Runway Review: Bottega Veneta Spring 2014

Day 4 of Milan Fashion Week started pretty early (9:30) and is quite packed (Bottega, Cavalli, Jil Sander and Pucci), as opposed to yesterday (Versace).

Unfortunately, I can't say that Tomas Maier's morning presentation was the fashion caffeine I so badly craved in order to start my day properly. Blame the (mostly) dark colors and the overall moodiness of the show.

I've always appreciated Maier as a designer that can control different volumes of garments pretty well and so it was this time on almost every occasion. The first few looks he sent out were pretty classic and conservative...waspy almost. Wide wrap shirts paired with high waisted skirts done in constructed/deconstructed fashion seemed like perfect choices for the modern working woman (Maier's target clientele).

The designer's forté have always been dresses, and he made some really interesting pieces for next spring but they pale in comparison to the ones from 12 months ago (a show that consisted only of dresses and each one was more stunning than the one before). The one-shouldered, asymmetrical hem examples in dark beige and navy blue were sort of forgetable, but the more simply cut dresses in beautiful hues (brick orange and maroon) were more exciting.

Tomas Maier touched on a trend Miuccia Prada so famously started two days ago - large embellishments. An oversize electric blue T-shirt dress was studded with large buttons and metal plates to great effect. That piece alone was worth watching the show for.

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Runway Review: Versace Spring 2014

It comes as no surprise that Donatella Versace was the designer that brought sexy back to the spring/summer 2014 season. When I replay my favorite shows such as Marc Jacobs (modern period dressing), Christopher Kane (geek chic) and Prada (pure artistry), I can't really describe any of them as particularly sexy. That's why we have Donatella who's not afraid to show plenty of skin and give the guys what they want.

The Versace woman is one of the most well defined and iconic incarnations in fashion. Unapologetically sexy with a rock'n'roll attitude and dripping with confidence everywhere she goes - all of that and more was presented to us less than an hour ago in Milan.

The first girls that stormed the runway evoked American working women...only sexier. Blame the denim-like fabric (I'm pretty sure it wasn't denim) and the seductive pairings of skirts (slits on the front and/or side) with billowing menswear shirts.

The skirt as a woman's ultimate fashion ally was a major part of Donatella's story for next spring. Aside from the previously mentioned sexy pencil skirts, most of them were stunning raffia skirts done in laser-cut leather. The controled volume provided by the choice of fabric was what transcended them from romantic to hot in no time.

As if the atmosphere couldn't get any hotter, Donatella sent out multiple bondage dresses in monochromatic tones and pastel, (almost) romantic ones with chain harnesses (the Medusa head was inevitable). One of the reasons why I like the collection is because it truly feeks like a logical continuation of what Ms. Versace has been doing the past six months with Versus, Versace and Atelier. Bondage and the overall rock chick feel? Last season's show. Metal embellishments instead of seams? Atelier. Bondage inspired tops? Versus.

Pretty well known as a pants woman, Donatella gave us a few pairs of skin-tight, textured leather pants paired with wide silk shirts (unbuttoned to the navel with a sexy bra showing, obviously). I can't guarantee you'll be able to have a satisfying meal in them, but you'll look damn good.

Probably the main reason why people and celebrity stylists alike tuned in to watch the show tonight was in anticipation of the gowns Donatella will send out. I think they weren't disappointed, because I sure wasn't. The main motif that adorned each gown was metallic mesh (most effectively done in silver, but also in pale blue and lavender). I can't imagine any woman wearing one of those dresses and not looking (and feeling) sizzling hot.

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Runway Review: Prada Spring 2014

We've seen the brilliance of Marc Jacobs in New York and Christopher Kane in London, so now the time came for the third designer in this original holy trinity - Miuccia Prada. As with the previous two, with Prada you can never know what to expect...and that's why she's the real queen of fashion.

Let me set the mood for you a little bit. While I was waiting for the show to start (it was 30 minutes late, after all), Prada showed a bunch of artists painting the set for, what I'm guessing, were days. Soon after, Instagram was swamped with pics of these quirky portrait murals. The set was basically a Prada art gallery and I immediately fell in love. Very art performance-y without the pretentiousnes.

This is probably the first time I'm touching on a show soundtrack and that's because I just loved it so much. Fashion darling M.I.A was present with her latest song Bring the Noize, as well as the princess of pop Britney Spears with the fresh banger Work Bitch. Oh, and a little I Want Candy was thrown in for good measure. Genius!

The sonic background fit the show like a glove. Every look was drenched in optimism and happiness. You can always count on Mrs. Prada to change the pace of her work as seasons go by. Just remember the ominous and sensual feel of the film-noir-gone-awry collection for fall. What we saw yesterday was a complete 180...yet again.

The murals that covered the walls of the set also adorned some of the dresses Miuccia designed. Her latest muse, Amanda Murphy, opened (and closed) the show in a bias cut dress with heavy embellishments (gems, beads and sequins) and a pop-art portrait. It may sound totally over the top, but, as always, it worked perfectly.

Embroidery was one huge headline for this show and the other one was athleticism. This should come as no surprise, considering that the Gucci show was dripping with sportswear luxury. At Prada it was done very differently, of course. For example, the elastic band from tracksuit bottoms served as the top of a strapless cocktail dress paired with heavily embellished tube socks and sport sandals (also seen at MJ).

Also, Prada is probably one of the rare shows where your eyebrows don't raise when you see embellished bras over gorgeously color-blocked dresses. Somehow it all looked beautiful.

Miuccia was also quite big on fur for spring. If you've read my little article on the matter, you know how much I love that. The fur was colored in a way that didn't look tacky, but playful and artistic and modern. My favorite piece? A shaved fur coat with a surrealist rainbow and sun on the bottom.

This show was everything - new, fresh, fashion forward, beautiful, artistic, memorable...and I could go on and on. Not only were there works of art adorning the venue, little works of art were also walking the runway.

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Runway Review: Fendi Spring 2014

The Fendi fashion show ended a couple of hours ago and it was somewhat of a geometric lesson by the genius Karl Lagerfeld. That man always has a handful while designing the spring collection for this Italian brand. It has to be tricky incorporating fur, for which this house is most famous for, into the collection.

The technical aspects of the way that Fendi treats fur are mind-boggling and I'll touch on them a little later, for the fur came at the end of the show. Lagerfeld decided to start us off with something much lighter. Cara Delevigne (the current face of the brand) walked out first in a beautiful orange degradé organza cocktail dress. The layering and the construction were just a taste of what was to come (a bit later we saw the same model in various shades of blue - beautiful).

Later on, we saw a juxtaposition of lightness and heaviness in the most Amanda Harlech-y pieces. For example, a body-con patchworked black leather dress with a sheer underskirt and a matching bolero over it. A particularly stunning leather piece was a structured boxy jacket that reminded me of RoboCop (in the best possible way).

Fur cocktail dresses? Well, obviously. At Fendi, any incarnation of this most luxurious material is not only possible, but desirable. After lace and mohawks made of fur, the time apparently came for dresses. Shaved fur was applied on chiffon which provided interesting patterns (futuristic pepita and classic stripes). 

Let's take a moment to observe with accessories. After yesterday's Gucci show where we saw triangular heels, the same appeared on the Fendi runway as well...a.k.a. shoe trend alert. The bags weren't so crazy in form, but the furry pom-poms provided the kick they needed. My favorite accessories? The furry rings, of course.

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Runway Review: Gucci Spring 2014

After New York and London, the time has come for Milan to become this week's fashion capital. As it has been for the past few years, the show that opened the week was also one of the most important ones - Gucci.

Ever since she had her baby, the creative director Frida Giannini has loosened up her designs a bit. Although probably best known for her impeccably tailored suits and body skimming dresses, she definitely did a 180 while designing next spring's collection. Not one pair of skinny pants or a curve-hugging blazer were to be seen. The only trademark she apparently couldn't give up were the towering heels.

I'm guessing that when you imagine a Gucci woman, you don't necessarily think of a sporty chick, but that is what she's going to look like come next spring. Frida decided to open her long-awaited show with a mesh top over an incredibly sexy, bondage inspired bathing suit paired with knee-length culottes in a fiery orange. That very first look of the collection threw me a bit, because it reminded me of Miami and Rihanna's latest street style outings.

As the show progressed, the sporty element was the most prominent one, but done in a more luxurious way. The net-like tops? Suede. The cullotes? Silk. Leave it to Ms. Giannini to translate sport influences into couture.

The rhythm of a Gucci show is always so great. Giannini and her team decided to alternate athletic and feminine looks which proved to be quite effective for everyone watching. For example, a couture tracksuit (stripes on the sides and all) was followed by an ultra-chic, loungy dress with a mini-train that floated behind the model.

The gorgeous prints that really popped against the mostly dark clothes were inspired by Art Nouveau drawings. Blown up flowers in stunning berry shades, as well as fiery orange elements were some of the most memorable parts of collection.

The eveningwear section of each Gucci show is always a delight to watch (and wear, at least that's what Salma Hayek said) and so it was this time, but in a different way. Keeping in tune with the rest of the collection, Giannini shunned the typical gowns she's become quite known for in exchange for shiny pyjama tuxedos (love) and light as air, floaty embroidered tunics paired with transparent, wide leg trousers.

Was this a bad collection? Definitely not. Was it Frida's finest work? No, not really. One thing I am sure of, is that these clothes will have no problem selling around the world and the must-have accessories (strappy shoes with a stacked, triangle heel and tasselled bags in gorgeous colors) are bound to fly off the shelves.

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