Wednesday, 26 June 2013

MILAN FASHION WEEK DAY 2: CALVIN GETS THE BLUES, MONCLER PLAYS CRICKET, PRADA VACATIONS & MORE


Chiffon Ruffle Sleeves Beading A-Line Pink Prom / Evening Dress




Silhouette: A-line 
Neckline: Scoop 
Waist: Empire 
Hemline/Train: Floor Length 
Sleeve Length: Sleeveless 
Embellishments: Ruching, Beading 
Fabric: Chiffon 
Built-In Bra: Yes 
Fully Lined: Yes 
Shown Color: Pearl Pink 
Body Shape: Hourglass, Inverted Triangle, Misses 
Occasion: Prom, Evening 
Season: Spring, Fall, Winter, Summer


The Calvin Klein show was walking distance from my hotel on Sunday, so I walked. Which is fine in theory, but ridiculous when you factor in a sport coat and 80+ degree temperatures. Pain is beauty, I guess. On the plus side, they gave us bottles of Eternity cologne at the show; on the downside, they didn't give us water — so it was a thirsty 30 minutes at Calvin Klein.
Calvin Klein SS14 (photos by Dan Lecca)
On the runway, the models all sported identical haircuts and equally identical faces, and walked out in bomber jackets, knits, and long-sleeve button downs in all the colors of the sea. Imagine a nylon seersucker bomber so lightweight it floats in the breeze, neoprene sweaters with mesh panels, and a series of T-shirts printed with sunsetting horizons, and you'll get the idea. Brilliant stuff, and surprisingly wearable if you don't count the tops that ended just above the waist (some things are better left to the male models).

Missoni's show made me want a knit suit so damn bad. Next big purchase.

The sets at Prada's shows are legendary, and this season was no exception. Everything was a giant stacked box — the seats, the stairs, the catwalk, and the backdrop, which was painted with an Afro/Caribbean/Vietnam War vibe (think yellow, green, and red, with silhouetted palm trees and black helicopters in the background).
I attended with everyone's favorite men's-wear illustrator Richard Haines, and after the show, we argued about the theme. His theory was that the collection drew from the 1940s, with returned GIs vacationing in Hawaii, which would explain the ironically tacky hula girl-print accessories, desert storm canvas sneakers, and aloha shirts. My theory was that the inspiration was Muhammed Ali's legendary bout "The Rumble in the Jungle," which accounts for all the satin, boxing shoes, wide-shouldered jackets, and that broken nose one male model wore particularly well.
What's always fun about a Prada show is that there's no telling where the lady of the house (Miuccia, that is) will go next – spring's offering was filled with baggy pants and tailored jackets that were unlike anything anybody is showing right now. Maybe it's time for a change of proportions. We'll see if others follow suit. One thing is certain: Satin has never looked so palatable.

Thom Browne picks a theme and goes to town each season, and spring 2014's Moncler Gamme Bleu show was all about cricket. Cue all white everything, cable knit sweaters (in every manifestation imaginable), and a setting that featured a real life grass pitch. Not astroturf; actual green grass. As a guy who comes from New Zealand, a country that actually plays cricket, it must be said that this was a noticeably American take on the sport – ribbed chest plates are a baseball quirk and never seen in the favorite English pastime, but you can't judge a guy for going all-out. From a show point of view, it was spectacular; Browne's presentations always are. From a clothing perspective, the more conservative it was, the better it looked (but bear in mind that Thom Browne's idea of conservative is just left of full-bore crazy).

Oh, and another thing. You know how on Entourage whenever Vinnie Chase was walking down the street random members of the public would always yell out his name and say what's up to him? I did that to MIchael Pitt at the Principe in Milan — except I think I did it with a bit too much familiarity, because he looked very confused when he saw me and realized he had no idea who I was. He still came over and chatted for a moment, though. Good dude.Silhouette: Sheath/Column 

Applique Jeweled Neck Semi-Sheer Sheath Lace Prom Dress





Neckline: Strapless 
Waist: Natural 
Hemline/Train: Floor-length 
Sleeve Length: Sleeveless 
Embellishments: Beading, Draping, Ruching/Pleated, Lace 
Fabric: Lace 
Built-In Bra: Yes 
Fully Lined: Yes 
Shown Color: Grey 
Body Shape: Hourglass, Pear, Inverted Triangle, Rectangle 
Occasion: Prom, Evening 
Season: Spring, Fall, Winter, Summer


 

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