Milan Fashion Week MFW Spring 2014 Paris '99 Picks!

Milano! The home of finesse, sex and pure unadulterated luxury! Its a succinct week full of some of fashion's biggest and most enduring stars, and a slow but sure rise of a new Milanese guard. I found favourites in both categories, and here they are!

Aquilano Rimondi have long been one of my picks as an emerging Italian force. Decorative, lux, capturing both elegance and youth. This collection delivered plenty. Striking bold colour panels, heavy 3D beading, volume and just enough skin, delish!
I remember in an early issue of mine around the end of the millenium, Vogue UK wrote an article about the 100,000pound Fendi fur coat. With technology having grown fifty fold since then and the advancements in what Silvia and Karl can achieve (remember the gold?) are incredible. The fur here floated like chiffon and coats came in hundreds of tiny geometric shapes, panels and strips. The treatment of layered geometric organza gave a grounded weightlessness, and almost everything was asymmetrical, a pet love of mine!
Peter Dundas at Emilio Pucci presented something that could have been Decarnin, but with the sass of Italy it came across as molto refined. The detail in the beading and embroidery is incredible, I would say far stronger than the prints.
I must admit I haven't given too much thought to Gucci since 2004, terrible I know, sorry Frida, nor am I one for 'sport luxe' but something about the Japanese bling with a boxing edge really grabbed me!
Marni's floral explosion that then became crystalline is spectacular and the juxtaposition of large and small scale florals is a great way to keep the eye moving, its a little distressing, I like that in fashion.
Distressing but amazing is Fausto Puglisi. There hasn't been much bondage this season but he combined it wonderfully with voluminous skirts and palms trees in varying sizes. The long leather look is just great, for an airconditioned space none the less!
xxx



Aquilano Rimondi!

Fendi!

Gucci!

Marni!

Emilio Pucci!

Fausto Puglisi!

London Fashion Week LFW Spring Summer 2014 Paris '99 picks!

London, the smallest of the 'big four' fashion weeks often is a launching pad for British designers who go on to bigger and better things abroad (read Galliano, McCartney, McQueen (RIP), Chalayan, Pugh and Philo). But it seems there is a push to keep things local and make everything bigger, better and more visible in order to engage public interest in the industry. Please read the following article about the new chair of the British Fashion Council, the fabulous founder of Net-A-Porter (Portay of biensur..), Natalie Massenet, after you look at the pics below of course haha :)
http://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2013/sep/22/observer-profile-natalie-massenet

Always a hotbed of excitement and energy, London is of course home to Burberry and Paul Smith, arguably two of the most established fashion houses around; and strong, now newish blood making waves in Mary Katrantzou, Christopher Kane, Simone Rocha and Erdem.
The designers I have chosen are a mix of the old guard, the new, and the rebirthed.
Antonio Berardi, Burberry and John Rocha have varying sizes of their houses but all have been London locals for the better part of 2 decades (I remember the late 1990s it's true!). Sexy tailoring and vampy dresses are always on Berardi's runway but this season is more relaxed. Christopher Bailey looks to lace and muted pastels, loving that lavender and murky mustard and mint!
John Rocha studies form in Gothic-y period styles and a nod to Japan, but his collection was decorative, floral and fresh with a dark edge which was just gorgeous. Now I am aware of family run labels where the children take over duties from parents and grandparents but I'm not sure, and correct me please, if there are many other children who have gone on to launch successful labels to compete with their parents, as in the case of Simone Rocha who has taken the world by storm with her what I've termed 'past modern futuristic collections'.
No introduction necessary for Tom Ford, transformed Gucci and YSL, film director, immaculate gentleman! He can do what he wants and he's sticking to his bondage, power and party roots where everything is fabulous and I love it!




Antonio Berardi!

Burberry Prorsum!

David Koma!

John Rocha!

Simone Rocha

Tom Ford!