The “Moda” in Milan was certainly “Alta;” no denim or designer leggings to be found anywhere. Instead, we found gorgeous felt coats and tailored dresses–a new reserved chic, often refreshingly subverted with slightly rumpled styling. We’re excited about this “Downton Dowager” idea, as well as all the other news from the Italian shows.
Check out our list of the top ten trends the from the city where luxury knows NO limits.
New show reviews and galleries are in from Milan! Check out Just Cavalli and Sportmax.
The Sportmax woman can be informal or casual–but she’s always polished: A fact which the brand’s fall 2013 collection demonstrated perfectly.
We’re still in Milan, eating chunks of parmesan, pleading with PRs, and bringing you the latest show notes and galleries. Today we’ve got MaxMara’s sportier more casual li’l sis Sportmax, Fendi’s Rubik’s cube-y collection, and Christopher Kane’s loud prints and plasticized fabrics (all with a live soundtrack provided by Beth Ditto) at Versus.
The Clothes: The little sister to MaxMara, Sportmax offers a more casual, if not necessarily younger, take on MaxMara’s classic sleek style. Looks had a relaxed feel–pants were roomy, shirts untucked, coats unstructured. The glossy green separates particularly succeeded at this casual chic balance: I was kind of obsessed with the coat and the pencil Read more →
Metallics were shining brightly on the runways of Milan this past week, continuing a trend we saw in London and New York before that. While the word “metallic” usually means hard and shiny, the offerings on the runways were decidedly more soft and fluid. Sequins added shine to the brighter colored garments in many of Read more →
MILAN–Sportmax‘s fall collection was inspired by Scandinavia: Ingmar Bergman, Arne Jacobsen, Hans Christian Andersen. Whether or not that would have been obvious if we hadn’t read the show notes, we’re not sure. But what we can say is that we liked most of it, especially the tweeds, and the accents of patent leather in peplums, t-shirts, and belts. The cadet blue turtleneck swing dress with a panel of chenille was a key look for us, as was the brick red silk shirt dress at the end, made sexy with a cut-out back. We liked the terracotta colorway that emerged about half way through, as well as the fair isle knits. But we could have done without the strange floral numbers that closed the show.
MILAN–Sportmax, the kickier, more gently priced label from MaxMara, was inspired by the 1967 French musical Les Demoiselles de Rochefort for Spring. True to their inspiration, Sportmax showed plenty of schoolgirl-ish A-line dresses with deep-v pleats in the front, just like the ones Catherine Deneuve wore in the film (or Madeleine wore to school). In keeping with that playful, youthful ’60s vibe, models were styled with peppy swinging ponytails. To emphasize the light and cutesy mood of the show, a butterfly motif ran throughout–in prints on dresses, and appliqued on boxy sheer organza button downs.
While the show opened, like many others this month, with all-white looks, the palette soon moved into bright poppy, hot pinks, and yellow. Finale party dresses were sequined and color blocked with low open backs to give that wholesome school girl who opened the show some sex appeal. In between the slinkier sequined looks and the crisp white, khaki and navy trapeze dresses that opened the show, outerwear stood out. Dusters were embellished with zippers and drawstrings, and trenches and raincoats were cropped and glimmered in patent leather. Fitting since the Sportmax girl seems like just the type to relish in some puddle jumping during a rain shower. The label will just have to equip her with the perfect wellies.
Click through for more photos from Sportmax SS2011.
