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 2

D&G

It was a riotous rave over at D&G where the colours and lettered logos of 80s clubwear provided Milan with an awakening electric shock. More than slightly reminiscent of Missoni’s mis-step of a spring/summer 2011 show, this collection tackled the same taste issues, while keeping it buzzy, youthful and fun – which after all are the hallmarks of the D&G brand. 

The look: 90s logo mania
Silhouette: Tube thin with oversized outerwear
Key items: Knee-length knitted tube dresses and stretchy pencil skirts – some with a longer chiffon skirt trim - were recurring items, as were cropped sweaters, printed leggings and skinny pants; elsewhere there were kangaroo-pocketed sloppy sweaters, untucked silk shirts and loose silk cardigans. Outerwear was oversized, arriving either as big statement parkas in fur or printed silk with wildly coloured fur lining, or low-breaking DB boyfriend blazers worked as mannish coats. For party time, there were straight-cut sheer black dresses cut just below the knee, embellished with large-scale sequinned letters. The finale parade offered oversized silk tees or fitted cotton T-shirts worn with cloud-like marabou miniskirts
Colours: Crazy multi-colourings - neon brights on graphic black, candy colours on marl grey
Fabric & knit: Printed silk and chiffon, letter logoed jacquard knits, shrunken wool, stretch cotton jersey, fur and teddy-bear fleece, marabou feathers, cotton, habutai silk
Print & pattern: Bands of random letters in multicolours
Details & trims: Fur or printed silk coat linings, sequinned letters, deep V-necklines, chiffon pussy bows, kangaroo pockets, drawstrings
Footwear: Wedge-heeled hi-top sneakers with a contrast toe, in bright colours or black and white
Accessories: Small chain-handled bags carried as clutches (the Anja bag), bijoux jewellery with big letter charms, wispy patterned scarves

Prada

With Prada it's foolish to tout just one period of reference, because here things are never that obviously thematic. Still, this season’s sleeveless shifts, drop-waisted girlishness and colour-blocked checks did hint at a 60s infusion. 

The look: 60s dolly with a girlish subtext
Silhouette: Short and drop-waisted
Key items: Fit-and-flare coat-dresses, straight-cut shifts, and collared shirt dresses all featured a dropped waist, accentuated with a low-placed belt or martingale; sleeveless shifts were offered in colour-blocked paillettes, some featuring fur trims or a short capelet over the shoulders; a series of oversized dome-shaped coats in polished snakeskin with wide cropped sleeves and exaggerated clover-leaf lapels
Colour: Black and navy with lipstick red or teal; white, cosmetique nude blush, vapour grey; autumnal colours of marigold yellow, burnt orange and russet
Fabric & knit: Bonded wool, teddy fur, organza, large transparent and colour-tinted paillettes, polished snakeskin
Print & pattern: Large-scale windowpane checks and coloured Mondrian-style grids
Details & trims: Silver buttons on outerwear, oversized childlike plastic buttons and buckles on dresses, contrast collars, low cut-away backs and buttoned martingales, transparent tinted oversized pailettes layered as scales, fur trims and sleeves, oversized clover-leaf lapels on coats, off-centre buttoning
Footwear: Tall snakeskin boots – some ending in a new mid-calf length, with shaped heels; suede sock boots with faux Mary Jane shoe
Accessories: Sporty skull caps fastened under the chin, goggle-like tinted bug-eye sunglasses, short elastic-cuffed suede gloves, fox fur stoles, hand-strapped clutch bags

Albino

“I was inspired by New York and the American art scene from the 50s through to the 80s, Rothko to Haring,” designer Albino D'Amato told WGSN. But when the collection did arrive, those strong arts influences were barely readable, save for a few multicoloured spots and stripes towards the end. Instead the clothes acted as a blank canvas for simple shape, used to promote an exploration into grainy, furry or tufted texture. “There was a lot of focus on texture because the shapes are really simple – straight tubes or a slight trapeze, set against texture – there were no plain fabrics.” Albino D'Amato 

The look: 50s-infused ladylike dressing
Silhouette: Simple shapes cut away from the body and soft structured swing
Key items: The collection worked best at its simplest – tweedy T-shirt dresses, a single-sleeved wool tee worn with skinny drainpipe pants or any of the collarless swing coats; elsewhere there were cropped jackets hemmed in fox, fur pencil skirts, tailored and cropped pants featuring tufted knee panels and dresses with cut-away backs and an over-complicated ruffled tier falling from the back of the shoulder
Colour: Shaded nuances of brown and cream; dense saxe blue, multicoloured prints on black – tomato red, emerald green, magenta and light blue
Fabric & knit: Glittery lurex-shot tweed, grainy herringbone and houndstooth tweed, wool jacquard, dense ribbed knits, double-folded neoprene, mohair, fil coupé lurex tinsel, silk, stiff wool gazar, fox
Print & pattern: Painterly macro polka dots and large-scale stripes in diagonal or chevron placements – both on black grounds
Details & trims: Cut-away backs hanging away from the body, tufted fibres used in placement panels on pants or banded skirt hems, faux skirt-and-top detailing on the back of dresses, randomly positioned fox fur trims, cut fil coupé tinsel-like fringing, kimono sleeves
Footwear: Pointed courts with skinny ankle strap, with textile uppers

Luisa Beccaria

With a strong eveningwear sensibility, Luisa Beccaria never usually strays too far from her delicately ethereal aesthetic. But there was a notable new drive for daywear this season, which focused on tailoring and neat knitwear, as she bathed her girls in a palette of shimmering gold, inspired by Byzantine mosaics.

The look: Pretty as a picture
Silhouette: Sinuously feminine in demure lengths
Key items: Two tailored skirts suits opened the show – one sleeved and one sleeveless, both long-line and trimmed in fur, later came wide-leg pants or pencil skirts topped with textured cardigans or a polo-neck knit tank, and a host of elegant outerwear - from a through-belted cape to an elongated wool pea coat in a glazed silver finish and a softly fluted midi-length coat with a scrolling ruffle collar. Cocktailwear offered a lustrous gold duchesse dress with gathered waist, a tailored off-the-shoulder sheath with box detail and a pantsuit in gilded floral jacquard. Despite the extended daywear offer, eveningwear is Beccaria’s forte and this season she offered exquisite fluted gowns in finest Chantilly lace and barely there embroidered tulle, but a couple of options in millefeuille organza ribbons and tiered plissé frills looked overworked and awkward
Colour: Gold and metallic sunbeam pales, ivory, blush, ballet pink, mauve and lavender
Fabric & knit: Herringbone tweed, compact wool, glittery knits, taffeta, duchesse, gold Chantilly lace, crepe, georgette, ribbons
Print & pattern: Vintage roses, foiled gold overpainting
Details & trims: Lettuce-edged sunburst pleats, jewelled shoulder tabs, scrolling collars on coats, gold sequinned embroideries, cut-away backs, millefeuille layers
Footwear: Block-heeled platforms with an ankle strap in mixed metallic leathers
Accessories: Gold lace headscarves and bejewelled tulle chokers

Bluegirl

Blugirl was onto a winner this season. An elegantly grown-up collection ticked several of next winter's trend boxes, albeit it for the more sophisticated customer, with a palette of vivid colour, luxe-touch fabrics and ladylike silhouettes.

The look: A day at the races
Silhouette: Elegantly ladylike and tailored
Key items: Outerwear was a key feature of the collection, with tailored SB coats, DB trenches and subtle military styling, as well as the cape in every manifestation - from a sassy shoulder cape in green shearling to decorous tailored looks. Knitwear was casually styled, coming as knitted cardigan jackets with suede or rabbit fur trim or as luxe cashmere fine-gauge hooded cardigans – all layered with slick to-the-knee pencil skirts and cropped jodhpur-style pants. Print and pattern had an equine feel, worked as silk blouses or soft-waisted dresses with the house's signature skin prints coming into play as an alternative option. And for evenings celebrating in the winner's enclosure, a series of little black dresses in the finest chiffon and Chantilly lace with capes of layered organza ribbon
Colour: A fulsome palette that spanned the season's autumnal colours with camel, tan, all shades of pumpkin and soft caper green, moving through to vibrant jockey-silk brights like cobalt, strawberry pink and daffodil yellow, all grounded with black
Fabric & knit: The emphasis was on luxe cashmere offset with tactile shearling, leather and furs, with silk twill for dresses and blouses and delicate chiffon and Chantilly lace for evening looks
Print & pattern: An equine print featuring bridle and saddle motifs; a painterly conversational pattern of horses and their riders; re-coloured leopard prints
Details & trims: Crystal trims, fur trims, suede edging on knitwear
Footwear: Snakeskin ankle strap high-heeled courts, slouchy suede and fur boots
Accessories: Coloured clutch bags and purses, tasselled necklaces, long gloves, three-quarter-length socks, double skinny snakeskin belts, colour-blocked high-crown trilbies

MaxMara

Clean, modern and simple were the hallmarks of MaxMara's deluxe winter looks, with subtle rustic overtones in the form of plaid and check, kilted shapes and casual mink-trimmed parkas. But it was the minimal lines and subtle fabric mixing that stamped the collection with its luxurious simple look. 

The look: Modern rustic
Silhouette: Lean and minimal
Key items: Outerwear ruled the day. Strong minimal silhouettes were stripped of buttons or detailing, with lean duffel hybrids, asymmetric-wrap tailored silhouettes caught with a single strap and buckle at the hip, a narrow biker-inspired coat and the softer appeal of a fringed blanket wrap. Neat-waisted suits continued the sparse feel, clasped at the waist with a flat-buckled belt, and dresses were worked in tonal fabric mixes of brushed wool with matt cashmere panels in shades of white. Simple bustier dresses and wrap skirts came in sequinned plaids and there was a final luxe touch in the parkas and coats with their mink skirts – all teamed with simple jersey leggings
Colour: A muted palette of cool whiter white, paper white and putty added a quiet reflective feel to the look, working well with the collection's minimal shapes. Punctuated with inky blues, black, camel and classic flannel grey and the softer accents of poudre, bois de rose and primrose yellow
Fabric & knit: Luxury wools were top of the agenda here with brushed finishes contrasted with the smoothest cashmere and double-faced effects. Leather and ponyskin, mink, calfskin and lamb added to the luxe appeal of the collection
Print & pattern: Checks and plaid reworked in sequins and beaded effects
Details & trims: Flat patent or leather straps with silver buckles, fringed trims
Footwear: Flat winter white lace-ups with a white sole, ponyskin courts
Accessories: Hand-held flat-bottomed bags in leather or ponyskin

Fendi

Karl Lagerfeld took a walk in the country for his latest collection for Fendi, albeit it a rather sophisticated one. Rustic looks were full of innovative fur, autumnal-shaded wool and mismatched texture. 

The look: A walk in the Black Forest
Silhouette: Multilayered and A-line
Key items: Throw-on fur coats and gilets brought a luxe touch to Lagerfeld's layered wool and tweed. Boxy A-line coats and short swingy jackets were overlaid with statement pockets, ruched elasticated sleeves and wide revers. Soft dirndl culottes and cropped cuffed pants came with simple shell tops, decorated with a frisson of bias ruffle at the neck in a sculpted take on a jabot, while flecked sweaters and a knitted tracksuit – incongruously teamed with heeled Mary Janes – added in the cocooning comfort factor. For evening it was back to black, with prim-and-proper dresses in lustred sequins offset with the sheerest tulle sleeves pinpricked with microscopic gold beading
Colour: A rich autumnal palette of wood-shaded browns and neutrals, teamed with golden ochre, sapphire blue and burgundy with a grounding of black
Fabric & knit: Luxe furs worked in feathered bands of muted colour, tipped with glow-worm pricks of light or tufted into tweedy effects layered over dense bouclé, soft cashmere, double-faced wool, leather and flannel. Sheer blouses and lustrous satin offered a more decorative look along with low-shine sequins for evening
Print & pattern: Checks on sheer grounds
Details & trims: Ruffled jabot necklines, vivid-coloured buttonholes, metallic buttons, contrast piling, alligator cuffs, fabric pockets on knitted bottomweights
Footwear: High-heeled brogued Mary Janes in brightly coloured patent
Accessories: Ribbed tights added a splash of colour, felted hairbands, felt tote bags with raw leather straps, boxy hand-held bags

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