Highlights from Milan Fashion Week AW16

: Gucci

: Prada

: Fendi

: Moschino

: Versace

: Dolce & Gabbana

Milan Fashion Week said Ciao on Monday and as always the fast-paced city provided loads of delightful and indelible moments. The cinched waist, eye-catching prints and oversize sleeves were some of the most seen trends on the catwalks. Gucci presented a triumphant collection full of joyous color inspired by the bourgeois Renaissance, 70’s sport and 80’s Italian and French Couture. An array of clothes with a mishmash of influences: 70s style dresses with flared sleeves and platform sandals, silk cheongsams, cute kawaii colors and brocades. Long gowns were abundant: one-shouldered dress with a rainbow tulle skirt, a ruffled dress with birds embroidered on the chest, a floral dress with a pink belt, a nude dress adorned with feathers, a sheer aqua gown with puffed sleeves and an embroidered panther which closed the show. The range also had men’s style suits in red, black and white. Outerwear comprised aviator jackets with padded lining and colorful fur collars, double-breasted brocade coats, fur coats in vivid shades like pink, yellow and red, capes in tromp l’oeil shape and white belted coats. Accessories included glittering glasses, varsity socks, furry-finished Mary-Janes, metallic sandals, bags in bright colors and mostly square-shaped. Alessandro Michele teamed up with Trevor Andrew, a graffiti artist whose spray painting of the words ‘real’ and ‘GG’ appeared on bags and on the back of fur coats and leather jackets. Irresistible and retro-chic clothes for the woman who praises creativity and escapism. Prada showed a superb and compelling collection inspired by the idea of ‘vagabond’. The French Revolution and Louis XIV were also sources of inspiration. Lavish layering and a surfeit of jewelry was predominant. Almost every look featured a cinched waist, a half corset and a series of leather belts. The color palette was foremost autumnal: black, blue, brown, green and gold. The brand collaborated with the artist Christophe Chemin who created illustrations which appeared on T-shirts and brocade coats. The leather pencil skirts and the brocade dresses were truly divine. The Hawaiian shirt was given a spin when paired with corseted belts and quilted jackets. Outerwear comprised tweed hunting jackets, capes and military and fur coats. Jewels were done in heavy doses: keys, diaries and mini bags hang from necklaces and belts which gave an unexpected twist. Accessories included: sailor hats, wooly Argyle tights, elbow length knitted gloves, open-toe lace-up boots, velvet Mary-Janes and high heel sandals. Artsy clothes with a fashion-forward twist. Fendi presented a fun and groovy collection inspired by the Japan’s kawaii culture and the waves. Wavy details were seen in almost every garment and even on boots and bags. The color palette was dominated by blue, black, green, brown, gold and purple with splashes of sherbet shades. The lengths were varied and comprised mini, midi and long. The range featured midi skirts, pinafores, 60s shifts, fur coats and stoles and trapeze coats. The standout pieces were the navy dropped-waist coat dress with a fur collar sported by Kendall Jenner and the brown brocade dress with a botanical print. Accessories included turquoise thigh-high boots, maxi bags in multicolored fur and cat-eye sunglasses with stripes at the corners. Exquisite and well-crafted clothes that will attract a younger clientele. Moschino showcased a bold and wacky collection with the theme ‘It’s a Lit’. Some of the looks harked back Franco Moschino staples like the giant satin bows in purple, yellow and pink. But Jeremy Scott gave the range his own twist and humor. The designer definitely burned the house down with prom dresses with hems burned thanks to portable smoke machines and a chandelier turned into a gown. Other looks featured plenty of leather pieces like the opening look modeled by Lexi Boling, a leather gown with an unzipped slit. There was also garments with skeleton-like details made of chains, distressed denim and a dress with a cigarette and lip print. Accessories consisted of biker boots, long black leather gloves and fishnet tights and leather caps. With a doubt fashion need this kind of flippancy. Versace showed an empowering and functional collection with a touch of athleisure. The first section of the show consisted of sleek ensembles like a navy duffle coat, a military-style coat, and tailored wool suits with sporty details, zips and striped gauntlets. Then came pastel mini dresses, muticolored furs, slinky slip dresses and kooky prints. The house trademark baroque print designed by Gianni Versace was abstracted and featured on silk shirts, pants and dresses in icy tones. Accessories comprised metal stiletto ankle boots with neoprene, embroidered backpacks and elastic headbands. Polished, wearable and covetable clothes for the city woman. Dolce & Gabbana presented a fairy-tale themed collection fit for a princess. References to Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty were scattered across the clothes like: a white dress with mice, bags featuring clocks representing the striking of midnight; a dress with gold collar and printed with red apples; the concept of magic mirror was seen in a dress covered entirely in a mirror mosaic; the princes were represented with military combos festooned with rope trim. The range contained the duo classics as well: florals and sheer. Accessories included embellished pumps and metallic flat leather boots and sparkling, jewel-encrusted hair bows. The star pieces were the houndstooth coats, the embroidered midi skirts, the frilly jumpers, the metallic striped dresses and the bags featuring buttoned velvet quilting and jewels. The finale saw all the models in a stream of sequined mini dresses. The front row had actresses, models, singers and socialites all dressed to the nines. Garments with fringes, fur accents and red were popular amongst the style crowd.

Front Row