First View Milan FW2011: More Lace

There’s more lace to come from Milan! We spotted it in New York and London and got it confirmed now in Milan. Lace is a red thread linking collections, looks and styles.From cobwebby, embroidered, chunky to featherweight. Plasticized, coated, printed and sequined. From antique to high tech and modernistic.

In Milan, it was most of all used the authentic way. Pretty and lady like, refined Chantilly lace.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View Milan FW2011: Soft Color

The soft colors that popped up in Milan are definitely an opening towards a new spirit.

A fresh palette launched by Bottega Veneta, Missoni and Etro. Pale precious pastels. Not just soft in shades, also dimensional peach-touch fabrics with lots of knots, curls and pile. Candy coloured yet not that sweet, the unusual fabrics and wild combinations give this look a daring twist that makes us curious to see more of it next season.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View Milan FW2011: Shine

The Shine-theme is about all that shines, from metallic armors to shimmery diaphanous layers. Who thought we would be dipped in sobriety for another season was wrong. Though there are still restrained looks and  calm understatement plus loads of minimalistic shapes, some designers have clearly found a route to escape.

It is far easier to diversify and stand out in more expressive and new materials then when having to dig deep into total simple and soberness. So we welcome the sequins, high sheen silks, lurex metal shine and slick skin looks. Plus high tech coatings or big translucent scales layer plain colour and print.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View Milan FW2011: Mod Now

A modern Mod-look was clearly reminiscent and very much fashion on Milan runways. Prada was brave, prim and square cut, with strong statements in shades with a faint Marni flavor. Graphic details as contrasting trims, patterns, insets, and wide, low-slung belts. The dense and sculptural fabrics reminded us of 60’s Mod looks.

Alberta Ferretti softened her silhouettes with shimmery velvet legs. Where Prada dropped the waist, Max Mara contoured it. Worlds apart, yet showing clear common interest in bold statements.

This is definitely a look to watch; adult women dressed like dolls, yet definitely not to play with.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

Round Up New York FW 2011

True fashion was passing by at the New York runways last week. Where most NY seasons were steady and quiet and new vibes where found in Paris, we now already picked up on some highly influential directions. Here’s our round up so far:

DIGI CRAFT, omnipresent digitised tribal inspirations in techno crafted fabric mixtures:

PRAIRY ROMANCE, touch of nostalgia, devoted to crafts, with some clear inspiration coming from ‘the west’:

Tacky DRESSED-UP looks, showing longer lengths, with quite a dose of reminiscence, here prim and curvaceous, in lovely lush lace looks:

TECH FAB, staging lovely mixtures of high tech fabrics like plastics and latex, mixed with precious wool, silk and laces:

Followed by LUX SPORT, series of luxurious, very feminine, city sportswear, with the parka as hot item, in again interesting mixes of textures:

That might have been IT at New York runway shows; fabric looks where eye-popping.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View New York FW2011: Longer Lengths

Skirts swing long and gentle on the runways in New York. Well over the knees and in some cases even covering the ankles. Fluid layers, with tulle, trimmed slits and colourful ribbons. It’s dressed up elegance all over the place, reminiscent in most cases yet with lots of refreshing personal twists.

BCBG lowers the waist, where Rodarte contours. Hilfiger goes liquid, where Marc Jacobs sculptures in modern tech materials. Nothing boring about long skirts, as long as they are embellished with elaborate crafted details, layered in mixed translucence or just made in plain yet lovely materials.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

Jeremy Scott Catwalk fashion Show New York FW2011

Jeremy Scotts fall winter collection sure will result in some rip offs in cheap fashion-chains. A parody on American symbols and cartoons is always a nice subject on T-shirts. The collection looked campy, sexy and was as light as Barbie and bubblegum. But that’s just Scotts message: Fashion should be about having fun. There was a bombast of Nineties-inspired clothes: furry neon dresses in angora, plastic jackets, and pigtails. Bold colors like red, yellow and blue, shiny fabrics and provoking slogans like Enjoy God? and Milk Kills.But in these times those slogans look funny and a bit childish instead of shocking.

First View New York FW2011: Strict Lace

Retro revenge with a leading role for lace. Who mentioned retro was passé and that it is time to look ahead? There is no future without history though.

This retro-style looks truly inspiring and stunning in a lovely mixture of fabrics. Sober suiting, chaste high-collared blouses in pretty patterns and prints and lots of super positioned lace. The silhouettes are stern yet graceful, severe yet curvaceous. Where Prada fancied the 50’s for previous winter, Vuitton touched the frivolous edges of the 20’s and 30’s for summer. Now both Jason Wu and Marc Jacobs confirm this perpetual fancy for retro, both framing their looks in lace.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View New York FW2011: Mix Mash

It sure is a happy start of Stijlinstituut Amsterdam Stylespot. New York Fashion Week presented us during the first days a hyper-color riot of mixed expressive prints, contrasting textures and various techniques. And that’s quite a new trend we spotted.

Where Preen shows it modern and tech, Libertine goes for a more poetic spirit, Ragbone takes the craft route where Thakoon and DKNY go graphic and regimental. These combined patterns and colors in gentle conflict give a new creative and upbeat flavor to the season and offer a great inspiration for upcoming fashion developments.

It underlines the growing interest in creative crafts and techniques and expresses brave optimism.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

D&G Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2011

Oh life is good and full of fun in the world of the D&G man. Despite it’s highly commercial level and copy & paste of all American logo’s and comics it was a breath of fresh air. Fashion has to be fun too, no? Especially after the dark years that are behind us now and the serious search of other labels for a new look and a new dresscode.

D&G let the sunshine in with their colorful, low crotch, small legged pants, copy/paste T-shirts with the Coca Cola logo and Disney-comics and preppy jackets and shirts. It seemed the American Fifties college-nerd inspired the designers for this mix and match of checks, prints, fits and proportions. It looked fresh and new thanks to the new proportions, shrunken wool knitwear, corduroy and padded nylon.