Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2014 | A Review | The Old & The New

Milan | The Reinvention 

Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2014 is over and Paris just started. This year Milan was exceptional, better than previous years. La Camera Nazionale della Moda worked hard, by adding new talent to the runway calender like Stella Jean, MSGM and Fausto Puglisi, Costume National returned to Milan, whilst the established ones like Prada and Dolce & Gabbana  showed who they are with a spectacular collection from both.

MSGM

It's Massimo Giornetti's runway debut at Milan Fashion Week. A bright and lively edition, the prints and mix and match of MSGM was evident. It was a tropicana, Hawaiian inspiration and he put it out there remarkably well, he is here to stay. 

DSQUARED2

Brigitte Bardot in St. Tropez and Cannes, Sophia Loren in Capri, it was a rich woman's collection walking on the promenade enjoying the beautiful surroundings and lounging on her yacht. Cocktails and showgirls, a world of fun from Dan & Dean. 

ALBERTA FERRETTI

 Alberta Ferretti went for a colourful subtle collection perfect for the non working woman, off to her vacations in the sun and next to the sea. Tiered skirts and perfect femininity.

ANTONIO MARRAS

A collection of ethereal creatures, in Antonio Marras's enchanting Japanese Greek forest, perfect details belonging to the world of couture, sartorial and technical. So pure and calming, I loved it!

NO.21

Masculine blazers, oversized and long. No.21 was fresh, floral prints and pale colours, a sophisticated young women. Shirts emroided at  the hem, which looked like a dress. A bit of sex appeal was just right. 

MARNI

Visors, oh those visors, great! Marni gave us a floral Japanese embroideries with a sporty feel. Very wearable, young, and sophisticated. Loved the petals and all the accessories but the shoes, no, no, no!

BLUEMARINE

Sex! A summer night and the girl meets her boy. The collection was a total seduction, with flowers on embroided lace,  Italian sophistication, a provocation different from any other. 

ROBERTO CAVALLI

A very subtle collection from Roberto Cavalli yet still the Cavalli woman. It was a flapper 1930s, from the lengths to the silhouettes  kaftans, reptile print, shiny biker jackers beautiful fur and and intricate details. Technically masterful! Wow!

EMILIO PUCCI

Peter Dundas and his bad girl. She is hot and confident. Tight, no room for imperfect women, fringes, sport materials, hip-hop, embellishments, embroideries and a punk/rock. This is for the jet-set sporty cosmopolitan women. Any celebrity in mind?

FENDI
Karl Lagerfeld gave us wigs, what fun! Another deconstruction and constriction. He is ahead, an so is Fendi. A futuristic collection, lots of leather and laser cut organza. He even had Pooch like bags with fur. Genius

MAX MARA 

Straight lines, a sexy career woman, pale grey and bright colours. Coats and over sized jackets styled pencil skirts, slip dresses and sheer tunics, she is working it - understated sophistication.

COSTUME NATIONAL
A cool comback to Milan after 23 years. A reconstruction, maybe its his way of coming back, deconstruction or not, the blazers and colours were futuristic, the V-neck went straight down, leaving little to the imagination. She a new woman with a paradox, she came back to her old tailoring Italian roots. 

GIANFRANCO FERRÉ

A tribute to Gia Caragi and her sultry look, the collection had a neutral architectural feel, exceptional silhouettes with belts around the waist on all the looks. Asymmetry and refined lines - a winner. Beautiful!

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO

Massimiliano Giornetti's simple collection, yet a brilliantly well constructed/de-constructed forms. The cut-off blazer will have every fashionista wanting it. A neutral palette and masculine lines - Non-[Conventional].

THE TRENDS
1. The bed hair 2.Wigs 3.Colour Blocking 4.Deconstruction/Construction 5.Florals
6.Midriffs 7.White 8.Cut-offs 9.Art 10. Decadence

There was much much more, and so many other beautiful collections.
I love Milan Fashion Week and I miss it so much!

All the collections and reviews for Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Fausto Puglisi and Stella Jean 
are on my blog. 

Stella Jean Spring/Summer 2014 | Turbans, Prints and Métissage | MFW

A mix of cultures and Mr. Armani's pride | Stella Jean here to stay

The Roman born designer with Caribbean roots, definitely digged down very deep into many cultures for inspiration, as she describes it - trompe-l'oeil and Métissage. She showed a bold printed collection with turbans, 60's inspired dresses, a retro feel, her signature Wax & Stripes designs and impeccable tailoring. 

Wearing a "Grazie Mr. Armani" t-shirt, her first fashion show was held at the Giorgio Armani's theatre in Via Bergognone in Milan. A big hype was created around the show, even I got excited, and being on everyone’s mouth certainly put a bit of pressure on the designer but it all seemed effortless.

Armani has been of great support, especially for this one, but the designer is also part of a group of designers forming the ITC - a UN agency - The International Trade Centre's Ethical Fashion Initiative. This initiative had Stella Jean’s fabrics made and sourced from Burkina Faso. Ethnic as she calls but ”the word liberated from Western abuse and manipulators, to be returned to its authentic and far more egalitarian routes" – Stella Jean. 

The collection is a journey; a vacation, and it showed this as the styling was so meticulously detailed and every look was a collection in itself. She got inspired by the Italian Dolce Vita, Vespas, feminine silhouettes and that 60s vibe in Capri and St. Tropez. 

A kaleidoscope of colours, silk and prints, she made every look and garment stand out, using African & Caribbean impressions with European silhouettes as she explained. She blended and fused cultures together, and this is working well, as influential women like Franca Sozzani, have been seen wearing her designs everywhere. 

Voluminous dresses and skirts, blazers, trapeze jackets, pencil skirts, long coats, blazers inspired from the British culture, Breton stripes, fishtail hemlines, tunics, Capri pants, long skirts which one would definitely wear to a big event and a green skirt with zebras which caught my eye, was fantastic.  Pineapples and other fruits, the turbans and the men’s hats, jewellery and the list goes on, her models walked down with so much confidence. There is something for everyone, and every piece is particular.

 

 

 

She is the right designer for change, something so different from what we have seen that can cement her name into the fashion industry with the uniqueness that she possesses. 

Brilliant Stella Jean, I love your designs and hard work! 
Bella Romana, sei fantastica!

Laura

Photos from cameramoda.it and @stellajeanltd (instagram)