Fashion from the Capital
Marni and Dolce & Gabbana in Milan Fashion Week
Last Sunday at Milan fashion week was the setting of two very different stories. First up was Marni, which made its name for cerebral clothes loved by the art crowd, with a womenswear debut from new designer Francesco Risso.
And then Dolce & Gabbana, a label that, increasingly, loves a catwalk stunt to generate chatter around its leopard print and lace-fuelled glamour. This time that came through casting LQÀXHQFHUV ± ,QVWDJUDP VWDUV FKLOGUHQ RI FHOHEULWLHV HYHQ PDJD]LQH HGLWRUV ± DV PRGHOV 7KH FRQWUDVW EHWZHHQ WKH WZR shows could not have been more extreme.
Following the departure of Marni’s founder and creative director, Consuelo Castiglioni, from the company in October last year, Francesco Risso, 33, an ex-Prada designer, took over DV FUHDWLYH GLUHFWRU 7KLV 6XQGD\ PRUQLQJ LQ 0LODQ ZDV KLV ¿UVW womenswear show.
The show paid homage to Castiglioni’s legacy and subtly VHW RXW WKDW WKLV ZDV 5LVVR¶V 0DUQL WKH ¿UVW GHVLJQHG E\ D PDQ 7KH ¿UVW SLHFHV OLNH D VNLUW VXLW DQG GUHVV ZLWK FRFRRQ OLNH volume, felt typical, as did the “ugly” sandals with bulbous heels and too-long soles, and the statement earrings. Then there were WKH 5LVVR HOHPHQWV ± EURFDGH GUHVVHV ZLWK EUD WRSV RYHU WKHP worn with sunglasses and mid-calf boots, a collage of ideas with a sort of club kid feel.
That was also there in oversized hats, Big Bird-worthy pastel-colored fuzzy coats, and vinyl jackets. Seventies prints, sickly sweet colors and nipped in trouser suits, meanwhile, UHYHDOHG WKH LQÀXHQFH RI WKH GHVLJQHU¶V SUHYLRXV HPSOR\HU ,W IHOW like a collection designed to plant the seeds of something to grow rather than ripping up what came before and starting again.
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He also paid tribute to Castiglioni. “Consuelo, and the work she has done, is so important to me,” he said. “She was so amazing in freeing stereotyped vision of a woman or a man. That LV VRPHWKLQJ WKDW , UHDOO\ FDUH DERXW DQG , ZDQW WR ¿JKW IRU ´
Consuelo Castiglioni founded Marni with her husband, *LDQQL LQ ,W KDV EHHQ VXJJHVWHG WKDW WKH &DVWLJOLRQLV¶ GHSDUWXUH FRXOG KDYH EHHQ GRZQ WR D GLI¿FXOW UHODWLRQVKLS ZLWK Only The Brave. Renzo Rosso’s company, which also owns Rosso’s Diesel and Maison Margiela, bought 60 percent of Marni in 2012. Marni’s revenues grew 15.4 percent in 2015, to £127 million. The company has 60 stores around the world.
Dolce & Gabbana started their show like a stadium concert, ZLWK VFUHHQV DOO DURXQG ÀDVKLQJ XS WKH QDPHV RI WKRVH DERXW WR walk on the catwalk. Models included Oliver Cheshire and Pixie Lott, Alice and Charlotte Dellal, and Jo Ellison, fashion editor of the Financial Times who is touted as a possible next Vogue editor. She walked to smiles from the British press, including Alexandra Shulman, who sat in the front row.
,Q D VKRZ WKDW ZDV PRUH DERXW HQWHUWDLQPHQW WKDQ VHOOLQJ clothes, included were also dogs, babies and small children. Austin Mahone, the 20-year-old singer with 10 million followers RQ ,QVWDJUDP VRXQGWUDFNHG HYHU\WKLQJ ZLWK D OLYH SHUIRUPDQFH ,W SURYHG LUUHVLVWLEOH WR WKRVH LQ WKH IURQW URZ (YHQ $QQD :LQWRXU usually cross-armed, was smiling and clearly enjoying the spectacle.
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7KLV ZDV WKH ¿UVW ZRPHQVZHDU FROOHFWLRQ IURP 'ROFH Gabbana since Melania Trump wore one of their dresses in -DQXDU\ 6WHIDQR *DEEDQD¶V SUDLVH RI WKH QHZ ¿UVW ODG\ RQ VRFLDO media prompted an outcry from fans, with some suggesting they would be boycotting the brand.