According to Krizia a new sobriety is inspiring fashion for next winter. Silhouettes grow longer, both in overcoats and in evening dresses, with a mysterious, priestly look (like the long icon-dresses emerging from the shadowybackground of a Piero Pizzi Cannella painting), and certainly suave with their silks and laminates. But all seriousness is soon contradicted by the long splits that reveal the entire length of the leg with each step; by top-stitching borrowed from a more casual wardrobe; by cheeky Mongolian fur shoulders on necklines (o waistcoats); by feisty leather or neoprene bodices; or by a single leather shoulder strap supporting an entire draping. Shoulders are large and slightly raised (not only in jackets and overcoats, but even in a sheath dress), emphasising the otherwise close-fitting silhouette, which is further tightened by leather strap harnesses, borrowed from certain types of work clothes; contrasting top-stitching and protective padding give garments a thickness feel, as if they were sculpted. Cuts are carefully designed to follow the body's anatomy. Contrasting inverted pleats take us by surprise, even in certain pants. Other close-fitting trousers feature a low crotch, but there are also some glossy coated tight black jeans. Whimsical leather shoulders on a draped silk dress or on oversized knitwear in kid mohair; snug poncho-scarves; not to be missed is the gold lamé pant suit, a triumph of horizontal plissés.
Milan- bright and early morning of the 3rd day of the fashion week, to the tone of a military march, Moschino's army marched down the runway. The first outfits that started off the show were totally stolen from a barracks: sixties military jackets with gold buttons, maxi black hats that hide the face and tight leggings. The collection continued with military inspired clothes but revisit color block combinations.
Milan- Gucci opened yesterday for the first day of the Milan fashion week. Frida Giannini, -the creative director- shows one more time her love for the past. A noir and Vittorian atmosphere characterizes the entire collection: women come directly from the 1800's where the dark was sublime and where the poets were anguished and charming.
For the day time, Gucci wants an androgynous woman that looks like a soldier wearing tails, Jodhpur pants and jacket with marked shoulder pads. In the evening, the long chiffon dresses hug the body like a second skin, where the play between transparency and precious facing gives us the idea of a beautiful, but at the same time mysterious, mermaid coming out of the water.
Fabrics are velvet, used for light pants and dresses, chiffon, shearling, brocade and silk. Colors used are forest green, purple and black.
The music starts as the lights rise creating a dark and dreary setting that suddenly emerges an elegant and rebellious beauty. The beauty strongly exuding structure, finely tailored garments and edginess to the crowd captives with her strength and independent demeanor,carefully she begins the story for the audience that the following models will tell. We as the audience know that the Fall/Winter 2012 Collection depicts the dominant revival of the 1940's military era with overly exaggerated A-line dresses and coats, high leather boots, over the elbow leather gloves and sleek hair for a more enduring silhouette. There is nothing about these stern walking, full of attitude and highly erotic models that doesn't make us all want to be the McQueen "it" person everyday.
The overly pointed lapels of each coat working with the highly laced leather and military boot, tapping and stomping to the beat of the house music drastically plays up the 1940's. The key features that dramatically completed these looks were the hair and makeup choices. Dramatic, sleek and sexy side parts, as well as overly exaggerated curls for the women intensify the story being told. The makeup makes us question, due to the fact that there is nothing but subtlety creating visible androgyny. The McQueen models truly rectifies and reinstate that persona that the late McQueen himself always exuded in each and every one of his collections. His name truly lives on in the brand due to the continuation of his natural esthetic he held so dear within his designs.
Before continuing into a review of the collection itself, the creativity and uniqueness of the styling and the decoration of the show. An army of 41 women marched on a purple carpet decorated with Navajo symbols, and were all styled with hair extensions contrasting their hair along with smudged eyes.
Miuccia did a splendid job styling both dresses and skirts over pants. Each of the models carried either a purse, a satchel or a 'doctor's bag', each completely unique.
Erdem’s A/W 2012 collection in London, must have been beyond your expectations.
The common look for all 38 pieces were a set of trendsetting patterns.