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Milan kicked off the Italian leg of the international fashion run on Wednesday with a tighter schedule of catwalk shows aimed at meeting the needs of the foreign press but which has ruffled designers' feathers.
Thousands of journalists and buyers have descended on the Italian fashion capital to see designers such as Giorgio Armani, Prada and Versace's womenswear for next winter.
But the big names have squeezed their presentations into four days out of the February 24 - March 1 run after powerful fashion editor, Vogue's Anna Wintour, reportedly shortened her attendance.
Several designers and businessmen were quick to voice concern that a short show week would reduce the strength of the country's fashion industry. Paris fashion week runs over nine days.
"No one, not even if she is called Anna Wintour, can allow themselves to make or unmake our fashion calendar," Milan Mayor Letizia Moratti was quoted as saying in Italian newspapers.
"For this reason we must all work united."
Italian daily Corriere della Sera headlined a story about the calendar woes by saying Wintour held the Italian fashion sector "in her fist."
Wintour, who has an icy reputation, was believed to have inspired the cutthroat editor played by Meryl Streep in the film "The Devil Wears Prada."
Media reports have said she would only be staying three days in Milan because she will then travel to Paris fashion week and then fly to Los Angeles for the Oscars.
"I am very much looking forward to going to Italy as always," she told trade publication Women's Wear Daily.
ONLINE FASHION
It is not the first time Milan fashion week has been tainted by calendar wrangles. In September, a last-minute shuffling of slots because of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur threw organizers into a fluster.
"Our designers are the best in the world but unfortunately they often show they are not conscious of their power and instead give in to the pressure of the foreign press," said Mario Boselli, chairman of Italy's National Chamber of Fashion.
Boselli has promised a new calendar in September, with at least five days of shows.
Smaller names and young designers kicked off Milan fashion week, which overall will have more than 80 catwalk shows as well as presentations. On Thursday, Prada and D&G will start off the intensive run of the bigger names through Sunday.
Continuing the growing trend for online fashion, several shows will be broadcast live on the Internet. Designers are embracing a growing crowd of Internet-savvy fashion followers taking the glamour of the catwalk beyond the coveted front row.
Designer duo Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have gone one further and will broadcast their D&G and Dolce & Gabbana shows live on i-Phone and Android smartphones.
According to the fashion chamber, the industry's turnover fell 15 percent to 56.5 billion euros ($76.76 billion) last year. It has forecast a 6.5 percent growth this year.
Hint of seduction in this Blumarine creation at the just concluded Milan Fashion Week. Max Rossi / Reuters
Luxury was the key word in Italy's fashion capital as the top brands rolled out their new womenswear. Marie-Louise Gumuchian with Reuters reports
Next winter will be more colorful and retro for womenswear, designers at Milan Fashion Week showed, with brands making bolder statements in their creations as customers regain optimism and seek newness for their wardrobes.
The omnipresence of fur played up a luxury feel at the autumn-winter 2010/2011 shows, which ended yesterday, while an emphasis on sexiness was clear from Prada's dresses with fitted bodices and ruffles delineated busts to Versace's asymmetrical creations.
Designers injected doses of color from red and orange at Giorgio Armani to pink at Bottega Veneta.
A pickup in turnover for Italy's fashion industry is forecast this year after it fell 15 percent last year to 56.5 billion euros ($76.87 billion) in 2009 as the crisis hit demand.
"Even though the economy is showing some signs of recovery ... it's important the designer thinks of ... the woman who can afford to buy the clothes going up and down the runway," Ken Downing, fashion director at Neiman Marcus, says.
"We're very pleased, it's all about newness and newness is paramount. Women are not buying something they already own."
Fur, like in this Salvatore Ferragamo offering, fires up the Milan runway. Max Rossi / Reuters
Designers mixed leather, fur and wool on clothes and at times took inspiration from male wardrobes.
Known for his polished elegance, Armani presented square-shouldered jackets over short shirts that were reminiscent of the 1980s while sleeveless dresses were covered in tiger print or embroidery. He also put capes over dresses and toques with strips that lay like a fringe on models' heads.
Gucci had cashmere coats and collarless cropped jackets, paired with silk tops and skinny trousers with folded waists and metal plate belts.
Dresses with metal collars and cuffs had cuts exposing skin. They were worn with over-the-knee suede boots.
Patterned Chantilly lace dresses with sequins or ostrich feathers for evening wear were worn with lace stockings.
"It's absolutely full-blown luxury, every fur you can imagine," fashion journalist Hilary Alexander says of the shows.
Prada's silhouettes cast a late 1950s/early 1960s look with jackets with doubled-up collars in fur and knit and matching skirts. Dresses bore wallpaper-style patterns in red, mustard and brown and were worn with wool socks decorated with frills.
For Versace's biker chic line, designer Donatella Versace put zips on leather and suede jackets, trousers and fitted dresses, which were worn with boots with chunky heels.
Bottega Veneta creative director Tomas Maier put bandeau leather tops and wool felt sleeves and collars on sleeveless silk dresses. He also highlighted the season's trend for ankle or calf length boots with his black wedge booties.
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana highlighted the sartorial work of their Dolce & Gabbana brand with tailored black jackets. They also presented black lace and satin dresses.
There were also floral, polka dot and animal print designs.
The duo showed snowflake patterned knits worn with chiffon skirts and furry boots for their second D&G line.
Armani picked an "Uptown Girl" look for his Emporio Armani line, with short skirts paired with eco-fur and wool jackets.
Celebrating the 40th birthday of his brand, Roberto Cavalli picked a bohemian look with military-inspired tapestry brocade tailcoats and mixed fur jackets. Models wore transparent trousers over shorts and floating dresses in tulle.
Accessories played a strong role in all shows and buyers noted a more wearable and comfortable shape for bags.
"I wouldn't say that (designers) are being cautious," says Marigay McKee, fashion and beauty director at Harrods. "I would say it's more of an evolution than a revolution."
Minutes to go until showtime, and the cool calm that was has turned into a manic frenzy as stylists, make-up artists and hairdressers add the final touches to the models about to strut down the catwalk.
It has taken the team at Italian fashion brand Frankie Morello about two months to work on this autumn/winter 2010-2011 womenswear show but they will have only 10 minutes of catwalk time to impress the press pack and buyers.
"You can cut other costs but you can't cut on a show," Pierfrancesco Gigliotti, one of the brand's founding designers, says. "Shows are our biggest investment. They are the most important moment for us."
Putting on a fashion show is the top event in any designer's diary, but the smooth, cool look on the catwalk takes months of preparations and organization.
From models and stylists to electricians and invitation writers, some 8,000 people are involved in the Milan fashion week, according to Italy's National Chamber of Fashion, which organizes the event.
The body begins its work five months before the start of fashion week, sorting out rooms for designers who don't have their own showing areas. It starts working on a show calendar with a four-month head start.
Several drafts have to be made before the final version is printed as designers have been known to wrangle over timing, especially when the international press wants to keep its stay in town as short as possible to cut costs. This year, the big names have been squeezed into four days after powerful fashion editor, Vogue's Anna Wintour, reportedly shortened her attendance.
The chamber has accredited some 1,300 journalists from all around the world but each fashion house has to sort out accreditation for its own shows as well as the seating - some rival fashionistas may not want to sit next to each other.
Then there are the celebrities that need to be invited.
Thousands of buyers also descend onto Italy's fashion capital and several of the top designer names, such as Giorgio Armani, Versace and Gucci host separate shows for them.
Cars will be rented or for those pulling in purse strings, the chamber provides a shuttle service.
Last year, several fashion houses in the four fashion capitals New York, London, Paris and Milan cut back on their catwalk expenses - with some pulling shows altogether - as the economic downturn hit the luxury sector.
While fancy canapes and champagne are now rare, designers are still keen to invest highly in their shows.
"There were (cost) cuts last year but there is more investment in 2010. Investing in a show is a production investment because of the returns it brings," the fashion chamber's director Giulia Pirovano says.
"The value of all the publicity that comes from fashion publications is 10 times the investment put into a show and this is important. That is why all the designers want all the top models, the best stylists, the best make-up artists."
A smaller catwalk show can cost some 80,000 euros ($108,800), while the bigger players can easily reach 1 million euros, Pirovano says. Top models can demand 10,000 euros to walk down the catwalk.
At Frankie Morello, there were 18 models on the catwalk, well below the 40 women used in 2009, but the designers said they were not cutting costs. Numbers have varied at other shows. Prada had 40 models strutting down the catwalk. "We live in a fast world, where everything is fast, including fashion," Gigliotti says. "We have 36 creations on the catwalk this year, with a rock band performing live and video installations."
Ten minutes later at Frankie Morello and after loud applause from the audience, the champagne corks are popping backstage.
MILAN - Minutes to go until showtime, and the cool calm that was has turned into a manic frenzy as stylists, makeup artists and hairdressers add the final touches to the models about to strut down the catwalk.
It has taken the team at Italian fashion brand Frankie Morello about two months to work on this autumn/winter 2010-2011 womenswear show but they will have only 10 minutes of catwalk time to impress the fashion press pack and buyers.
"You can cut other costs but you can't cut on a show," Pierfrancesco Gigliotti, one of the brand's founding designers, told Reuters. "Shows are our biggest investment. They are the most important moment for us."
Putting on a fashion show is the top event in any designer's diary, but the smooth, cool look on the catwalk takes months of preparations and organization.
From models and stylists to electricians and invitation writers, some 8,000 people are involved in this February 24 - March 1 Milan fashion week, according to Italy's National Chamber of Fashion, which organizes the event.
The body begins its work five months before the start of fashion week, sorting out rooms for designers who don't have their own showing areas. It starts working on a show calendar with a four-month headstart.
Several drafts have to be made before the final version is printed as designers have been known to wrangle over timing, especially when the international press wants to keep its stay in town as short as possible to cut costs.
This year the big names have been squeezed into four days after powerful fashion editor, Vogue's Anna Wintour, reportedly shortened her attendance.
TOP INVESTMENT
The chamber has accredited some 1,300 journalists from all around the world but each fashion house has to sort out accreditation for its own shows as well as the seating -- some rival fashionistas may not want to sit next to each other.
Then there are the celebrities that need to be invited.
Thousands of buyers also descend onto Italy's fashion capital and several of the top designer names, such as Giorgio Armani, Versace and Gucci host separate shows for them.
Cars will be rented or for those pulling in purse strings, the chamber provides a shuttle service.
Last year, several fashion houses in the four fashion capitals New York, London, Paris and Milan cut back on their catwalk expenses -- with some pulling shows altogether -- as the economic downturn hit the luxury sector.
While fancy canapes and champagne are now rare, designers are still keen to invest highly in their shows.
"There were (cost) cuts last year but there is more investment in 2010. Investing in a show is a production investment because of the returns it brings," the fashion chamber's director Giulia Pirovano told Reuters.
"The value of all the publicity that comes from fashion publications is 10 times the investment put into a show and this is important. That is why all the designers want all the top models, the best stylists, the best makeup artists."
A smaller catwalk show can cost some 80,000 euros ($108,700), while the bigger players can easily reach 1 million euros, Pirovano said. Top models can demand 10,000 euros to walk down the catwalk.
At Frankie Morello, there were 18 models on the catwalk, well below the 40 women used in 2009, but the designers said they were not cutting costs. Numbers have varied at other shows. Prada had 40 models strutting down the catwalk.
"We live in a fast world, where everything is fast, including fashion," Gigliotti said. "We have 36 creations on the catwalk this year, with a rock band performing live and video installations."
Ten minutes later at Frankie Morello and after loud applause from the audience, the champagne corks are popping backstage.
Ben de Lisi has created a dress made entirely from tissues.
The renowned designer hand stitched the stunning cream gown using 21 metres of Kleenex Ultra Soft tissues, with TV presenter and friend Lisa Snowdon modelling the dress.
Ben says he was inspired to use the unusual material as he searched for the ultimate fabric to flatter women.
He said: "My philosophy is to design clothing that encapsulates understated glamour. If you can get this right and combine it with the right material then the minute a woman puts it on, she will feel and look gorgeous.
"This is exactly what I've achieved with my tissue dress - I wanted to create something that would show off Lisa's womanly figure and whilst working with tissue was an interesting challenge due to its delicate nature, its softness and strength lends itself to the dress shape and looks simply stunning on her."
Model Lisa - who has previously dated George Clooney - was very impressed with Ben's design.
She said: "I'm amazed at what Ben has created, if feels so soft against my skin, I could be wearing silk or velvet. Getting up at 5am each day and working as a radio presenter, means I don't get dressed up on a daily basis. So it's those little everyday indulgences that can make me feel gorgeous from wearing my best underwear, a spritz of my favourite perfume, or a super soft tissue."
Carolina Herrera says Jackie Kennedy Onassis' style still has an impact on the fashion industry.
The Venezuelan designer - who counts Renee Zellweger, Cate Blanchett and Kristen Scott-Thomas among her celebrity clients - believes the late former US First Lady has a huge influence on what women wear, almost 16 years after her death.
She revealed: "The influence of Jackie's style can still be seen now on the catwalks, every designer shows a look inspired by her. She was very classic, but with a modern twist.
"I've worked with so many amazing women. What these stylish women all have in common is the knowledge of what looks well on them - the knowledge of herself."
Carolina, 71, was recently in London for the opening of her first ever UK store - CH by Carolina Herrera on Mount Street in London.
Talking about the launch, she told vogue.com: "We waited a long time to find just the right spot. I like that it's a new place - Mount Street has become a destination in the same way that South Molton Street did."
Continuing her innovative influence on the new media generation of laptop loving, social media surfing, Web 2.0-ers, Vivienne Tam partnered with luxury style network CHECKYOUdaily.com to present her Fall 2010 collection live from New York Fashion week. Presenting her collection in a fresh vehicle, there is backstage, on stage and after footage raw and re-styled, hosted on a dedicated website within CHECKYOUdaily.com.
As you know, Vivienne Tam has made strides in her presence in the digital media market and positioned herself as a designer in tune with current trends online for sourcing fashion and style information. With this partnership she steps beyond her contemporaries who risk being left in her digital dust.
The Fall 2010 Vivienne Tam Experience with CHECKYOUdaily debuted Fashion Week February 12 , 2010 via the portal www.checkyoudaliy.com by clicking the Vivienne Tam page-peel and streamed exclusive footage from the Fall2010 Presentation on February 13,2010 and be available until end of the month.
Vivienne Tam has become well known for creating beautiful clothes that appeal to all ages, ethnicities, and income levels. She has earned the reputation for offering a stylish and high-quality product while at the same time inviting the consumer to experience the inspiration behind it. A longstanding dedication to innovation and exotic imagery, Vivienne Tam is truly one of the world’s most passionate and symbolic designers in fashion today. As a designer of clothing that “suggests tolerance, global acumen, and a Fourth of July faith in individual expression,“ Tam, in the words of fashion critic and curator Richard Martin, possesses an “idealistic globalism that transcends politics and offers a more enchanted, peaceful world.
Born in Canton, China, Vivienne Tam moved to Hong Kong when she was three years old. Her bi-cultural upbringing in the then British colony was the first stage in the development of her signature East-meets-West style. After graduating from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Vivienne Tam moved to New York where she thrived on the excitement and energy of the fashion world. New York became a home for her and a continuing source of stimulation for her designs.
In 1994, Vivienne Tam launched her signature collection of Eastern inspired clothing with a modern edge on the New York runways. In 1995, she introduced the influential “Mao” collection that triumphantly crossed over from the fashion world into the art world. Then in 1997 Vivienne Tam launched the venerable Buddha collection. The public and celebrities around the world quickly embraced both collections. Some of the images became so popular that scores of design . Then in 1997 Vivienne Tam launched the venerable Buddha collection. The public and celebrities around the world quickly embraced both collections. Some of the images became so popular that scores of designers even adopted the look into their designs. Pieces of the collections were ultimately incorporated into the permanent archives of the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, The Museum of FIT and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
In an era where the fashion industry is populated by numerous names and emerging new talents, Vivienne Tam has shown that she can consistently appeal to everyone from high-society to urban to teens, offering them fresh collections every season. She is poised to become the next multi-tasking, multi-successful designer and businesswoman.
Models present creations as part of the D&G Fall/Winter 2010/11 Women's collection during Milan Fashion Week February 25, 2010.
MILAN - Next winter will be more colorful and retro for womenswear, designers at Milan fashion week showed, with brands making bolder statements in their creations as customers regain optimism and seek newness for their wardrobes.
The omnipresence of fur played up a luxury feel at the autumn-winter 2010/2011 shows while an emphasis on sexiness was clear from Prada's dresses with fitted bodices and ruffles delineated busts to Versace's asymmetrical creations.
Designers injected doses of color from red and orange at Giorgio Armani to pink at Bottega Veneta.
A pickup in turnover for Italy's fashion industry is forecast this year after it fell 15 percent last year to 56.5 billion euros ($76.77 billion) in 2009 as the crisis hit demand.
"Even though the economy is showing some signs of recovery ... it's important the designer thinks of ... the woman who can afford to buy the clothes going up and down the runway," Ken Downing, fashion director at Neiman Marcus, said.
"We're very pleased, it's all about newness and newness is paramount. Women are not buying something they already own."
Designers mixed leather, fur and wool on clothes and at times took inspiration from male wardrobes.
Known for his polished elegance, Armani presented square-shouldered jackets over short shirts that were reminiscent of the 1980s while sleeveless dresses were covered in tiger print or embroidery. He also put capes over dresses and toques with strips that lay like a fringe on models' heads.
Gucci had cashmere coats and collarless cropped jackets, paired with silk tops and skinny trousers with folded waists and metal plate belts. Dresses with metal collars and cuffs had cuts exposing skin. They were worn with over-the-knee suede boots.
Patterned Chantilly lace dresses with sequins or ostrich feathers for evening wear were worn with lace stockings.
"It's absolutely full-blown luxury, every fur you can imagine," fashion journalist Hilary Alexander said of the shows.
"EVOLUTION NOT REVOLUTION"
Prada's silhouettes cast a late 1950s/early 1960s look with jackets with doubled-up collars in fur and knit and matching skirts. Dresses bore wallpaper-style patterns in red, mustard and brown and were worn with wool socks decorated with frills.
For Versace's biker chic line, designer Donatella Versace put zips on leather and suede jackets, trousers and fitted dresses, which were worn with boots with chunky heels.
Bottega Veneta creative director Tomas Maier put bandeau leather tops and wool felt sleeves and collars on sleeveless silk dresses. He also highlighted the season's trend for ankle or calf length boots with his black wedge booties.
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana highlighted the sartorial work of their Dolce & Gabbana brand with tailored black jackets. They also presented black lace and satin dresses.
There were also floral, polka dot and animal print designs.
The duo showed snowflake patterned knits worn with chiffon skirts and furry boots for their second D&G line.
Armani picked an "Uptown Girl" look for his Emporio Armani line, with short skirts paired with eco-fur and wool jackets.
Celebrating the 40th birthday of his brand, Roberto Cavalli picked a bohemian look with military-inspired tapestry brocade tailcoats and mixed fur jackets. Models wore transparent trousers over shorts and floating dresses in tulle.
Accessories played a strong role in all shows and buyers noted a more wearable and comfortable shape for bags.
"I wouldn't say that (designers) are being cautious," said Marigay McKee, fashion and beauty director at Harrods. "I would say it's more of an evolution than a revolution."
MILAN - Minutes to go until showtime, and the cool calm that was has turned into a manic frenzy as stylists, makeup artists and hairdressers add the final touches to the models about to strut down the catwalk.
It has taken the team at Italian fashion brand Frankie Morello about two months to work on this autumn/winter 2010-2011 womenswear show but they will have only 10 minutes of catwalk time to impress the fashion press pack and buyers.
"You can cut other costs but you can't cut on a show," Pierfrancesco Gigliotti, one of the brand's founding designers, told Reuters. "Shows are our biggest investment. They are the most important moment for us."
Putting on a fashion show is the top event in any designer's diary, but the smooth, cool look on the catwalk takes months of preparations and organization.
From models and stylists to electricians and invitation writers, some 8,000 people are involved in this February 24 - March 1 Milan fashion week, according to Italy's National Chamber of Fashion, which organizes the event.
The body begins its work five months before the start of fashion week, sorting out rooms for designers who don't have their own showing areas. It starts working on a show calendar with a four-month headstart.
Several drafts have to be made before the final version is printed as designers have been known to wrangle over timing, especially when the international press wants to keep its stay in town as short as possible to cut costs.
This year the big names have been squeezed into four days after powerful fashion editor, Vogue's Anna Wintour, reportedly shortened her attendance.
TOP INVESTMENT
The chamber has accredited some 1,300 journalists from all around the world but each fashion house has to sort out accreditation for its own shows as well as the seating -- some rival fashionistas may not want to sit next to each other.
Then there are the celebrities that need to be invited.
Thousands of buyers also descend onto Italy's fashion capital and several of the top designer names, such as Giorgio Armani, Versace and Gucci host separate shows for them.
Cars will be rented or for those pulling in purse strings, the chamber provides a shuttle service.
Last year, several fashion houses in the four fashion capitals New York, London, Paris and Milan cut back on their catwalk expenses -- with some pulling shows altogether -- as the economic downturn hit the luxury sector.
While fancy canapes and champagne are now rare, designers are still keen to invest highly in their shows.
"There were (cost) cuts last year but there is more investment in 2010. Investing in a show is a production investment because of the returns it brings," the fashion chamber's director Giulia Pirovano told Reuters.
"The value of all the publicity that comes from fashion publications is 10 times the investment put into a show and this is important. That is why all the designers want all the top models, the best stylists, the best makeup artists."
A smaller catwalk show can cost some 80,000 euros ($108,700), while the bigger players can easily reach 1 million euros, Pirovano said. Top models can demand 10,000 euros to walk down the catwalk.
At Frankie Morello, there were 18 models on the catwalk, well below the 40 women used in 2009, but the designers said they were not cutting costs. Numbers have varied at other shows. Prada had 40 models strutting down the catwalk.
"We live in a fast world, where everything is fast, including fashion," Gigliotti said. "We have 36 creations on the catwalk this year, with a rock band performing live and video installations."
Ten minutes later at Frankie Morello and after loud applause from the audience, the champagne corks are popping backstage.