D&G steals show from Gucci

Gucci opened Milan Fashion Week but Dolce & Gabbana's junior label D&G stole the show.

Not with its designs, stunning as they were, but with the shock announcement that the designer duo had just presented the last D&G collection to concentrate on their main range, Dolce & Gabbana. 

It was an apt finale to a label known for glitzy glamour. Audience members were still applauding the retro-glossy, scarf-themed collection, as a statement informing the fashion world of the label's closure appeared on the Women's Wear Daily website.

Why the popular label has been folded into its parent range is unclear. Dolce & Gabbana's statement said only that the move would lend "even more strength and energy to our collections."
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No further details were provided by the designers, other than an upbeat assessment of the fashion house's future.

"This is our new reality and we are extremely happy about it," the statement concluded.

Elsewhere in Milan, the mood was more sober.

Gucci had the honour of the curtain raiser presenting a stark art deco themed collection, which was described as more elegant than sensual. While Prada's car-themed show reinforced its position as Italian fashion's main driver.

It's set to be a busy week with the slate of events ranging from the 144 collection presentations, to open air shows, to the inauguration of the newly renovated Gucci store to the opening of a new Louis Vuitton store, both on Via Montenapoleone, Milan's most fashionable shopping street.

The Italian Fashion Chamber has opted for a sombre look given the current generally bad economic times, shying from gaudy celebrations, but its president Mario Boselli has sent a clear message to designers. 

"We must be united to overcome the crisis," he told Milan's prestigious Corriere della Sera daily newspaper, referring to the rivalry which exists among designers from show venues to top places on the fashion calendar.

THE COLLECTIONS SO FAR

PRADA

Miuccia Prada dipped into her fantasy land grab bag — which served her well for menswear in June — coming up with cartoon prints, wooly rose embroidery and flame-spewing heels.

The main theme was the car, from the motor revving music to the exhaust flame prints and large and small vintage cars, which decorated many of the outfits and handbags.

The outfits were ladylike, with silk pleated skirts and matching pleated tops, demurely printed blouses, and summer coats decorated with wooly roses. A leather pencil skirt embroidered with a large convertible car is sure to be the hit of the season.

The Prada colour palette is soft and feminine: yellow, beige, sky blue and wine red, the latter two often combined to create a soft vintage effect.

The outfits all had a proper hemline — just below or above the knee — except for a series of chaste beauty queen 1950s swim suits, which translated into trendy day or nighttime silk outfits.

FENDI

Fendi designers Karl Lagerfeld and Sivlia Fendi Venturini masterfully embedded playful details — cutout shoulders, cap sleeves over longer sleeves — into eminently wearable styles that can go from office to leisure to evening.

Colours were mostly muted, with plenty of stripes, in black-and-white or gold-and-white. Even red-and-ecru stripes in tops and skirts, boldly alternating horizontal and vertical, didn't look too loud.

But Lagerfeld couldn't resist playing peacock with a long furry vest that recalls the proud peacock with its green and blue feathers, over a quiet Key lime green dress.

Pleated skirts were full and fell modestly to the knee. They also featured slits for a sexy take on an otherwise serious office look. In fact, the collection is full stitching wizardry that allows the eye to feast without ever being overwhelmed.

The look is completed with big butterfly-shaped sunglasses.

MAX MARA

Max Mara is known for its stylish, easy-to-wear clothes. The brand's summer collection with its comfy combination of jersey and leather, its pale palette, and mildly sexy silhouette, is sure to be a best-seller on the beaches and boulevards alike.

Jumpsuits in ribbed jersey caress but never grab the body, while bomber jackets fashioned in shiny silk or glove soft leather acquire a feminine touch. A cardigan over a pair of leather shorts had a modern country club feel.

A simple jersey knit dress or a pair of silk pedal pushers paired with a leather top, worn with high platform sandals, completed the warm weather look.

The palette was muted ranging from desert beige to tea brown to a pale mint green with a glint of gold for evening.

In a season where geometric patterns are proving to be the new trend, Max Mara made heavy use of colour bands, all the more evident by the combination of fabric and leather.

The most innovative outfit seen on the runway thus far was the collection's trench coat dress, short sleeved but complete with all the popular raincoat details.

D&G

D&G attempted a response to a burning fashion question: how many ways can one wear the humble scarf?

Start with a tight mini-dress that appeared to be fashioned out of four distinct scarves tied on the side and overlapping — though they are expertly stitched together.

Then there was a loose blouse over a short skirt, a bandeau top paired with balloon shorts and short one-piece playsuits, and long skirts with handkerchief hemlines.

For evening, Dolce and Gabbana added sequins, and for relaxed afternoons there were touches of denim.

Colours, of course, were bold and clashing. The collection was decidedly summery and fun, and light enough to pack off for a weekend at the beach or fancy port.

D&G even made platform shoes using scarves as straps. Broad-brimmed raffia hats tied with scarves protected wearers from the sun.

Perhaps the scarves were a way of bidding adieu to D&G fans. This was the last standalone preview for the second line, which going forward will be incorporated into the main collection.