A review of Giorgio Armani, Salvatore Ferragamo, Missoni, and Dolce and Gabbana Spring 2014 collections.
Milan Fashion Week came to a close yesterday with Giorgio Armani being one of the biggest shows of the day and easiest to relate to. The thing about Armani is that he has set his signature looks very high. There is something so confident and serene about his couture cuts you can tell right away who made that dress. He knows who he is and that is all that matters to succeed. While others may find his show a bit boring (or the same continuation), I’m always intrigued to see his palette of colors like subtle pale blues, pinks, and grays he showed for his new collection. Trust me, you can’t find those types of luxury colors anywhere.
What’s more interesting is that he manages to use the same classical types of fabrics – silk, viscose, chiffon, pique, velvet and wool – and inject into them couture-cuts that are a plus; so delicate it seems they’re worth a fortune. I’ve always been a believer that a woman’s greatest investment should be owning a great pair of Armani trousers or suits, because these designs will never fail to make a great impression. Where he experiments as a designer though are in his prints which sometimes fail to do the work. Some made a nice impression like a digital floral jacket matched with a ghostly faded printed skirt. In all, we saw some of the same classical looks we’ve been familiar with but minimally modernized in some sort of ways.
Salvatore Ferragamo will be a brand to watch for next season. Creative director, Massimiliano Giornetti, has had his ups and downs over the past few seasons, but I actually saw potential in his new spring 2014 women’s collection. For those of you who are not familiar with this prestigious label, Ferragamo was one of the most iconic names in Hollywood designing shoes for stars like Marilyn Monroe and others. And that has been the goal for Giornetti, keeping the essence of refined glamour.
He began his show with relaxed creamy striped suits and cropped trousers paired with snakeskin bra tops, sleeveless suit dresses, and others suits cut in half to appear between a cropped top and mini skirt over pants (all detailed with small belt straps). His most talked about pieces were his skirts pleated only halfway at the sides. Some girls may love them and others may not, but his leather numbers felt buttery soft; I personally thought the first few without wraps around looked nicer. He didn’t include much of dresses this season as for he opted to go for skirts and appealing knitwear, but he did include three halter dresses, which I thought his metallic ones, like a gold pleated dress, was casual-luxe. And he may have not imbued a great glamour vibe, but where he did outdo himself was in outerwear – trenchcoats, sleek leather hoodies, blousons, and biker jackets - like his intricate snakeskin jackets that will be a dream for the edgy generation of young girls and women.
Missoni has been one of those luxury knitwear labels I have been fond of for the past few years. But recently, the family run business seems to be taking things to another direction. Their new collection felt awkward in some ways – birds printed on knitwear, quirky fringed dresses, nature prints – that lost the spirit of the Missoni zigzag signature codes. There were some pretty pieces like their knitwear cardigans and color-block skirts and tops that were fresh. Knitwear is there supreme niche, and we’d love to see more their visible high-tech knits making a strong return soon as were present in their men’s spring 2014 collection.
At Dolce and Gabbana there was a beautiful treasure hunt going on. Applique of floral and Greek coin dresses, gold laser-cut dresses, intricate prints of ancient ruins, lustrous embroidered dresses, souvenir accessories, and much more to indulge on. We know designers, Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce, have had a hard time lately with the business of their brand, but they’ve managed to show that they deserve to be doing what they do best……………designing to create beautiful clothes and represent Italy in an honorable manner. Most Italians would be proud to have Dolce and Gabbana be a representation of what true Italian fashion is all about. I don’t know about you, but it kind of is a joy to see these designers come up with creative ideas that are marketable yet a personal collection that speaks about their beliefs and history.
There was so much more to choose from then just the previous descriptions: sheer polka dot blouses and dresses; lacquered skirts and dresses in forest green, burgundy, and red; jacquard coats; soft furry skirts and tops; swimsuit pieces. Their fur numbers were the only thing I wasn’t fond of, but from there on, the hours of thoughts and craftsmanship that was put into this collection paid off. These were clothes that were made to empower the balance between a delicate and powerful woman. And hopefully aid in balancing the company even more. If feels like a family when you purchase something from this brand.
Giorgio Armani knows how to dress a woman with class. His Fall 2013 Couture collection was without a doubt one of the most beautiful collections we had yet to have seen from Mr. Armani. He opted to stay away from bolder colors and instead go for nude colors that would blend perfectly with his old Hollywood theme. The collection described everything about the Armani woman: sensual, sophisticated, luxurious, and of power.
He began his show with a series of nude numbers that could take your breathe away. His suits were cut with such a subtle manner, it was difficult not to fall in love with them; the construction of those shoulders portrayed superb authority. But what probably made his suits a stronger presentation were pairing them with a number of impeccable matching and lightly embroidered wide-legged trousers. Mr. Armani indeed reconfirmed he can cut a perfect pair of his signature trousers, because whether he fails or not in any season, his classical trousers always saves him from a harsh critic. One thing for sure is that if you ever decide to go for his couture trousers here - luxury cotton, silk lame, and organza - or his more affordable ones, be assure that you will have invested in the perfect pair of dress pants any women seeks for; a sophisticating at a high level included.
He also introduced several handmade lace tops that imbued a sensuality with those hair styles the models wore. A full laced trench coat would be a magical fortune for any women who purchases it, as for his evening wear dresses were fit for a royal ceremony. The Emmy's are arriving sooner than you believe, and a dress from these collection (such as one pictured on the right above) wouldn't hurt anyone who seeks for a beautiful piece that could speak for itself.
Donatella Versace scored some major points in her Fall 2013 Couture collection. How much sexier do you want couture to be? Oh, and then have Naomi Campbell walking down the runway like the Queen she is selling anything with ease.
That was what Versace seemed to be pushing the limits here. Besides her tight hugging sexy leather dresses paired with mesh and crocodile jackets that are sure to sell like price were nothing, she came out with a number of dresses whose fabric were only held together with Swarovski pins that led to reveal laced tops. Her dresses were in fact delicate and provocative if were to think about it. One navy dress (pictured in the center) had one worry and curious to see a wardrobe malfunction occur at any time.
What was interesting to have seen here was for Versace to include back again few mink jackets that in general have not played well for brand. But it was maybe the fact that we were hypnotized by Naomi Campbell closing the show in one black crystallized mink jacket and very provocative sleepwear vest that we were intrigued to have one. Although returning to reality, you have to be honest that not anyone would wear as good as the Queen.
Day 4 of 4 Milan Men's Fashion Week: Sporty Cool
Vibe: The Power of Blue.
Giorgio Armani seems to feel blue is the power of masculinity. You can't recall a season you won't see specifically any blue, white, or gray in Armani's menswear collection. Blue was for the most part the center of attraction, because it is the way Armani handles his designs that never makes them dull. Graphic t-shirts were interesting to see in Armani's collection.
He did in fact squeezed in small amounts of pastel colors, like one washed orange trouser with an impeccable brown laser-cut jacket that looked freshening yet classical for the Armani man. Suits weren't as compelling to see, because it is about the same construction that he delivers each season. One white dress shirt in particular - cut in an asymmetrical form with a stand-up collar (above) - felt new, even though we know assymetry is what Mr. Armani favors. Crocodile duffle bags - in white and dark blue-green - were noteworthy.
Vibe: The Jungle Lifestyle.
Dean and Dan are the go to designers for an adventurous journey. That is what Dsquared2 has always been about. In fashion the term "cool" can refer to clothes that have an appealing silhouette that could favor a younger audience. But with Dsquared2 cool is refers to what an actual young teenager would go wild for, begging his parents to give this as his Birthday present. The kid doesn't ask for much.
The Jungle was the inspiration Dsquared2 took for its men's spring 2014 collection. Baggy jeans, prints of wild jungle animals on jackets, protective boots, and joyful necklaces were just a part of this exciting collection. Their zebra print leather jacket imbued somewhat of a sexier appeal with those olive leather shorts. It was a cool kids dream. Naughty were their printed swim shorts and underwear. Formalwear also had a spice factor they can keenly elevate. A bronze tree branch print suit paired with rich black tailored pants and glossy loafers was a finale that marked the outgoing cool guy Dsquared2 is.
Vibe: The Sleek Morning Trend.
Z Zegna is like the brother of the high-class Ermenegildo Zegna, who Stefano Pilati made presence of in its spring 2014 collection. They may be brothers with the same taste of luxury house codes, but a very opposite sense of style. What Stefano Pilati made in high-end relaxed silhouettes, Paul Surridge went with high-end sporstwear silhouettes.
Surridge changed slim pants for more relaxed silhouettes that had a high silky movement that resembled track pants athletes would wear in a much more refined manner. He shifted from dress shirts to light fabric boxy t-shirts tucked under comfortable high-neck knits that looked sophisticated to say the least. There were also a number of suit "pajamas" that had nice relaxed tailoring to them. It was perhaps the color choices that aided them to feel modern. Surridge did include few pastel colors, like a rich cream bone jacket that wasn't too much for the models hairstyle theme. Thin leather bags, almost paperlike, were appropriate for the collection. In short descriptions, it felt like the closet a man would be fond of dressing as in the morning when those tiresome casualness kick in.
