Salvatore Ferragamo S/S12 Milan

Colour, animal print and pink houndstooth, sometimes all of it together, was the order of the day at Salvatore Ferragamo. This collection is for the St Tropez living, globetrotter women who follows the sunshine and packs a safari jacket to go over her scarf-dress. There some odd moments but also lots of very sexy dresses. This was back in the tropical/tribal territory other designers have explored this season, with animal prints and palm leaves in a hot palette full of fuschia, reds, purples, colours which were also employed in the plain looks where contrasting colour blocking was revamped.

Source: Style.com

Giorgio Armani S/S12 Milan

The Giorgio Armani collection shimmered in a watery way, with subtle blurry patterns and soft silks in a whole range of blues and oyster-like colours. Everything gently gleamed and floated, from the patterned A-line tops, the slit sided trousers, the undulating peplums down to the soft hemlines.  There was little detail to detract from this, either in the tailoring or in the decoration, although this was a show that went against the trend by having lots of  accessories in the big bangles, the bags and the earrings. The longer length and quiet understatement of this collection will not disappoint his customer.

Source: Style.com

Gianfranco Ferre S/S12 Milan

Stefano Citron and Federico Piaggi are new at Gianfranco Ferre and rather than trying to impress on too many levels they went for a super simple, minimalised concept with a clear direction, complemented by the stark presentation. They opened with a lot of intriguingly varied tailored looks in white, belted in black, and went on to some interesting draped fabric making lovely soft shapes, with the different belts again adding consistency. After the white came beige, mushroom and the odd splash of purple. Will it attract new fans to the label? For me this is higher quality than what’s going on at the over-hyped Jil Sander.

Source: Style.com

Etro S/S12 Milan

Veronica Etro’s has been one of my favourite collections so far. The Clarice Cliff colours of navy, tobacco, orange and cornflower, the shapes, the sinuousness of the stained glass window patterns, the slouchyness, the sexiness, basically just alot of great ‘ness’ going on here, and all wonderfully reflected in the high shine floor. All those intricate Art Deco influences that are interesting designers at the moment are reinterpreted in these clothes in a really desirable way and I hope we’ll see them around.

Source: Style.com

Bottega Veneta S/S12 Milan

I liked the great colours in this collection, the emeralds, blues, greens, oranges. There were a lot of dresses too, which is always a good thing, and I loved the striped shoe. Thomas Maier had a lot going on on these looks, with a complicated interplay of textures and techniques: shine against matt, and corsetting, with pleating, draping and embellishment set up an interesting counterpoint.  There was quite a bit of leather work and as I’ve commented before this season’s collections have not been the most summery of affairs, with a lot of coats, trousers and layering. This was sexy girl but with an edge, an elegant woman but with sassy side.

Source: Style.com

Emilio Pucci S/S12 Milan

We got an advanced sneek peek at one look from this collection last week at the Emmy’s, worn by Gywneth Paltrow. And the slightly gothic, super sexy, gypsy feel we sensed then was exactly what he showed. This wasn’t a half hearted collection, he committed to the theme entirely; sometimes going through the collection it seemed almost more theatrical than ready to wear but I liked it for the consistency and pure creativity of the concept. Emilio Pucci used the house’s fabulous prints to create shapes as well as drama, and the handworking was incredible.  Shooting these looks for editorials will be great.

Source: Style.com

Emporio Armani S/S12 Milan

For Emporio, Giorgio Armani went towards the sci fi in this collection called ‘Neodesign’. All the models had the same blonde wigs creating a sense both of severity and repetition, which complemented the way he played with a huge variety of looks based on a theme of glittery white, offset with black highlights, often in piping which added emphasis to the tailoring as well as to the softer looks . This simplicity of detail and decoration was in dramatic contrast to so much of the rest of the season’s vibe, which has played with pattern and storytelling and colourful add ons. The interestingly hooped hemlines should be mentioned too, creating new shapes against the architectural rigour of the rest.

Source: Style.com

Gucci S/S12 Milan

Gucci; “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…”  What a sexy, slinky, shimmering, seductive collection, with only the rare exception, a real pleasure to look through, and to marvel at my favourite model, Anja Rubik, who works Frida Giannini clothes to perfection.  These were the 90th Birthday celebrations of an iconic brand. Lovely Art Deco architectural patterns framed to create sinuous shapes on the body, beautiful 1920s drop waists and flapper hemlines, think Julie Andrews in Thoroughly Modern Milly on uppers. Which A-lister is going to be the first to rock one these stunning looks? Aside from the swinging dresses there were some lovely suits with gold buttons at the ankle which flickered in the light, these looks just as sexy appeal despite or because of their androgynous nature.

Source: Style.com

Alberta Ferretti S/S12 Milan

This collection started with a series of simple dresses featuring a design of apparently tribal patterns countersunk into the material with an intriguing hint of hide and seek in the cutouts, but then followed some vibrant tribal prints of large scale foliage which seemed like a change of tack rather than an extension of an idea. Ferretti said she was looking at the “the poetry and mystery” of the real wild world but to me the opening minimal looks, urban and slinky, didn’t seem to chime with the bold ‘Zulu’ prints. But even if this was almost two collections it was undeniably beautifully made, in a range of lovely colours, very simply presented and women are certainly going to look and feel good wearing these clothes.

Source: Style.com

People Watching at LFW Part IV

The final selection of my photos of the Fashion Pack and hangers-on at Somerset House.