Max Mara Catwalk Fashion Show Milan Womenswear FW16

You can never have too much of a good thing. Especially when we’re talking about the most perfect, envious and comfy winter coats. What else could you expect from Max Mara? Well, nothing but their signature coats. And of course their famous camel palet. The Italian label has proven to not just design easy, trendy clothes, but items that actually work and are highly valued in any woman’s wardrobe. Although, any, you have to have some big money to spent. The label sent oversized outerwear (of course) in varying shades of camel, beige (of course) and even some soft pinks down the catwalk. Pretty descent and office-ready you could say. But never judge to early folks, because those dark lips and golden shiny sequins (even a nipple gate) were the most in-your-face-sign that there was more going on underneath that classic camel coat.
And soon enough it was spiced up by some heavy splashes of bold colours such as orange, blue, green and yellow. Sometimes all in one outfit. The striped prints, fluffy sweaters, furry floor-lenght coats and pentyhose made it more playful. Same goes for the oversized suits and the huge striped pockets on blazers and jackets. Although the previous fall collection, inspired by Marilyn Monroe and embodied by Gigi Hadid, felt more sensual, this collection felt more like a “I’m not trying to be really sexy, I just am (and please, don’t take me too seriously)” It may not be the most entertaining and talked about show on the Milanese fashion schedule, but they certainly know how to stay true to their signature aesthetic, which is still one of our favourites.

Alberta Ferretti Catwalk Fashion Show Milan Womenswear FW16

Although the day was about to end for us, slowly drifting into the night, the Ferretti show was just starting and took us back to dawn. Looking at the wintry woods backdrop, a new day is about to start. Nature is unfolding, slowly waking up. That quiet moment in the early hours, it breaths nothing but romance. And that’s exactly what she took in mind when designing her winter collection, bringing together the Italian Renaissance (yet again, just like in her previous fall collection) with a bohemian touch. The harshness of today’s society was completely forgotten by the the sophistication and softness of the materials, giving the whole collection a light and airy vibe. Like some sort of fashion meditation, cradling you into a peaceful (although aware) state of mind. You could almost smell the intense craftsmanship. We wanted to push our noses into the beautiful brocades, velvets, and jacquard patchworks, the embroideries on the feather light dresses, flowy lines that sculpted the womens bodies perfectly. The touch-me textures, lace details, see-through tops, PJ-like suits and the fur-collared capes. The whole collection was impregnated with her well-known and acclaimed signature of softness yet assertive femininity. And that’s why we all want to be, and can be, a Ferretti woman. Every woman is craving for this perfect balance between romance and feeling too fragile. The intrusive iPhones in the audience taking pictures, they almost felt so inappropriate and weird in this Italian Renaissance theatre. Or wasn’t it? Not, according to Ferretti, who built her collection on image building and how we communicate image building these days. The leap between images from the Renaissance and the modern day snapchats and Instagram posts, both having the exact same function but in a completely different way. There is a huge leap in time for sure, but only in time, not in fashion sense. Because we can definitely imagine lots of modern day women in these fashion pieces.

Fendi Catwalk Fashion Show Milan Womenswear FW2016

At Fendi ruffles, frills, and flounces represented waves (Einstein’s gravitational waves to be precise). They popped up on sleeves, yokes, collars, hems, boots and handbags. Midi dresses, a pair of babydoll shorts, 7/8 high waisted pants, an oversize quilted coat and patchwork midi skirts. Like you’d expect at Fendi the clothes existed of a fair amount of fur, mixed with velvet and satin. Classic rich materials to create contemporary looks. Luxury for the cool kids who have already added those wave inspired sunnies and frilled thigh high boots to their f/w obsessions. Light pastels worked beautifully with deeper shades. Especially in the case of a light blue cable knit paired with a high waisted emerald colored pair of pants. Sir Lagerfeld know how to make a wave or two.

Roberto Cavalli Catwalk Fashion Show Milan Womenswear FW2016

Seventies rock, or Cavalli with a definite touch of Pucci, was Peter Dundas f/w2017 style of choice. His series of beautifully handcrafted looks presented in front of a brocade back drop were the ultimate, richly colored, mix of strong and sensual, feminine and flamboyant. Necklines low, waists high. Sheer maxi dresses paired with fur lined velvet coats. Shiny silk suits worn with skinny lurex scarves. Belted flared jeans and embroidered patchwork capes. A subtle touch of tiger here, some snake skin there; overall animal prints played a subsidiary part to the floral prints and baroque detailing. Italian craftsmanship at it’s best.

Gucci Catwalk Fashion Show Milan Womenswear FW2016

Our invite to the Gucci show that kicked off Milan fashion week was undoubtedly the hottest ticket of the week. Since Michele took over as creative director one year ago Gucci has become one of the most influential and trendsetting brands in the industry. An incredible accomplishment. Yet after rising to the top so quickly it’s even harder to stay there. Wednesday’s show proved Gucci is still all the rage, although perhaps Michele should be aware not to overdo his dress up game. For fall he again pulled from different eras to create the richest of looks. Seventies disco sandals and sequined dresses, eighties sunglasses and puffy shoulders in the mix with 18th century collars and 16th century bodices. An expressive mix of styles the designer referred to as “The Renaissance arrives at Studio 54.”. There was so much focus on detail it was almost too much to take in in such a short amount of showtime. The earrings, the (glittering) glasses, the turbans, the fedoras, the multi finger rings, the branded socks, the necklaces, not to mention the latest update of the highly desirable Dionysus bag. Graffiti artist Trouble Andrew created a series of G-prints that were used on ready-to-wear and accessories. All of which came together in a gorgeous fall proof palette of emerald, ruby red, soft pink and turquoise. Conclusion: fw2017 is a definite worthy successor of Gucci’s current hit collection.

Burberry Catwalk Fashion Show London Womenswear FW2016

The Burberry-collection for fall is a polished, high-shine medley of some of Christopher Bailey’s passions: military tailoring, the Mitford sisters, the Bloomsbury Group and some of his favorite art and music.
Bailey mixed masculine military overcoats with a battalion of glittering dresses. They came short with flippy pleated skirts; quilted or textured to resemble lightweight tapestries, or long with fluttery sleeves in a nod to the bohemians of Bloomsbury.
The designer also worked with lamé, Lurex and real metal yarns to give his silhouettes an insectlike iridescence. Sometimes, shine came from crystal embellishment and sequins, as in a cluster of minidresses that shone with a magnified flower pattern.
Outerwear — when it wasn’t doing military duty — came in materials such as bright green python, blanket plaid, technical down, high-shine leather and with details such as oversize toggles and fur.

Recap New York Fashion Week Womenswear FW2016/2017

New York, New York. Concrete jungle where dreams are made of. Especially fashion dreams that is, for the last few days at least. What a week! While London is already strutting and twirling down the catwalk, we quickly look back on some of the biggest trends and most spoken and surprising moments (Lady Gaga! Marc Jacobs! Oh my god!) of the sartorial event. Study up and get ready.

1. Yeezy madness
Instagram. Facebook. Snapchat. Twitter. Medison Square Garden that was exploding with excitement. Kanye took over the whole universe. What can we say? We completely ran out of conversation topics except for this. His beautiful dark twisted fantasy got him in one straight line to No.1 on every surface (the clothes, the album) and beyond.

2. Lady Gaga on the go
Okay, so we couldn’t stop talking about the fully packed A-list front row at Marc Jacobs show and the crazy shoe platforms (especially how to gracefully walk on these), but the actual talk of the town was -of course- Lady Gaga making her New York Fashion Week runway debut. ‘Lady Gaga on the go’ as some of them stated.

3. See now, buy now
The world of fashion is changing more than ever and we notice and increasing number of brands going for a ‘see now, buy now’ approach. Focus is shifting towards consumers instead of the fashion professionals, which is why collections are shown in current season, aligning with its retail schedule, rather than six months from now. Which makes it possible for us hungry fashion buyers to order the collections and our favourite runway pieces as soon as they hit the runway. Like Proenza Schoulers ‘The Early Edition’ and Michael Kors ‘Ready to wear, ready to go’ collection, and many other commanding officers such as Tommy Hilfiger, Tom Ford and Rebecca Minkoff.

4. Riri’s Runway
Yep, the American superstar couldn’t make it to the Grammy’s, perhaps it had something to do with her catwalk debut. It’s hard -okay, impossible- to top the Kanye Yeezy madness, but still she got the whole fashion crowd buzzing over her Fenty x Puma collection. All the important ingredients were there: Anna Wintour in the front row, Naomi Campbell on her side and Gigi Hadid as her muze. The collection was not very surprising (black and white sporty-sexy looks with a huge street wear factor mixed with gothic elements) yet it was in some looks (giant grey furry bumbags and rucksacks and sweatpants worn with suspenders and fluffy hoodies).

5. Let me entertain you
Of course, the clothes itself make your succes. But the importance of entertainment must not be underestimated. It’s 2016 for god’s sake and everyone has an Instagram that needs to be updated. So bring in the show elements and theatrical settings. Like Thom Browne’s walk in the park, the choreography at Moncler and, sorry we have to name him again, Kanye’s incredible show/album release.

THE TRENDS
1. That socks!
It’s not that often that socks play such a prominent role in our outfits. Let alone on the catwalk.
But you better change your mind and score some sporty, chic or doll-like pairs that perfectly match with your shoe collection.

2. Shine on
Sequins and shimmers for winter? Oh, yes! Take a look at Joseph Altuzarra, Michael Kors, Derek Lam and Rodarte to check out some new and unexpecting ways to integrate them into your winter wardrobe. And what about the metallic suits and dresses at Oscar de la Renta and Marc Jacobs, the almost floor-length gold swirling skirts at Ralph Lauren and J.Mendel’s glimmering dresses? It definitely lights up the long and dark days.

3. The statement coat
Preparing for winter means finding you the perfect coat. And once you’ve found it, you most likely will cherish it forever (we do!). No wonder the main piece of almost every winter collection is a good -corrrection: outstanding- coat that needs to have a head turning elegance. What else helps you bare against the frigid temperatures and makes you feel sexy and confident at the same time.

4. Protect your neck
While Busta Rhymes was more into breaking things, Wu-Tang Clan made a track that perfectly rimes with one of the biggest trends for upcoming winter season: protect your neck with fashionable garments like polo necks, scarves, chokers (no joke) and especially turtle necks under sweaters, jackets and dresses (huuuuge trend!).

5. It’s shearling my darling
If your statement coat isn’t supposed to be long, lean and classy, than perhaps you have to think more towards the classic but always cool aviator-style jacket seen at Lacoste and Altuzarra. But we definitely dig the bomber style version of Rag&Bone too.

6. Blackout
Black lips, black eyes, black clothes. Get ready to get in touch with your darker side, wether in a gothic, chic, romantic or street wear cool ambiance. Check out Marc Jacobs, Rihanna for Puma, Proenza Schouler, Rodarte and Philip Lim to choose your exact direction.

7. Jolly Jewelry
Bring in the statement pieces to adorn yourself with, like Rodarte’s cuff of calla lilies, silver beaded nineties chokers and swinging look-at-me bell earrings.

8. They plaid us
But for once, in a good way. Take a look at Victoria Beckham, Calvin Klein, Rachel Zoe and Rag&Bone on how to wear the plaid in a much simpler and cleaner way than you might used to. Check check check.

9. Brush off your shoulder
Get ready for some sexy silhouettes. Shoulders are still the erogenous zone if you ask the fashion forecasters. If you’re not the type of person to show too much bare skin, this way of dressing might be your call.

10. Follow the furs
Wether it be real or fake, make sure you cover yourself up in some fluffy garments that make you the perfect victim to cuddle (how fun!). Opt for a full-on furry coat or a classy collar. You thought this was already pretty striking? Hold on, you’re not there yet. Because make sure it’s very colourful too. We put all our money on Michael Kors, Prabal Gurung, Rodarte and J.Crew.

Want to dive a little deeper into every collection? Check out all our show reviews.

Mary Katrantzou Catwalk Fashion Show London Womenswear FW2016

For her fall collection, Mary Katrantzou translated her inspiration (an early commitment to American ’50s Western styling) into a collection of colorful and sparkly cowgirl clothes. Models tread an aluminum-foil runway in boxy rodeo jackets, shirtdresses and sheer dresses, all plastered with appliquéd hearts, stars and flames. The designer made a good case for a tooled leather pencil skirt, and the slightly pervy blouse — a sheer black polka-dot one, and a chestnut ciré silk yoked version — all of them “off” enough to be cool. At the end, there was a finale of extravagant dresses in tulle, several of which could find their way to the Oscars. But actually, it was the simple shirtdresses with manically jeweled panels on the front that came out as the winners.

Gareth Pugh Catwalk Fashion Show London Womenswear FW2016

Garteh Pugh sent out a strong message with his fall-collection: women are in charge. The powerful show was hinged on demonstrative, strong-shouldered tailoring with tinges of Thierry Mugler and Claude Montana.
It’s been a while since skirt suits stalked a European runway, and Pugh’s were streamlined and compelling, whether in camel, prince of wales check or an electric blue wool covered with embroidered stars.
Flaring pants were another key element in this ode to Eighties power dressing. They anchored a bounty of terrific coats: mannish and military ones with big gold buttons; cozy wrap numbers with built-in shawls; and dramatically flaring swing styles with cape effects.
Runway gimmicks included Hannibal Lecter masks and briefcases handcuffed to wrists, adding a disquieting frisson to what Pugh called an exploration of “the visual codes of raw female ambition.”

Alexander McQueen Catwalk Fashion Show London Womenswear FW2016

Here was another transporting and hyper-feminine collection from Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. Dreamy gauzy dresses in knits as fine as cobwebs; tuberose flowers hand-painted on leather coats and corsets, and feathered skirts made of ostrich plumes that had been lacquered to give them a brooding aspect. The designer decorated her clothes and accessories with talismans and surreal symbols, including pocket watches, butterflies, horseshoes, lips and eyes.

The show opened with mannish tailored coats with an extra lapel dripping, as if in a Dalí painting, over the shoulder, forming an offbeat sash.

By contrast, the frothy dresses, ruffles spilling off of shoulders or peeling off the body to reveal lace bras and camisoles, were striking in their delicacy. The show climaxed with tulle gowns and capes gleaming with shooting stars or silvery moons — and then two of the most elaborate bed jackets you will ever see, quilted like a duvet and covered with dense floral embroideries.

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