Milan Fashion Week, it only gets better

The best of Milan fashion week will take me a few posts. 

As a matter of facts: there's a part of this conversation that will land in the newsletter, and you are still on time to catch it for tomorrow. 

There’s a trend I am happy to report I am totally embracing: now more than ever the time is right for fashionto blend with reality, fashion is born from everyday life after all.

Many, many designers have adopted their creativity and skills and used the catwalk as a platform to raise awareness, many have made statements, the peak of them all, so far, being Mrs. Angela Missoni who with her mother, children, nephews has recreated a Women’s March “because the Fashion world stands united and fearless”.

This fashion month is happening while too many events are unfolding that pose a threat to human rights, freedoms granted by our constitution and democracy.

How to be part of it?

Business of Fashion has launched an initiative called #tiedtogether

Post a picture wearing a white bandanna, the symbol in support of solidarity, unity and inclusiveness while raising money for ACLU and UN Refugee Agency.

Anyone can participate, by donating, by posting, by helping spreading the news.

Using fashion as a form of art, in support of the constitutional freedom of speech, supporting diversity, expressing feelings of unity and the deep general discomfort versus the new dictatorial, fascist and cold-hearted establishments rising is something that I had only seen in my books of fashion history. Now I am living it in person with pride, as, finally, that myth and story that fashion is frivolous can go shuttered.

And now: have FUN because you guys, the collections have been bombastic. Tuesday was double trouble Alessandros, the Michele of Gucci and Dell’Acqua of N.21 have d e l i v e r e d as you would expect from a magician. In Italian we love to say: ci hanno fatto sognare.

Gucci was a post-apocalyptic show of 120 looks the Alchemist Garden, everything of everything because saying that fashion doens't repeat itself would be a lie. N.21 went from Neorealism to the American Dream (NOTE by yours truly: there's a lot of Anna Magnani in the collections, feminine, powerful yet sensual and young at heart).

In Miuccia we trust became a truth like few in life. The City of Women was what she sent down, an evolution from last month's man show. Don't we all dream a city designed by Miuccia? I mean, not the despicable Zara knockoffs, but a real, true Prada-clad worlds. Just one note: second collection in a row featuring feathers. Just. Saying. You are welcome.

Max Mara has made classics exquisite again (although this sounds a too creepily familiar tagline) and embraced the diversity theme with the first jihab wearing model, Emilio Pucci hypnotized the world one fringe at a time, la Ferretti got the evening cape plus embellished flats memo like the Bible. 

Bottega Veneta and Jil Sander never disappoint on Saturday morning and have delivered masterfully, sophistication and rigor.

Missoni recreated a Women’s March, full on pink pussy hats delivered to the guests and worn by every model and the complete legendary family. I cried, it brought me back to when I was a kid, seeing Angela and Rosita two fierce women leading the pack of all the children, I saw my mom and grandmother and all of us.

NOTE: will update next week with Armani, Marni. And I am one of the few/many Italians that don't care for Versace, Cavalli and the Dolce & Gabbana. I can discuss this with you. 

Fashion month: don't go anywhere before you read this

Minimalism is not an option, the runways have shown boldness, it loud and clear. The consumer is

increasingly global, mobile and trans-seasonal  - BoF

Taking over from New York Fashion Week that seems so long ago, I’ll follow with London, which has always been rich of innovation, eccentricity, individuality, creativity and wit. This spring summer my favorite were Emilia Wickstead and Paul Smith, crowned by the royal highness of Burberry. 

Well this year not as much as Milan’s fresh breath of air, new energy, enthusiasm and renewed sense of birth.

Gucci Gucci Gucci

Michele’s particular skill is to make the past look like something the future might crave – Tim Blanks

Then there was Jil Sander’s sublime architectural lines and more cloche, or bucket hats.

Oh no, wait, Prada: one word in Miuccia we trust, one of the best collection in seasons. I am afraid I can’t say the same for Miu Miu. I have always been a Miu Miu girl this one seemed a tad too forced.

Giorgio Armani concluded the week with a ceremony in celebrating the first 40 years of the maison.

How about Marras, Andrea Incontri, N.21, Marni and Erika Cavallini?

Paris is always the glitzy-est of all, the City of Lights that never disappoints.

Chanel included bien sur. 

Stella McCartney, Christian Dior, Dries van Noten , Rick Owens, Alexander McQueen, Valentino, Rochas, Vivienne Westwood, Lanvin

And, yes, I am a die-hard fan of Yamamoto

And to conclude, i recommend keeping in mind and liking eventually: 

yellow or at least adapting hair color and make-up to the new season’s color, bucket hats, vertical lines and geometric games. Just saying. You are welcome.

9 warning signs that Milan Fashion Week is not over

In which Fendi sends drones down the runway and Giorgio Armani is furious at Anna Wintour for ditching his show. 

[image www.nymag.com/thecut]

1.

#Karlito ends up in your wish list (see full story here)

[www.nymag.com/thecut]

2.

When grass + feathers + fur all in one outfit are #hipster and not anymore the last minute Hawaiian dress up costume you bought at Party City for Mardi Gras.

[image from www.nymag.com/thecut]

3.

When your ideal of leopard-on-leopard reaches material perfection levels and looks effortless, like at Sportmax. 

[image from style.com]

4.

When the Yogi Bear hat is indeed the most coveted item of all times and appears at Emporio Armani. Long live the deformed hat whose fame escalated from the cartoon to Arby's, to Pharrell's at the Grammy's (by Dame Westwood).

BTW, if you want to be 'Happy', just throw in the croc miniskirt.

[image from www.nymag.com/thecut]

5.

When referring to 'Blurred Lines' you think of those color block, wavy and curvaceous of the Agnona Collezione Uno by Stefano Pilati. 

6.

When wearing mink bloomers under a bejeweled mini dress is not an issue. 

7.

When you hope those modified Aviator spectacles will become available for the summer at your trusted fast-fashion outlet.

8.

When you wish you could un-see the above, because you didn't work in fashion that long to deserve the vision of such a disappointing C-.

[www.wwd.com]

9.

When you must make up a party because you need to own this Pucci gown and show it off.

#MFW Spring 14 Episode 2: a new 'regina' was born StellaJean

Episode 2 of Milan Fashion Week is dedicated  the n.1 ‘newbie’ of the season: Stella Jean.

She, the talented creation of an Italian-Haitian metissage, was invested royalty status by being allowed to show her collection at nothing less than Re Giorgio’s castle theater in Via Bergognona. A statement of an endorsement. Nobody had been allowed to before. It will be loved and utilized in editorials by the likes of Grace Coddington and Carlyne Cerf De Dudzeele. Fine. But, we are craving for the Moda Operandi trunk show pre-order.

• mood the runway makes you happy, it brings you to that summer vacation in Capri or maybe walking down the streets in St. Tropez, definitely somewhere back in the ‘50’s. Everyone just travel to that ideal vacation boundless imaginary world with this runway. Each look owns the power to catapult you into your B612 asteroid planet.
  
• skirts the more you watch it and the more you can hear the swish of those crisp skirts. How about preppy Palm Beach gone naughty? 
• shoes we dig both the stiletto and the slippers with the same impetus. Sexy Marilyn meets Brit colonial elite crust.
  
• jackets those loose fitting cropped jackets reminiscent of the Sixties worn over the shoulders add a touch of chic to the intricate mix of motifs. The mid calf robe manteaux cinched at the waist with a corset like belt with brassiere and pencil skirt peeking from underneath are sexy and girlie enough to make every woman turn heads. 
• pattern clashingdone to perfection, elegance and sense of proportions. Gigantic Vichy checks blend with tapestry like bold botanical and animal prints. If I’d tell you I bought a chartreuse full skirt with gigantic zebra running you’d think I lost my mind. You see and you fall in love with it (you just really need to take yourself not seriously).

Ok enough, I could go on forever. Ladies and Gentlemen here she goes …

 

#MFW Spring 14 Episode 1: is Marni the new black?

What to say if not that in Milan is where we get hit by the I-love-them-all bug and the-fashion-week-of-the-titans fever.

However I rigorously stick to my rule of this season: select one of the ‘veterans’ and one of the ‘newbies’ that I feel betting on, that inspired emotions, that showed once again the core of fashion, regardless of PR, publicists, advertising and the fashion circus, to say it with Suzy Menkes or ‘fassholes’, the new noun circulating the rooms.

So here you go: my Milan Fashion Week veteran winner is:

Marni 

• modern (that last white look … anyone wants to marry me? that last look is perfection),
• sheer sophistication (she’s capable of making transparent look enviable, wearable all day long, chic and the opposite of vulgar)
• true DNA maintained and brought to the next level, like a designer does. Matter of fact, what is it that you want from a designer that you admire and love wearing? That she does the usual but better and she surprises you with beauty and inspires you with a story. Here we don’t have the classics revisited (the death of fashion), Castiglioni took us on her journey of evolution.
• colors: Consuelo you have hit us, our faves
• accessories: those masculine elements like platform flat sandals, squareish shapes and even the plain dull insignificant visor embellished become the ITems to be owned

understated simplicity

geometry is an opinion

My Sheer Lady

bomber + embellishments = forward-ist

did you say funny pack?

effortless unfinished 

the bride

Man Fashion Week {revisited}

Pitti started it, Milan continued it together with London (how did that happen I missed the memo), now Berlin. People to see places to go.

The gossips, the pre-show shows of uber glamour and street style chases have less of an impact during man season. Major gossip is who didn’t make it to the runways and the myth that what Miuccia sends on the man runway is a prelude of where is she going to go with the woman collection. Miuccia forever.

So here is a portfolio of what the women of the business of fashion wear to attend the runways.

Masculine, tom boy, suits, flats and hats.

And there’s a trend or maybe is an unspoken code of the high ranks. Or maybe it is just that European flair of wearing flats and slippers and being able to look feminine and chic at the same time?

Just to have an idea on how Milan transforms itself during fashion week: a classic Milanese gentleman going to work and a fashion victim one. 

La Milano da bere.