[kimair]

milan continued...

Ken Downing, senior vice president and fashion director, Neiman Marcus: “The whole romantic spirit — the ruffles the flounces, the bows — is right on the mark. Seeing a lot of dresses, with close-to-the-body silhouettes, is encouraging. And it’s great to see a real injection of sportswear into many collections. Jil Sander was outstanding and designer Raf Simons has redefined fringe, an important element in Milan. We loved Marni for the joyous colors, patterns and terrific colored horn accessories; Burberry for its ombrés and classicism; Bottega Veneta’s lavish luxe, and Aquilano.Rimondi’s chic take on orientalism. We loved the Lurex, lamés and sequins, the florals and random dots. One-shoulder silhouettes, oriental shapes and details and a new desert color palate are also important.”

Marigay McKee, fashion and beauty director, Harrods: “There was a distinct move away from flashy toward a more understated look, especially for Milan, where we usually see the flash. One got the impression that these collections were largely geared toward one’s ‘free’ time: pajamas at Dolce & Gabbana, garden-inspired themes at Burberry Prorsum, skorts at Missoni, in addition to many stunning gowns for the evening and micromini hemlines for the day — not so office-appropriate. Important trends were feathers and fringing. Exaggerated shoulders were a little trickier, but were fresh. I especially loved the metallic fabrics in Milan, particularly those at Prada and Burberry. One-shouldered dresses and gowns were everywhere, and perforations and laser-cut fabrics were beautiful and added detail and sophistication to many collections, particularly Fendi. I thought Gucci looked the strongest it has in seasons. The show was absolutely beautiful to the last detail — from a commercial standpoint, it was perfect for Harrods. I also thought Fendi was very strong, particularly the bags. I thought Burberry Prorsum was the most creative and engaging show of the week.”

Barbara Atkin, vice president of fashion, Holt Renfrew: “Milan gave us exactly what we came here looking for — luxurious product with the right amount of ‘wow.’ In the world of apparel, designers gave us well-balanced collections with many choices for our customers’ varied lifestyles. Heritage houses in the luxury world are raising the bar and positioning themselves at the top end of luxury. The overlying trend was geometry versus femininity, and key elements included seasonless fabrics; details like fringe, ruffles and bows; transparency and cutouts, and polkadots. Key items include lightweight, easy toppers; strong-shouldered, man-tailored suits with ankle-bearing slim pants; longer vests; jumpsuits; soft flirty skirts; lightweight cardigans, and short, above-the-knee “fit and flare” shirt and halter dresses. Accessories took center stage this season — bigger and bolder than ever. Luxury brands are reinforcing the importance of the statement handbag and jewelry this season, as evident in bold earrings, necklaces and cuffs. The waist was emphasized by the use of dramatic belts. Clearly, the entire world of accessories has become an important extension of designer brands. There was a lack of innovation this season in footwear, as designers did not take forward their aggressive and extreme designs, except Fendi, which gave us a new trompe l’oeil stiletto wedge. My favorite collections were Jil Sander, Marni, Prada, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana.”

Averyl Oates, buying director, Harvey Nichols: “With the financial world in such a downturn, we expected Milan to be more subdued, minimal and toned down in comparison to last season. Despite this, it is still about luxury and, this season, about chic simplicity and subtle details, often inspired by the Twenties through the Forties. Fringed dresses at Jil Sander will be one of the must-have items of the season and no doubt will influence what’s happening on the high street. At Missoni, the Lurex story looks fresh and grown up, and the softer new style of prints once again shows that the house has moved on and is a force to be reckoned with. The color-blocked sequin outfit that closed the Marni show must, despite any talk of credit crunch, encourage every woman to reach for her wallet. Finally, as always, we must mention Prada. The chic, couture-inspired, bustier crinkle dress shown with a cropped open jacket is timeless, feminine yet provocative….Milan got the mood right by creating exciting clothes you must buy regardless of the bank balance.”

Rosi Biffi, owner, Biffi and Banner, Milan: “The best were Marni, Alberto Biani and Gucci. Marni [creative director Consuelo Castiglioni] has the creativity of an artist; Biani is chic, has measured, true elegance, is young and refined; Gucci is the expression of energy, modernity and curiosity. At Marni and Gucci, everything was special and unique. At Biani, the pants were not easy, perhaps, but beautiful, as were the slim jackets in soft and delicate tones. A number of shows were boring and uncoordinated. Overall, this was a season when both designers and clients were careful, keeping their eyes wide open.”

Michele Giglio, owner of seven boutiques in Palermo, Italy: “Giorgio Armani was very feminine and sexy. Gucci’s daywear was impressive. It worked very well. I liked the safari jacket, the suits — everything was very elegant. Prada was revolutionary, innovative, [Miuccia Prada] always takes risks. We should take pride in our Made in Italy, our fabrics, craftsmanship and designers.”