The motif of Milan was the daisy. At a punchy Versus show, it was turned from a hippie symbol into a modern repeat pattern. Moschino mixed flower print with 3D embellishments on 60s-inspired mini-dresses. Similarly, during Dolce & Gabbana’s celebration of Sicilian holidays, one stripy frock came festooned with handcrafted flowers that looked like corsages. Such upbeat flower moments were in stark constrast to Prada’s take on the look. Brooding and seen through a Japanese filter, daisy-like flowers were appliqued on to clothes, dotted on to bags, woven into furs and decorated the frames of sunglasses.
Photomontage: Moschino, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana on the catwalk. Credits: Getty Images; Rex Features; Reuters
Thick graphic stripes, often in monochrome, were spotted in New York and London. During a cracking Sportmax show – one of Milan’s highlights – a white jumper had a thick red stripe across its front, while dresses featured graphic chevron stripes. Such looks gave road-markings or traffic signs a new fashionable appeal. Fendi’s catwalk looked like a giant motorway. It featured different-coloured stripes along the edge with black arrows. The clothes also featured chunky colourful stripes – at one point during this show I wrote “L-plates” in my notebook.
Photomontage: Jil Sander, Fendi and Sportmax on the catwalk. Credits: Getty Images; Rex Features; Reuters
One of the hottest things in Milan this season was the big reveal, when a model would pass by and the back of the clothes had a brilliant, unexpected element. Gucci’s cutout or ruffled backs were, naturally, super glam. A Max Mara pencil skirt had a chic surprise floral panel on its reverse. Marni’s gather-back dresses moved with an elegant swish while, at Jil Sander a chic navy cropped jacket was cut shorter at the back to reveal a slither of flesh when the model turned. Basically, though, back is the new front, OK?
Photograph: Gucci on the catwalk. Credit: AFP/Getty Images
Here’s a big fashion lesson I learned this week in Milan. You cannot take a massive shopper bag bursting with iPad, two phones, notebooks, show notes, magazines and snacks to fashion-week parties or dinners. Neither can you shove two phones and a wallet into your new slimline Sandro trousers. Instead you have to simply man up and follow the lead of the Italians (and increasingly the entire male population of fashion shows) and go for something that looks a bit like a clutch bag. I had an old zip pouch that I had rescued from a dying Burberry bag – this became my evening saviour at the Versus do and a net-a-porter dinner. Most important though is to grab the thing at the corner, let it hang down your side, conjure up the best whatevs face you can physically manage and never mention its existence. Photograph: Getty Images
Versus, the secondary line of Versace turned their catwalk show into a fashion bash. Here’s how to do it: 1. Get a flashing disco catwalk that conveniently turns into a dancefloor (I want one for the kitchen). 2. Have Beth Ditto and some very enthusiastic dancers in black lycra perform live while the models strut out. 3. Employ a hot British designer – in this case, Christopher Kane – to make the super hot clothes for the models to wear. 4. Form a mosh pit of models, legendary designers (such as Donatella Versace), Ditto and anyone who is normally seen pouting on the Frow. 5. Stage a private party debrief down the road at a suitably fancy hotel and wait for a celebrity spotting – ie Karl Lagerfeld arriving at the Four Seasons. Photograph: Andreas Rentz/WireImage
Tom Ford told us in London that matching requires a lot of effort to make it work. At his old haunt Gucci, Frida Giannini did the matchy look in electric colours, such as azalea pink, electric blue and citrus. This worked best as tunic-with-trouser combos. Sportmax also nailed this look – catwalk exit no 7, which consisted of matching split-front green leather skirt and sporty rib jumper – and looked thoroughly modern. Matchy is a far cry from the clashing OTT getups milling outside the shows where competition for street-style photo approval is fierce.
Photomontage: Gucci, Versus and Sportmax on the catwalk. Credits: Rex Features; Getty Images
Prada’s leather metallic tabi socks and rocking stack platforms were a major Milan talking point. They’ll be less high in stores, says Mrs P. Dolce balanced sculptural platforms with fancy flats and print kitten heels. On the frow, Paris Vogue’s Emmanuelle Alt plumped for black kitten slingbacks, while Cathy Horyn of the NYT went lower still, matching her flat leather slippers with Stella PJ trousers. Armani’s slippers come in brights next season. Meanwhile, Carine Roitfeld became the foot of the white shoe in a pair of Célines at Versace. Note: these weren’t flat or kitten-like.
Photomontage: Editor Carine Roitfeld, Paris Vogue's Emmanuelle Alt and Dolce & Gabbana on the catwalk. Credits: Getty Images; Invasion/AP
Monochrome, palette cleansing and clean, sharp lines – there’s a lot of that going on for next spring. Jil Sander returned to her label this weekend and delivered clinical minimalism on a stark runway. It meant colour combos such as burgundy and orange popped brilliantly while clean white outfits with rubberised hologram dots had a futuristic tilt. Best collection of the week was from Marni, which balanced excellent patterned ensembles with clean monochrome ones for a modern woman of all ages. White dresses with deep v-fronts or outfits featuring soft white peplums were gorgeous.
Photograph: Marni, Marni and Gucci on the catwalk. Credits: Getty; WireImage
