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Milan Womens AW10/11 designer wrap

The topic on everyone’s lips was the slashing of the Milan schedule for the 2010/11 A/W shows. Allegedly, Anna Wintour decided she only wanted to spend 4 days in the Italian fashion capital, so the schedule was duly cutdown from the usual 7 days, resulting in chaos for over-stretched buyers and journalists, and big losses for restaurants and retailers who found the fash-pack was just too busy to eat or shop (even with those famed 30% discounts at Prada).

Part of the justification is that other than the usual big guns, your Gucci’s Armani’s, Prada’s and Marni’s – Milan hasn’t thrown up any fabulous new talents in a very long time. While full of key advertisers, it’s not the city of innovation. Milan has also taken a battering commercially, so it was away from the austere experiments this season, and back to the business of making clothes.

Emotionally and technically, the Dolce & Gabbbana show was the hit of the week. Celebrating their 25th anniversary, the duo put the emphasis on tailoring, with a presentation titled “Sartorialita, Sicilianita, Sensualita”. Strong tailoring, underwear-as-outerwear and signature prints including roses and leopard were as expected, but there was a new softness in fluttering chiffon, jersey suiting and rosette trims. Moving into knit for soft suiting was a new direction, enhancing womanly shapes without constriction. The finale of all 75 models sporting black jackets sent the point home: Dolce & Gabbana are the masters of sexy tailoring. Their video tribute to their hard-working staff had many of the cynical audience blinking back tears.

For the Chinese, 2010 is the Year of the Tiger. Giorgio Armani certainly knows that, and he knows that China is a fast growing market. So it was no surprise that tigers and oriental themes featured heavily. Strong saffron yellows, cinnabar reds and jade greens saturated silk, velvet, snakeskin and fur. What recession? The keynote of the collection however, was black velvet and there were a few gothic moments in the long, slinky black dresses and capes. The tiger references got pretty blatant when a cocktail dress was embroidered front and back with one of the noble beasts. Armani is certainly enjoying the resurgence of the jacket as a key item, and he presented every possible variation on the theme.

Where has the brazen Gucci vixen gone? Perhaps designer Frida Giannini realises that women are more into dressing for themselves these days? Her luxe sensuality is exactly what women want to wear, and commercially, it was a wise move. Calling it “Controlled Opulence”, she didn’t exactly go for the monastic look though; there were plenty of Body-con dresses with strategic slashes, luxury furs and over-the-knee boots to keep those jet-setting mistresses happy. The 1970’s infused caramel and black palette matched the tans of Milan’s pampered money honeys who will be the main customers. Giannini also focussed on the rear view, with lace-backed blouses and tailored trousers designed to create a pert backside …for women who like to have the last word.

In his second collection for Versus, British designer Christopher Kane recalled those 1990s Peter Lindberg shots of Linda, Naomi and co in biker leathers and pleated skirts. A kind of “S&M” ballet look, it featured playful takes on bondage straps and buckles – just like the Versace mainline did, all those years ago. Rather than tough leather, however, Kane worked with candy-coloured stiff stain, pleated to knife-edges. He also added accessories and T-shirts, a sign that the revamped Versus range is finding its young customers.

You want sexy? Disappointed that Milan isn’t delivering the thigh-grazing good-time dressing you came to expect? Head over to Pucci, where sex, froth and boho meet like the lovechild of Kate Hudson and Fergie (it’s no surprise they both featured in the movie “9”, the blingy, sexed-up Hollywood version of director Fellini’s life). Better start working on those glutes; the new Pucci look – dipped low to reveal bum cleavage and slashed high on the top of the thigh – leaves no place for cellulite to hide. Designer Peter Dundas mixed show-off with bohemia with dip-dyed prints, fringing and gold lace. Maxi-dresses seemed demure from the front before revealing every vertebra at the back. Who knew the hippie vibe could look so in-your-face sexy? But while Hollywood starlets will be clamouring for his show-off party dresses, we mustn’t neglect to mention Dundas’s talent for tailoring a jacket. From long and lean to bolero short in strong lines, these jackets will be finding their way into wardrobes around the globe.

It’s not Milan without Prada and this season Miuccia went sexy! Well, actually, a parody on what the world sells as sexy. Think Mad Men’s sexy office manager Joan Holloway with her magnificent bosom…and then some. To emphasise the point, slim girls were “endowed” with lingerie ruffles, while curvy Victoria’s Secret models like Miranda Kerr and Doutzen Kroes strutted their assets. It was also a re-working of some of Prada’s hits of the 1990’s, sure to get cash registers ringing. Those soft, full-skirted 1950’s and 1960’s silhouettes were back, gorgeous black coats encrusted with jet embroidery, quirky, nerd-chic print skirts and tweedy peacoats…it was a re-mastered greatest hits.

Kirsty Munro