Spring 2012 Milan

Contact lens wearers beware: if the designers of Milan and Paris have anything to say about it, there's the potential for a lot of junk to be fallin

Ferragamo’s latest collection offered Jane of the Jungle chic (Tarzan’s single, anyone interested?). It kicked off with jungle prints on deep purples and warm reds, lavishly used on silk cocktail dresses--seemingly held together by a single knots--and jumpsuits paired with silk fire engine red, lapel-less jackets. A bit of an urban vibe came next (Parisian, maybe?), in the form of a prune leather jacket and a red and purple leopard print halterneck dress. The next looks had a more daytime vibe, consisting of pinstripe red and purple suits worn with an animal (of dubious origin) print silk top and strappy sandals. My personal favorite was a tartan blue suit, wide legged, with a top composed of tied scarves with cheerful, bouncy knots, and a matching, slouchy jacket--which made the lovely Sigrid Agren look straight out of Bergman movie.

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 wor

Blue sheer plaid, anyone? Looks like Marc Jacobs, Raf Simons, and Rachel Comey all got the same memo about aqua hued plaid for spring 2012. Not that w

And another one bites the dust: Yep, Milan Fashion Week is officially over. But just because the designers and models have all packed their bags and high-tailed it to Paris, doesn't mean we can't take a moment here to savor the sweet taste of Milano's shows, which saw a bevy of retro inspired and ladylike collections. Read on to see our 10 favorite shows from Milan Fashion Week. **All photos Imaxtree

MILAN--Missoni is hitting all the right notes at the moment: their memorable campaign with Leighton Meester, and the recent gargantuan success of their Target collaboration--modeled by Margherita--proved that the classic Italian house still knows how to remain contemporary. This was further reflected in the show, which was young and “re-interpreting our language, which is a constant challenge,” said Angela Missoni backstage, minutes after the show.

MILAN--In a game of 60s purity, ladylike touches, and 70s prints, the Marni collection read like a tale of a girl growing into womanhood. The well-behaved, clean cut collection kicked off with a series of reinterpreted baby doll dresses--knee-length, soft-toned, paired down--yet with subtle flap details at the front and a cinched waist, complete with stockings and a slip poking out. This was followed by sleeveless tops with a flare at the hips paired with a straight skirt. The patterns became more complex throughout the show: 70s geometrical prints, floral motifs in a pink palette and (perhaps the tour de force of the collection) a lurex embroided rose-hued dress, that looked neither tacky nor girly.

Start doing your sit-ups now because the crop top is having its resurgence moment for spring 2012. Everyone from Acne to D&G to Prada showed crop tops

Tommy Ton snapped one of our favorite street style bloggers and illustrators, Garance Dore, multitasking on the streets of Milan recently. In light

MILAN--When Emporio Armani’s models marched down the runway wearing straw boater hats and menswear inspired black and white cuts, one word came to mind: Coco. Sure, that’s an obvious one, but it’s a risky bet to take when Chanel’s last couture collection opted for similar headpieces and a similar (and hallmark) color palette. But this resemblance was fleeting. Soon the collection was spiced up, but discreetly: glitter slips poked out of dresses, sleeveless jackets were done in sequins, and dog collar necklaces were worn over the white shirts. Yet the clothes still maintained the clean-cut, menswear-inspired look--think blazers with cropped black trousers and white seams.

Last week, Lindsay Lohan was named the face of young German designer Philipp Plein's spring 2012 campaign. And this week Lohan really threw herself into her "face" duties, sitting front row at Plein's Milan show, hanging out with the designer all around town, and even wrapping the Spring 2012 campaign shoot. Thankfully, the campaign (which we saw in progress on JustJared) is far classier than we first feared. Shot in Como on what looks like a diving board, Lohan proved her modeling skills, posing artfully in a red-and-white outfit (American flag bag included) while scaling a ladder in scary-high stilettos. She also donned a pretty floor-length gown in the shoot. Overall, we have to say, Lindsay looked well...nice: She smiled, laughed and looked generally happy and more put together than usual. Plus, it's nice to see the girl in something that covers more than her upper thigh.

If you are one of those encyclopedic fashion types who can look at a designer dress and identify the runway show from whence it came, you may have found yourself a little confused lately. That sheer midriff-bearing Pucci dress that Gwyneth Paltrow wore to the Emmys on September 18? It turned up on Pucci's spring 2012 runway on September 24. Obviously Gwyneth is a special lady who gets special favors--but she's not the only celeb wearing fashion from the future.

Remember that Jennifer Lopez video “Ain’t it funny”, when a sepia-toned J-Lo finds herself magically whisked into a gypsy-ish/flamenco-y fantasy? This, is in a nutshell, was what Peter Dundas' spring collection for Pucci felt like yesterday: cropped peasant tops, flowy skirts, six-packs, big messy hair, and rosaries as chokers. The only thing missing was the topless toreador.

MILAN--We love Raf Simons’ work for Jil Sander--and after seeing yesterday’s show, we're crushing on him even harder. And with today's crazy revelation that the designer could be taking over for Stefano Pilati at Yves Saint Laurent, all eyes are on Raf. As always, his spring 2012 collection for Jil Sander managed to simultaneously reference modernism, architecture, history, and art, whilst remaining understated and precise. The show kicked off in an exploration of a Jil Sander staple--the plain white shirt dress. It looked almost nurse-like and came in cottons of contrasting thickness, as well as sheer versions. Soon, the silhouettes veered towards the 1950s with their cinched waists and straight lines: high-necked looks in black with brooches pinned to the waist spoke to a reserved night-time elegance, complete with hats pinned to the head with veils, for a decisively retro look. A lighter take on the monochrome palette were a series of white knitted jumpers with Picasso-esque faces embroidered into them.

MILAN--As Versace is getting ready to launch its much awaited collaboration with H&M (it will reportedly be a compilation of the brand’s most iconic moments), the Italian label chooses to move away for a second from its trademark prints for spring 2012. Last night's show was sexy (as always) but also soft at times, with a serious Little Mermaid vibe. At first sight, the clothes just screamed sexy: skirts of questionable length paired with cropped tops or just a bra, plenty of belly on show, and Pisa-high heels complete with lucite platforms--a tongue-in-cheek nod to Show Girls perhaps. Then studded or glitter starfish and seahorse motifs began popping up throughout the collection on a pastel palate well-suited for a newborn's room.

MILAN--Moving from the stereotype of ultra-sexy, vamp-like Italian women, Karl Lagerfeld offered a version of Milanese femininity closer to a Fellini film. Take Claudia Cardinale in 8 1/2: the softness of the 60s morphed with remnants of the 50s' womanly lines, bold but youthful. The spring Fendi collection achieved a similar balance. Wide straight-waist jackets were paired with high waisted a-line skirts. Throw in some breezy striped cotton ensembles and floral appliqués, and it all made for fresh yet decisively feminine silhouettes.

MILAN--For its swan song show, D&G explored one simple theme: scarves. On shoes and hats, as belts or bras. Giant scarves became entire dresses, tiny little ones kept sandals strapped onto feet. In what could have been a wink at Hermès’ recent carré-loving project, D&G’s show yesterday explored the silk square’s thousandfold uses--all in their trademark multicolored patterns.

MILAN--Prada’s show yesterday managed to be both cheeky and classic, retro and subversive. Last spring it was bananas, this spring it's cars. The venue was decorated with giant toy cars lining the runway--doubly referencing kindergarten years and the Italian man's stereotypical love for cars. 1950s silhouettes came marching down in the way of high-waisted pleated skirts, mid-calf woolen coats in gray with red seams, and plenty of embroidered flower patterns. Well-behaved? At first sight only.

It wasn't enough that the latter part of New York Fashion Week was dancing the Charleston (well, not literally), or that a select few London shows saw their waistlines drop. Now, Milan has jumped on board the 1920s trend, and that was just in the first day. You may have noticed some vintage-inspired looks at Gucci or even Alberta Ferretti's light-as-air exits at the beginning of the show. Filming of Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby is underway in Australia and we think designers are getting a little inspired.

MILAN--Like Hermès, Gucci’s mission (or fate) is to forever reinvent horseback riding chic. This season, it did so by introducing a clear, precise palette: black, white, green, bling. Like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde collection, the line seemed split into two opposing personalities. The daywear consisted of masculine silhouettes, mainly composed of suits--cropped jackets, green geometric motifs, gold buttons, and side zips that flared out at the trousers’ otherwise straight ankles. As for nighttime, the decisively more girly looks made a straightforward reference to 1920s flappers: fringed hems, drop waists and loose sleeveless tops.

The Prada livestream is starting now (noon EST)! Click HERE to see what goodies Muiccia is sending down her runway for spring 2012.

Prada is easily the most hotly anticipated show of Milan Fashion week. And we're live-streaming it on our site, starting at noon. We'll remind you again just before the show starts, but you'll click here to watch it. We caught a sneak peek at the runway through the livestream cam and there are CARS on the runway (way to one up Kanye, hehe). We're already excited.

Lindsay Lohan's had a rough go of it. No question about it. And after all her legal troubles, drug and alcohol problems and terrible collagen injections, what the girl really needs is a comeback. I mean, hey, Britney did it right? Well, we're happy to report Lindsay is really trying. Case in point: The troubled star has agreed to be the face of young German designer Philipp Plein's new spring 2012 campaign. Don't worry, we hadn't heard of him until now either. Remember, this is the girl who used to star in Miu Miu campaigns, for god's sake. No word yet on how the campaign will be styled, though in a press release Plein assures us, "Lindsay is a beautiful, highly acclaimed actress and model. We will be able to create unique images: Refined and luxurious, but also full of sensuality."

Gucci is the first big show of Milan fashion week and we're livestreaming it right here starting at 9 a.m. Click on over to watch! It's just like you're in Milano...