The fashionistas all around the world have moved on to the Italian fashion capital to witness some of the finest designers showcase their collections for the Autumn-Winter. Milan Fashion Week officially started this week and has been a roller-coaster of trends on the runway. Until the 25th of February, all eyes will be on Milan as some of our favourite designers put forward their much-awaited collection!
The Last of Karl to Fendi
The fashion industry came to a standstill when the news of Karl Lagerfeld passing away was released on Tuesday, two days before the Fendi show. But time doesn’t really wait for any man, even though Karl was surely not just ‘any other man’. Years before his claim to fame with Chanel, Karl was hired by Fendi to modernise their fur line and stuck with the brand till his death.
Fendi’s A/W 2019-20 show held traces of Karl in all the designs that walked the runway. The stiff collars and sharp tailoring resonated with the brand DNA that Karl had built up during his tenure. Layers of translucent fabric paired with sharp pagoda shoulders and A-line coats revealed pale gold surfaces underneath. Laser perforated ‘fishnet’ leather highlighted the elegant 40s silhouette made up of beautiful black suits that brought in an era of Art Deco. Oversized mink did liven up the show for a completely different reason as groups of ‘anti-fur’ protesters lined the streets outside the venue, but that’s a story for another day.
With hair gelled to the scalp, the models gracefully walked the runway to the designs made by Karl for one last time, showcasing his iconic Fendi monogrammed bags, oversized sunglasses, mink hats, and bows at the neck, presenting the collection with relaxed authority.
Monochromatic Party
In this time when we’re bombarded with information, it can be difficult to remember everything we set our eyes on. It was refreshing to see the designers recycle their palettes and feed us information that not only our minds but also our eyes can handle!
Armani’s Homecoming!
With a broad theme of ‘Freestyle’, quite a few guests believed that Armani was finally back on track after long years lost wandering in the urban jungles! The collection was a diverse range of beautifully tailored trousers of varying width, and scarlet evening wear – a perfect mix of punk and elegance. The effortlessly donned jackets were the highlight of this show, comprising of puffed sleeves, soft edges, geometric patterns and much-loved Armani swing.
White Fury
Alberta Ferretti pulled out all the tricks from her sleeves this season, going bold with all-white looks with eccentric pieces that were in sync with her mix-and-match styling attitude. The designer focused less on styling and more on garments that shone all on their own. With wide leg pants and sporty jackets accessorized with white cowboy boots, Ferretti’s collection was mainly wardrobe staples with her signature imaginative flair. Her romantic dresses reminiscing the 80’s decade with gold lame and black lace upped the sensuous glamour, and surely made it a collection worth remembering.
Bad Romance
Prada decided to splurge on soul sucking dark florals, and we can’t stop loving it!
Prada carries forward its Pre-Fall collection of ‘Frankensteinish’ with Shelley’s much recognized invention. We see a bit of Wednesday Addams with long thinning braids, black dresses with romantic black lace trims and fierce looks that could easily scare away a puny man. But what we also see is a soft romance, albeit a little dark, in floral prints on black dresses, floral lace, oversized rose embroidered and black bows on utilitarian jackets and cargo pants. It doesn’t come as a surprise when the models float down the runway on the violin cover of Bad Romance!
Masking Glory
We truly wouldn’t be surprised if someone told us that guests who walked out of the Gucci show had become partially blind. I mean, what was with the harsh blinking lights?
But if you try not focus too much on the lights that could’ve ironically plunged you into the world of darkness, Gucci put on a show full of juxtapositions. Models strutted down the runway in garish masks that concealed (or revealed?) their identity – imagining it to be a conversation starter but at the same time a defence mechanism to hide behind. The two-inch spikes, the metal ear coverings and brass eagle talons clutching the jawline were all thought provoking and made us wonder what exactly is the meaning of everything we do.
The 40’s tailoring, sharp shoulders and nipped in waists, and trouser legs tied up with cords spoke of a whimsical innocence that resonated with the nonsensical words of childhood. The Gucci sneakers were game changers in this collection as we notice a few models holding them as handbags down the runway.
Images: vogue.com
Stay tuned for the second part of the Milan Fashion Week!
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