Let's Take A Trip To Milan

Milan Fashion Week was all about that classic beauty with a hidden wild side. Some preferred a sexier approach like Versace and Philipp Plein, while others opted for a more conservative look like Tod's and Iceberg. As usual, Jeremy Scott took a little piece of our childhood and made fashion fun by integrating cartoon characters into his collection. Another theme that made an appearance was motherhood at Dolce & Gabanna where children of models appeared on the runway. Colour was a major part of Milan Fashion Week at shows like Philosphy di Lorenzo Serafini, MSGM and Emilio Pucci. But some designers opted for a more neutral approach like Trussardi and Ermanno Scervino. I suppose you could say there was something for everyone in Milan and isn't that the sign of a great season?


Here were my top five favourite collections:

 ERMANNO SCERVINO 

Ermanno Scervino will be remembered as the brand that invented puffer chic. From this angle, next winter will amp up the cold weather look with bulky white coats, feathered skirts, and fur trimmed hoods. Though it began with a shapeless puffer, it proceeded to teach us all about femininity with skirts and dresses from flirty flares to sophisticated and skintight. A woman in these clothes possesses a certain charm in a little red dress (LRD) and oversized fur coat. And if she's going to wear a print, it's going to be houndstooth, the classiest print on the market. From black and white to cobalt blue, the collection introduced a splash of colour on high waisted flowy pants and coats with floral appliques. It eased back into neutral territory with the final selection of looks in tan and khaki, military style. The military woman let loose at the very end with some sparkle and white fluff bringing out the sexy woman that she is.

FAVOURITE LOOK: 2

via style.com

ROBERTO CAVALLI

We entered the world of Cavalli as we generally do with a bold animal printed dress for the sexy party girl who lives for the attention. Though the designer stayed true to his signature leopard print on coats, dresses, and blouses, Cavalli introduced bold yellow as his colour of choice to compliment the leopard print accessories. A yellow jumpsuit with a belted waistline and a frilly yellow dress complimented by a leopard print vest kept Cavalli's collection alive with lemony flavour. Though Cavalli targets the sexier women in the skintight dress, he added some flowy bohemian looks for the effortless diva who isn't afraid to take a fashion risk. There were some sparkly mini skirts and tight black pants giving the collection a disco feel. Combined with fur and feathers, this Cavalli woman was definitely ready for a night on the town. I call it "boho glam" with a wild side. It's the girl you wish you were and the one you're glad you're not simultaneously.

FAVOURITE LOOK: 29

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TRUSSARDI 

Trussardi took on a more basic approach with classic leather pencil skirts and structured coats in earth tones like brown, green, and beige. Though the designer kept it simple, it was obvious that she was targeting a very powerful woman. The mix of leather and fur added edge to this otherwise simple collection made for a femme fatale. This lady wears purple lipstick, an indication that you should never underestimate her. The militaristic cuts kept it clean cut and put together combined with oversized sweaters that were anything but sloppy. Though there were some conservative turtle neck dresses, the leather added a hint of danger and sex appeal that can only be seen by the perceptive observer.

FAVOURITE LOOK: 20

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PHILOSOPHY DI LORENZO SERAFINI

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a sucker for that ultra girly angelic look. Think frills, bows, and flared skirts. This collection offered me exactly that. It was the dessert of Milan Fashion Week with wide legged truffles, vanilla icing, and red velvet cupcakes (to put it metaphorically). Though it began with some more subdued cream coloured looks, some of our favourite fall colours were introduced towards the middle, including tan, burgundy, and mustard yellow. There were clearly some 70s vibes being projected with flared legs and high-waisted hems. Even the music felt a little old school. As the collection hit its closing point, the colours softened up with sheer baby blue gowns that could almost pass off for lingerie. It was sugary and spicy, and essentially, everything was nice.

FAVOURITE LOOK: 4

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DOLCE & GABANNA

As previously stated, Dolce & Gabanna was for the mommas of Milan who still have time to look elegant and put together. It was a statement towards women that beauty can be achieved regardless of familial responsibility. Or maybe it wasn't. Whatever you choose to believe, family has always been one of the strongest values for Dolce & Gabanna, as proven by their ad campaigns. Anyway, on to the clothes. As expected, the designers made this collection very much about roses and other forms of floral print in vibrant colours. This time, there was a sense that we were entering the garden of Eden with love letters splattered across the dresses like stationary. The dresses came in classic knee-length cuts but had enough flow to make them come alive. There were some standout earmuffs cascading down the runway on models decked in alphabet dresses. Does it get any more playful then that? These men may have gone to prison, but this collection was better than any other. Perhaps a little jail time was exactly what they needed to welcome a new flow of inspiration.

FAVOURITE LOOK: 64

via style.com

What did you think of Milan Fashion Week? Which collection was your favourite?

Ponder it,

XOXO,

Bella

Don't You Wish You Were In Milan Last Week?

Milan Fashion Week was a conglomeration of sexy minis, hot pants, and a bit of Barbie. Unfortunately, it didn't amaze me in the same way New York did or even London, but it had its shining moments. Giambattista Valli took the Miu Miu route with his brand new collection, Giamba (which had me seriously confused at first glance. Who is this Giamba and where can I find his lovely clothes?). Cavalli, Dolce and Gabbana, and Gucci delivered as usual, but in a way that was utterly predictable like a romcom where the couple gets together in the end (not that I don't love those). DSquared2 and Moschino excelled at the theatrical by transporting us to the world of the ultimate diva whether in the form of Jeremy Scott's Barbie or Dan and Dean's fluff and froufrou. As per usual, Fendi was the best show at Milan Fashion Week and I don't say this because it's Karl, but it's undeniable that he's brilliant.

Let's recap my five favourite shows:

ERMANNO SCERVINO

Scervino is the epitome of Italian beauty: curvaceous, luxurious, and sensual. The show began with a few classic pieces like a pencil skirt in a bold blue hue or sleek strapless dress in a lovely shade of green. The vibe was very pastoral meets glamour (a combination none of us thought possible), particularly at the end with the floral print looks. Italians are also experts at choosing the perfect pieces of skin to display, including shoulders, midriff, and leg. With a few bra tops that were rendered tasteful with frilly blazers, these ladies captured femininity in its purest form. After exploring colour, Scervino reverted to classic white with intricate textures to add allure to each individual piece. And it wouldn't be Milan without some snakeskin, so that was another prominent feature of his collection.The show ended with an evening gown in a classic cut, that was anything but.

FAVOURITE LOOK: 27

I love designers who play with texture and this look aroused my desire for an outfit with interesting tactile appeal perfectly.

GIAMBA

When I first looked at this collection, I didn't know it was Giambattista Valli. I just thought it was incredibly pretty and imagined myself wearing every single piece. After scrolling through the entire collection, I discovered that my favourite couture designer was behind it and everything fell into place in my mind. The feminine silhouettes, the elaborate prints, the whimsical tights. It captured my personality in a nutshell. The entire collections projected a girlishness that was very Gossip Girl's Jenny Humphrey pre-makeover and I found myself feeling nostalgic. The platforms gave it that school girl touch I adore, but not without that Milan sex appeal integrated with transparency. It was a little Lolita with a touch of innocence projected through little white dresses with bouffant sleeves. As the show came to an end, the looks became more and more Valli with feathers and intricate stitch work. Every piece belonged in my closet.

FAVOURITE LOOK: 37
This is so girly and yet, the shoes give it that extra attitude necessary to take it from innocent to dangerous.

VERSACE

I don't know if it's the Vacarello influence coming into play, but I'm beginning to really appreciate the Versace aesthetic. The designer uses a minimalist approach to convey sex appeal, which makes the entire collection very model-off-duty. Perhaps the asymmetry in the first look drew me in or maybe the return of the crop top, which has grown on me with every collection this season. There was something about this show that kept pieces of the Versace we all love without being over-the-top 70s sexy as it usually is. There were some interesting details in the show like mesh top and skirt sets and some leather eyelets. There were some classic sixties shifts with some ostentatious prints and a few more subtle black looks. The loved the final pieces because they had graphic sashes and some Versace sparkle. It was definitely one of my favourite Versace shows yet.

FAVOURITE LOOK: 35

LES COPAINS

New creative director, Stephania Bandiera, blew my mind with this collection for Les Copains. Every piece was wearable and in one word, crisp. With clean white shirts and sleek cropped blazers, there were a number of pieces I wouldn't mind trying on for size. Literally. Some bold necklaces were combined with each predominantly white look to add some flavour and those wedges were definitely up my alley of footwear. The classic spring stripes made an appearance in grey and white and a floral print theme was definitely in that mix to remind us of what we love most about spring. Camo green and beige were other neutrals that surfaced with enough detailing to keep it interesting. Leaves were also displayed in a bold way on sweaters and clean cut dresses to promote the new season in the best way we know how: natural imagery. Finally, the show ended with some tribal prints and one particular red tribal print cape caught my eye. All in all, it was a great success for Stephania.

FAVOURITE LOOK: 14

This look captured spring for me with my favourite trend: the shorts suit. I love the edginess of this look combined with the inherent femininity. I'd wear this in a heartbeat.

FENDI

Is it wrong to say I love Fendi even more than Chanel? It's always so glamorous and projects a more youthful vibe than the demure Chanel tweeds. I look forward to Fendi every season for one reason: to find out how will Karl incorporate the Fendi fur. The designer didn't disappoint. His furry Karl keychains made an appearance to remind us of his ever present sense of humour. He brought florals to the table to keep up with the spring trend in a variety of forms from print to appliqués on a leather skirt I fell in love with just a little. Some asymmetry caught my eye on a few skirts and jackets. There was also a bit of shredding that reminded me of teenage angst (in a good way). The ombre effect was a nice surprise during the show that took the hair trend to clothing. A  few of those statement jackets are on my current wish-list along with a particular pair of baggy leather pants (a look I'm still trying to pull off). There were some interesting futuristic cutouts that are beginning to grow on me. It seems as though our Karl had some fun with that shredder of his. The show ended with some colourful feathers reminiscent of his fall Fendi furs. Say that ten times fast. I dare you.

FAVOURITE LOOK: 47

I know this isn't as wearable as many of the other looks from the collection, but it had that jaw-dropping factor which made it an instant favourite. If I get to see a blogger sport this look, my life will feel that much more complete.

All images via Style.com.

Which was your favourite Milan collection?

Ponder it.

XOXO,

Bella