DSquared Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2011

The fall-collection Dean and Dan Caten sent oput this morning was the same theme their menscollection had: early American settlers mixed with tough biker chic. The basis: ultra tight jeans, leather bikerjackets or jackets with pouf peaked shoulders and nipped in the waist, white shirts, long coats and lace up boots set on iron-blades, ice-skating style.  There were also bustier tops, floor-sweeping leather dusters,  plaid hotpants, fringed blankets worn as capes or wraps and massive fur coats.

It was the styling that brought panache at the show and the collection, leaving that all behind what’s left is a jeans, a jacket and a shirt. Nothing new really.

D Squared Catwalk Fashion Show Milan SS2011

It looked as if the twin-brothers Dean and Dan Caten had plucked all the fancy, chic citygirls from the street and put them on the stage tot show their spring-collection. The show was all about modern streetwear, the mix a young citygirl wears: something she found in her mothers closet, took from her boyfriend and bought herself at vintage store. She picked out oversized cardigans, tight bermudas, loose khaki’s, a suit and even mens-shoes plus old fashioned, printed scarves and golden necklaces.

It made a pretty collection of stuff you already know, it was nice to watch but the ideas were old. The late 60’s/early 70’s vibe (shiftdresses, long wide pants, shorts) gave it a more fashionable touch, since these periods popped up in other shows in Milan. There was hardly any color – beside the bags and some prints – the designers focused at khaki, black & white and blue.

DSquared Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

This time twin-brothers Dean and Dan Caten took the movie American Gigolo as their inspiration for the spring summer 2011 collection. It’s an ambitious choice, since the suits Richard Gere wore in the move were designed by Giorgio Armani. But the collection wasn’t about the look of Gere, it was about the luxurious lifestyle these guys lead and their attitude.

So the model looked tanned, handsome, in great shape and were dressed in tight trousers and unbuttoned shirts. The once ultra ultra low DSquared-jeans appeared with high waist and a flare – so that means you will have to get rid of that belly, boys. Jeans were mixed with (shiny) shirts, blue was the main color besides bright colors like red and green.

The overall look was rather dressed with a casual feel like we’ve seen before this week in Milan.

DSquared Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

Phew! That was a hell of a collection and show at DSquared, especially after such a trendsetting show at Prada.  Men put in cages of glass, models landing at the runway behind the bars of an old elevator, elektro-disco yelling and clothes that looked like twin-brothers Caten revisited The Matrix.

They took the successful movie as one of their reference points, but also manga and Jekyll and Hyde. The result was a dark sci-fi collection full of black leather, latex and red details (underwear, gloves, legs).  It was all about shape and a sharp silhouet softened by fur-coats. There were some nice pieces: a leather and wool trench, some tailored jackets and a chic Forties-style dress, nipped at the waist and cut with a wide neck. Hopefully they will make the pencilskirts with a split before they hit the stores, because models could hardly walk in them.

Extremes were the high heels with spines as the heel, veins in blue and red drawn at a nude top, metal chains and bones-accessoiries.

Milan Catwalk Fashion Show fw2010: D Squared & Tokio Hotel

Since DSquared is designing the clothes for their coming tour lead-singer Bill Kaulitz of Tokio Hotel had the honor to open their menswear-show in Milan. His extravagant outfit had nothing to do with the theme of the show – Hockey Horror – but he made an impressive entrance and survived his stroll along the catwalk like a pro. The theme of the show had everything to do with hockey, THE national game in Canada,  and  everything that comes with it, the bloody fights included. Some clothes reminded of hockey-outfits, from the wide shorts to the big shirts. Fabrics were shiny and glitzy like ice, black was the main color. Of course everything was mixed the wrong way on purpose, but we already know that trick.

Trends ss2010: fantastic plastic

How can you protect yourself from the rain and still look sexy?

Zac Posen, Sonia Rykiel, Frankie Morello, D Squared and others gave us the answer: you just wear a transparent plastic raincoat. In this way you’re still showing the great outfit you’re wearing underneath and your silhouette stays visible too.

For next spring transparent plastic was used by several different designers. Isn’t it typical that at least four designers came up with a see-through raincoat, independently of each other? At all four shows these raincoats also popped up out of nowhere and didn’t really connect to the rest of the clothes in the collections.
But the raincoat wasn’t the only transparent plastic item; there were bags and shoes as well, for example at Prada. D Squared and Charles Anastase both had transparent bags too.

Michael Kors used the plastic for his bathing suits and bracelets. Out of everything we saw the most fantastic plastic was made by Frankie Morello. He came up with a chique Chanel-looking plastic jacket, which had collar and cuffs made out of fabric.

Tess van Daelen

Milan Fashion Week ss2010 Impressions #20

Dsquared Catwalk Fashion Show ss2010

The invitation for the Dsquared SS2010 fashion show on a piece of wood already gave the theme away. Like the menswear collection of this year it was all about camping. With untidy braids the girls looked as if they’d just got out of bed, put on their caps and glasses and were on their way to the campsite toiletbuilding. They wore boots with colorful socks sticking out. There were funny camp-related details like large ants, colorful birds and plasters. Other repetitive parts of the show were black flowers and silver spikes. Materials like silk, cotton and nylon were used. Some army and Scottish tartan prints appeared. Of course Dean and Dan designed some jeans, but apart from their bright yellow color, these were not that special. Some waterproof coats, dresses and backpacks came by. The ultimate camping-pants were formed by an orange multifunctional piece with countless pockets. Overall the show was a messy camping spectacle. Thanks to the theme it was fun to watch, but the clothes were not very renewing.(Tess van Daelen)

DSquared Catwalk Fashion Show ss2010

We should have known after we received the floppy hat as an invitation for the DSquaredshow. It’s camping-time. And the Caten-twins thought about everything, even the ants in their pants. They stuck glittery little insects all over a Speedo. The collection was much of the same: denim, short shorts, perfect outerwear and of course beautiful hunks.

Dsquared2 Catwalk Fashion Show FW09

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