“Federico Piaggi and Stefano Citron’s collection for Gianfranco Ferré today looked uncannily like a Haider Ackermann show. That’s partly because Ackermann’s flourishes—popped lapels; big, looping obi-style belts; jackets tucked into pants—owe a debt to Ferré’s own. 

Still, it was clear from the beginning that the designers were feeling confident; this being the first time that they’ve presented outside of Ferré’s headquarters. If the collection wasn’t exactly the “new start” they billed it as, they’ve at least loosened up a bit. In the case of one halter top—a glorified scarf, really—they loosened up too much. No one wants to worry about her breasts popping out of her eveningwear. But other pieces had the right kind of drama; among them: an elongated smoking jacket with satin revers, a soft white blouse with bat-wing sleeves tucked into double-waistband pants, and a long sleeveless dress with a high slit worn with one of their croc obi belts.”

(via style)

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana used the golden mosaics of Sicily’s Cathedral of Monreale as a starting point for their new Fall collection.

Theirs is a romanticized view of the Catholic Church, to be sure, one far removed from the tawdriness of contemporary scandals. And in terms of fashion, that vision proved compelling here, blessedly less kitsch than last season’s. Credit for that goes in part to the rather more earthly herringbones and checks they used for skirtsuits and coats and one errant pair of bloomers. The menswear materials made for a brief interlude, though. Soon the designers were back at the icon worship, cutting lace dresses with the wide sleeves of altar boys’ garments, crafting a bustier from altar-chalice gold, and, in a task that might prove as labor-intensive as those twelfth-century mosaics, hand-beading the evening numbers with religious figures. Their fans will raise an amen to that.

(via style)

“Maier continued to refine the Bottega Veneta woman, this time via a distinct Forties vibe demonstrated with a light hand and thoughtful sense of precision, right down to the models’ hair, this through a Seventies lens — parted to the side and teased.

The designer made a strong point with fabric constructions, manipulating flannels and wools into three-dimensional folds that were placed around the waist or applied to architectural shoulders. It made for an intriguing view. Some of the more intricate constructions felt a bit cumbersome — a dress with extended shoulders that read Bilbao’s Guggenheim is not for everyone — but for the most part Maier showed a sense of control.”

(via WWD)