Veronica Etro before her show at Milan Fashion Week today to talk autumn/winter 2011/12 inspirations.

“My first inspiration was antique textiles – tapestry,haberdashery and carpets. Then on the other hand I was thinking about the industrial,mechanical and metallic – so the collection is the result of these twothings.

You will see tapestries that reveal they have been aged bytime. Also the prints have a rusted effect but on modern surfaces such as filmy silk nylon which is printed on the reverse which gives it this waterymetallic effect."

"She is like a survivor. It is difficult to tell exactlywhere she is from this season, but from Northern borderlands. I was inspired byfilms such as Lord of the Rings and Terry Gilliam’s fantasy lands – she israw and primal. There are a lot of primitive touches – she is often wrapped upin blankets, cocooned and protected against the raw elements and harsh weather.

What I also wanted to achieve was to give the Etro folk andethnic looks a new vision – less bohemian, less gypsy, less slouchy and morecontrolled and structured. Giving bohemian a raw and sharper edge."

Read WGSN's show review tomorrow.

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Live From... Milan Menswear, Day 3

Gucci

There is an undisputed sex appeal in the winning combination of youthful rock-styled models and the timeless appeal of tactile luxury - and Frida Giannini nailed it in her autumn/winter menswear collection.

"The year 2011 marks our 90th anniversary and I have explored Gucci’s codes from many perspectives, reintroducing elements from the DNA with the 70s and the spirit of dressing iconic men as a reference." Frida Giannini

The look: New dandy
Silhouette: Unadulterated 70s with razor-sharp tailoring and cocooning luxe outerwear 
Key items: The sharp-shouldered exaggerated-lapel suit was at the heart of the collection, with slim waisted jackets teamed with flared pants and layered over neat-fit knits and toning shirts and ties. Outerwear was stamped with all the luxurious appeal of an ostrich trench, Mongolian lamb, rabbit and beaver fur coats or ¾ jackets, while fit-and-flare reefer coats and a crocodile DB kept the mood a little more grounded. And for evening, the all-out-glamour of the velvet tux worn with an insouciant youthful elegance
Colours: A muted palette of soft cappuccino and griege-tinted neutrals teamed with soft shell or blush pink morphing into rich burgundy, espresso, tan, camel and black, with accents of cornflower, sapphire blue and violet
Fabric & knit: The ultimate luxe touch of velvet and flannel, cashmere, mohair and angora offset with ostrich, crocodile, beaver and rabbit, astrakhan, ponyskin and shearling
Details & trims: Sharp peaked lapels, fur collars
Footwear: Ankle boots in shaded leather, tasselled moccasins
Accessories: Long knitted scarves, canvas belts, leather belts, foulard breast-pocket handkerchiefs, the bamboo bag worked with blackened handles in washed leather, pigskin or buffalo

Alexander McQueen 

A slick and confident collection from Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, who drew on historical military references mixed with modern sportswear pieces for a look that had a sharp but eclectic appeal.

The look: Menswear on parade 
Silhouette: Sharp tailoring worked with relaxed outerwear silhouettes and casual sportswear bottomweightsKey items: The military-inspired coat in several guises, from fur-trimmed to tailored regimental style and cocooning poncho, layered over sharply tailored SB and DB suits or sporty cuffed jog pants and slim-legged leather jeans. Polo-neck knits and boxy gilets added a layered feel and there were further military influences in the trompe l’oeil military regalia printed jacket or in the Prussian-style forging trims on a casual blousonColours: Military red, black and grey, navy and airforce blue with accents of bone, cerulean, chrome yellow and ochre
Fabric & knit: Luxe flannels and boiled or felted wools teamed with classic checked suitings, pinstripes and velvet. A more rugged look featured coated plaids, Donegal tweeds, ponyskin, canvas, leather and shearling Print & pattern: Military regalia motifs worked in trompe l’oeil effects. A splashy black and white graffiti print
Details & trims: Contrast trims and edging, frogging, leather trims, suede knee pads on leather jeans, contrast piping on bottomweights
Footwear: Zip-front military boots, patent slip-ons, tan and navy patent oxfords, patent sneakers with matt rubber toecaps
Accessories: Military caps, ombréd gloves

Iceberg 

The mood was one of relaxed fit and easy layering for Iceberg’s autumn/winter showing as outerwear and tailoring got a subtle deconstructed look. 

The look: Weathered and worn classics
Silhouette: Layered deconstructed and unstructured tailoring and outerwear
Key items: SB and DB tailoring came with an aged appeal, with unstructured shapes and raw edges worked on classic fabrications. Pant shapes were cropped and unpressed, teamed with unstructured throw-on coats, poncho wraps and mismatched waistcoats (US: vests), casual suede or felted wool blouson jackets and reefer coats or shrug-on shearlings. Knits were elongated and layered with simple V-necks, fine-gauge cardigans, heavy-gauge striped cables or chunky knitted cardigan jackets
Colours: A muted palette of greys and griege-toned neutrals accented with sharp highlights of tan, cerulean and burgundy, camel and pale saxe blue
Fabric & knit: Classic herringbones, Prince of Wales plaids and dogstooth checks, cashmere, boiled or felted wools, rough suede, shearling, leather, fine-gauge and mohair
knitsPrint & pattern: No pattern apart from woven stripes worked as a border on wool coats and jacketsDetails & trims: Raw edging, blanket-stitch edging
Footwear: Tan or grey antiqued oxfords
Accessories: Long knitted scarves

John Richmond

With his signature rock ‘n’ roll vibe rooted in the 80s this season, John Richmond sent out a collection of tough-luxe looks with plenty of fur and leather and edgy attitude. 

The look: Luxe rocker
Silhouette: Narrow under cocooning outerwear shapes
Key items: Slick reefer coats and jackets, layered with high-button 1SB and DB tailoring. Leather biker jackets and shearling aviators, puffas, fur-trimmed hooded parkas, Barbour-style jackets, fur gilets and a quilted duffel coat ensured a broad outerwear offer, teamed with distressed jeans, cropped pants and hooded knits. Signature printed shirts and signature beadedknits added to the rock vibe
Colours: A medley of rich browns, camel and grey offset with black
Fabric & knit: Waxed cottons, leather, shearling, fur, flannel, pinstripe suiting, sheened tonic or mohair suiting, denim, cashmere, astrakhan as a trim
Print & pattern: Collaged-effect prints featuring skulls, gothic-inspired typography and scrolling foliage, skin prints and jacquards
Details & trims: Fur collars, beading, quilting
Footwear: Tan and grey oxfords
Accessories: Structured totes, checked ties
 
Etro

The humble cow gave rise to a wealth of inspiration for Kean Etro this season, the animal itself providing him with colours and fabrics, while its natural habitat - namely mountains and wild pastures - brought forth the embellishments and decorative motifs that are so instrinsic to an Etro collection.

“The cow is central to this collection. I was thinking about all the places a cow lives, from outside my window at college in Cambridge to places like Tyrol, between Italy and Austria.” Kean Etro

The look: Tyrolean mountain men come to Milan
Silhouette: Tailored with a gently sloping shoulder and straight leg
Key items: Tailored straight-leg pants ran throughout the collection while top halves were layered with embroidered T-shirts, mid-gauge polo-neck sweaters, a plethora of cardigan styles and short-length jackets including boxy bikers and a felted wool baseball jacket; outerwear highlights included a wide-cut DB trench in long-haired cowhide, a fluffy ladder-stitch SB coat and a lightweight parka with fur hood; tailored suits were also important, with slightly slimmer trouser legs and neat jackets with a gently sloping shoulderline; jersey knit waistcoats and patterened shirtings completed the look while for evening the velvet tux jacket and dress coat dominated
Colour: A range of earthy browns form the core palette: sandy tan, rich cigarillo, dark espresso, chestnut and chocolate, complemented by olive moss greens and warm milky white; royal blue, burgundy and shots of copper and old gold act as highlights
Fabric & knit: Hairy cowhide, lustrous silk wool suiting, paisley jacquards, micro check wools, teased wools, curly lamb’s fur, jumbo corduroy, velvet, double-stripe cotton shirting, crackle glazed blue leather, ladder-stitch knits, jersey
knitsPrint & pattern: Contrast checks spliced on single items such as coat bodies/sleeves, central-placement paisley T-shirt graphics, pastoral florals, stylised paisleys
Details & trims: Tyrolean and Himalayan embroideries, patches and overstitching resembling timeworn mends, embroidered and beaded motifs depicting a dinosaur eating paisley leaves, leather-trimmed jeans, peaked lapels, coin-button cufflinks, curly lamb’s fur collars, diamond quilting
Footwear: Cowhide shoes – lace-ups, tasselled loafers, slippers
Accessories: Rough-hewn amber pendants on leather thongs, horn/tooth pendants, tall curly lamb’s fur hats with cap peaks, blunt-ended ties, silk pocket squares, patterned socks, knitted scarves coiled around the neck, fingerless gloves, holdalls in spliced exotic leathers

Versace 

A fiercely tailored collection and muted palette of industrial black and grey allowed Versace menswear designer Martyn Bal to focus attention on texture this season. Knitwear played a central role and the monochromatic optical patterns that were touched upon last season manifested themselves in technical and engineered knits in blistered and three-dimensional effects.

"This season's Versace collection for men presents an optical game of shapes, proportions and graphics, conducted with a knowing and contemporary nod." Donatella Versace

The look: Germanic austerity coupled with New Wave Berlin optics
Silhouette: Strictly tailored
Key items: Double-breasted overcoats, formal shirts and ties, long-line quilted leather biker jackets, tailored gilets worn over coats and suit jackets, turtle-neck sweaters layered beneath patterned crew-neck jumpers, an asymmetrically zipped blouson with notched collar, knitted jumpers in three-dimensional textured knits, skinny leather pantsColour: Tough black, steely industrial greys and camel punctuated with electric blue, brick red and a flash of hot pink
Fabric & knit: Optical jacquards, lustrous wool mohair suitings, waffle-embossed and quilted leathers, windowpane-pressed suede, smooth wool blends, cashmere, engineered textured knits, three-dimensional blistered knits
Print & pattern: Pixellated knit intarsias, black-and-white optical patterns, Mondrian-style geometric square panelled knits

Moschino 

It was sporting geeks on the touchline at Moschino, with a preppy-meets-sports-coach collection of vividly coloured basics, Collegiate stripes and a smattering of tailoring. 

The look: Collegiate sports heroes
Silhouette: Big cocooning outerwear layered over sportswear basics and neat tailoring
Key items: The down-filled puffa coat and boldly striped puffa jacket were key pieces along with a Collegiate striped blazer and geeky DB tailoring, sports pants and soft knee-length shorts teamed with striped rugbys; for a smarter option there were crombie-style coats and a velvet tuxedo, albeit it in brilliant cobalt blue. Sportswear details trimmed classic tailoring – think ribbed welt trims and go-faster stripes
Colour: Sportswear brights – vermillion and cobalt blue – with navy, grey, black, ivory and pine greenFabric & knit: Traditional suitings like pinstripes, velvet, leather, nylon and satin, collegiate stripes
Print & pattern: A newsprint all-over, sporty graphic slogans and numerals
Details & trims: Ribbed welt top collars on tailoring, go-faster stripes on suit sleevesFootwear: Brightly laced sneakers, hi-tops and oxfords
Accessories: Knitted scarves, bow ties, collegiate striped ties, bright runkled socks, flat caps

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