BEAUTY: Clothing--Versace and Ferragamo

Milan Fashion Week is currently happening...not to be confused with Milano Moda Uomo which is for menswear. Traditionally for womenswear, this week features lots of houses, brands, and designers showing men's and women's collections together, on the same runway at the same time.

And two things caught my eye... at Versace and Ferragamo who both showed very high boots for men.

At Versace, they were thigh high and amazing.

And at Ferragamo they were even higher, inching up to the very top of the leg (look #3). The bulk of the collection though was made up of some effective monotonal (the autumn trio of olive green, mustard, and deep plum) looks in leather.

https://www.versace.com/
https://www.ferragamo.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing--Misc. Milano Moda Uomo

Misc. Milano Moda Uomo for Fall-Winter 2019-2020.

Triple belts cinch waists at Prada in a collection inspired by Frankenstein and horror films but also the real horrors of war and the state of the world.

Setting aside the fabulous faux-fur collection from Emporio Armani (here), the Hundredth Monkey Moment this year in Milan was clearly the animal print.

Tiger and jaguar prints on neon faux-fur (via 90s rave culture) at Marni...

...and more of the same from Marcelo Burlon County of Milan...

...while Neil Barrett used it as embellishment at collars or a light dusting on shirts and pants as well as full-on faux fur jackets.

Tiger or zebra stripes on coats at Pal Zileri...

...and zebra striped scarves at Danilo Paura.

The theme at MSGM was speed and more jaguar prints showed up in fleecy coats and jackets.

More jaguar at No. 21...

Even Versace showed a dash of jaguar...well, more than a dash.

https://www.prada.com
https://www.marni.com
https://www.marceloburlon.eu
https://www.neilbarrett.com
https://www.palzileri.com
https://www.pauraclothing.com
https://www.msgm.it
https://www.numeroventuno.com
https://www.versace.com

BEAUTY: Clothing--Versace

I am not an admirer of Versace. The brand was still relatively young when Gianni Versace was assassinated in 1997. His sister Donatella took control of the house as creative director and it is hard to argue that she took the brand to places it had never been: bigger sales, bigger attention, bigger earnings. But bigger, as they say, is not necessarily better. I have rarely been attracted to a Versace collection. They usually appear to me to be artless and somewhat crass. They feel flashy for the sake of being flashy...without any substance. Clothes for wealthy people without any taste or style or imagination.

But only a handful of times has there been a Versace collection that actually feels like it was inspired by something, and thought out and presented in a substantive way. And this Spring Summer '16 collection shown at Milano Moda Uomo seems to show Donatella practicing some uncharacteristic restraint and mining an idea and a silhouette not part of her usual vocabulary. There were a few flashy pieces in the suite (the requisite tacky Versace track suit, the bulging-muscled tailoring of a suit), but for the most part, it seems to have been inspired by traditional exotic clothing in locales like Istanbul, Marrakesh, or even Delhi. Kurta-like long shirts billowed out from beneath blazers, jackets and tops, lending a Bedouin-desert feel. Indeed, a quote from "Lawrence of Arabia" was projected on the back wall ("No Man Needs Nothing"). It all ends up feeling very well-traveled and worldly...

http://www.versace.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing--Milano Moda Uomo Misc. June 2013

Milano Moda Uomo has concluded, and here is a brief wrap-up of odds and ends, things worth mentioning...

Jil Sander is ever the minimalist, designing in patternless neutrals, which is why her use of color and pattern in her Spring-Summer '14 collection made it look as if she had lost her mind! But the beautiful, slick bonded-leather coats and jackets seemed more in keeping with her style.

Bottega Veneta showed suits with edges and features outlined and limned in what appeared to be remnants of tailor's chalk. Lapels and buttons are drawn on where none exist. The effect actually made the suits crisp and sharp!

Diesel Black Gold: Great thick double buckle belt and jeans that look bleached or paint splashed but in actuality are woven with a faded floral pattern in silver...

Donatella Versace's use of neon colored sports tape at first seems rather comical, but I have to admit the overall look is pretty cool... the bands of riotous color appearing all over the clothing and models' bodies looked celebratory and bright. Like racing stripes for a body...

Ermenegildo Zegna showed a funky detail: long sleeve tees rolled up over the cuffs of coats and jackets. Kinda gives the slick tailored look some street cred...

On to Paris Fashion Week!

http://www.jilsander.com/
http://www.bottegaveneta.com/
http://www.dieselblackgold.com/
http://www.versace.com/
http://www.zegna.com/us/home.html

BEAUTY: Clothing--Milano Moda Uomo Misc. January 2013

Well, yesterday wrapped up another Milano Moda Uomo and here are a few little miscellaneous tidbits and loose ends worth mentioning from collections that I did not feel compelled to post in their entirety.

It seems like pinstripes (along with other classic men's suiting patterns like plaids and checks) made a strong showing. Even minimalist Jil Sander got in on the action...

I don't know why this tickles me so much, but Costume National costumed their models like extras from "Easy Rider" or members of neo-psychedelic band The Cult (remember them?). I really like it... and I also really like the complete non sequitur nature of the chef's knife set tee shirt...

Burberry Prorsum rolled out animal prints, even on sunglasses (check out the last look closely)!

And finally, I just have to say that Donatella Versace surprised me with a few pieces from her F-W '13-'14 collection. I have never been a fan of Versace. Not to put too fine a point on it, but it has always struck me as utterly tacky, with all the inelegant Baroque arabesques and faux-Roman heads. But here, she is rocking some amazing suits in window pane plaid and extra large houndstooth, along with some great animal-like prints (giraffe and leopard). But the most fascinating thing about this collection, which is otherwise littered with arabesques and tacky sportswear, is the return of the wide and short neck tie last seen in the 1940s! LOVE it!

http://www.jilsander.com/
http://www.costumenational.com
http://www.burberry.com/
http://www.versace.com/

Photos via http://www.style.com/