Alberta Ferretti
An incredible sheer nude palette served as a canvas for embellished flowers in the introduction to the show before moving through romantic waves into a bohemian wonderland. Ferretti has elegance down pat. She knows what women feel delightful in, and she delivers with a line-up that makes everyone gasp with anticipation. A sheer gradient overtakes denim, which even lends something traditionally sturdy and structured a taste of angelic innocence.
Chicca Lualdi
Simplicity received an update at Chicca Lualdi with summery print and refined color schemes. The focus was on impeccable tailoring, and a “less is more” mentality. Such an approach is a spot on for a collection that resulted in extremely wearable pieces sure to please a mass market audience.
Angelos Bratis
A parade of slinky, sensual dresses in a muted palette outlined a very bold and cohesive collection. Bias-cut designs were further enhanced by phenomenal color blocking. Billowy draping tied the drama together to produce an effect reminiscent of a Greek goddess. Bravo, Bratis.
Byblos Milano
Geometric 3D cube patterns and interrupted print made for an exciting presentation at Byblos Milano. A plethora of fabrics ranging from silk to leather received a special treatment from clever color splashes and feminine tailoring. Above-the-knee dresses and skirts cemented their presence as the predominant hemline.
Stella Jean
Stella Jean delivered on the promise of Italian tailoring with the fun flair of a tropical destination. Giving homage to half her heritage, she turned to Haiti for beautiful prints reminiscent of island streets. The silhouettes ranged from sleek and feminine to tomboyish in execution. A few dresses and skirt/shirt combos seemed a bit bulky. Aside from the few, the rest of the collection was as light and airy as a beachside breeze.
Andrea Incontri
Mr. Incontri looked to colorful and explosive expressions of light as the theme for his collection. It’s a worthy endeavor but as far as the universe goes there are endless combinations of such a theme. As a result, the collection’s colors seemed to clash a bit and fail to produce as stunning of an array of wonder as “infinite galaxies” might. Nevertheless, there were plenty of pieces that stood out in the disarray of the theme. The polka dot fil coupe pieces were stunning, so was the long coat dress in a navy trim with contrasting collar hues.
Gucci
The Seventies were at full swing at Gucci. Smart silhouettes announced themselves with a range of earth-toned and primary hues. Blue denim enjoyed a looser fit alongside structured military style jackets that fittingly adorned the citizens of the post-Vietnam War era. A Far East influence was more present than ever in Mongolian goat hair jackets, mandarin collars and delicate crane motifs. Like I said, the 1970’s dominated, and Gucci managed to keep the looks completely sleek, sexy and covetable.
I’m Isola Marras
Antonio Marras wanted this to be a playful and light collection, right down to his choice of using a multiple-choice admission test as part of his show notes. The story is of a Spanish international student enrolling in a fictional university. The translation was a collection of school-girl attire complete with black and white horizontal stripes, polka dots, and berets. Fun prints reminiscent of notebook scribbles adorned the dresses, as did a speckle of sequins that are so appealing to the younger crowd.
Fay
The market for street-wear inspired clothing is rapidly growing, and Fay designers Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi are hopping on the wave. Loud logos, oversized parkas, and loose tomboy silhouettes dominated. The collection reminisced somewhat of Nasir Mazhar’s offerings in London. Despite the growing trend, the looks felt a bit too overt in its attempts at blending into the urban landscape.
N°21
Allesando Dell’Acqua stuck to his tried and true signatures of sheer organza layers, lace, and a romantic appeal of the bedroom in this collection. There was a new twist with details throwing the looks a bit off-kilter. A hint of rebellion and nonchalance wedged itself into the line-up with incarnations such as a very exposing bralet and shoes with giant bows giving an awkward nod to a “don’t care” attitude. To be honest, he could have left these out for a much more successful execution, but there is still plenty to choose from in the signature separates.
Fausto Puglisi
A suburban gladiator ruled the runways at Fausto Puglisi’s show. Energy emanated from the bright pops of color and mixed geometric prints studded with rhinestones. Holes nodded at a distressed and grungy vibe youth is fond of, and gladiator sandals played with the long flowing dresses, refuting the idea that micro-minis and pleats dominate the shoe trend. While all the clothes didn’t lack in zest, some struggled at mass-market appeal.
Francesco Scognamiglio
The clothes displayed supreme humility with high necklines, long sleeves and ankle-skimming hemlines. To offset such a restrained quality, Scognamiglio sent out a sea of sheer fabrics that would put a lingerie store to shame. This is of little importance seeing that the looks had a heavenly quality to them. The vibe was light and airy, with the most delicate silhouettes and extraordinary lace and embroidery. The transparent nature of the materials can be toned down with a simple slip to maintain modesty while letting the nature of the dresses maintain their stunning quality.
Brunello Cucinelli
Brunello Cucinelli’s Spring 2015 collection was upbeat, slightly sporty, and every bit technical. Cucinelli isn’t a stranger to luxurious fabrics and designs. A signature palette of dusty tan and camel hues came with accents of ostrich, mink and python.
