By Drew Taylor
Marni started day five in Milan off with another fur-intensive collection that felt very appropriate in light of the near-constant snow and rain that cast a chill over the city on Sunday.
Designer Consuelo Castiglioni used fur as a thick trim on skirts and dresses and in full collars on coats with a military feel, while long fur stoles were slung around the neck and worn like scarves. Aside from the lush trimming, tailoring was often streamlined to the point of austerity, though a few choice prints (including a charming black and white forest motif) added a touch of whimsy. Unfussy accessories, like simple leather riding boots and clean-lined totes, kept the looks grounded.
For its inventive fall/winter presentation, Bally opened its very own “ice hotel” on fashionable Corso Venezia, complete with a reception area that included faux elevator doors emblazoned with the Swiss house’s crest and a bar lit up by an icy-looking chandelier. Boots and bags were housed in cavernous white vitrines while fur coats were draped over snowy white pillars. Bally’s specialty is beautifully made yet blessedly wearable accessories, and this season was no exception: Buttery leather riding boots, men’s-inspired oxfords and brogues, feminine ankle boots with wraparound ribbon straps and a gorgeous off-white carryall satchel were among the highlights.
The boys of Dolce & Gabbana showed their Sicilian pride, as always, with an upbeat show that opened with a series of looks inspired by the mosaic of Monreale in Palermo. Herringbone tweeds followed, cut in ‘50s-era bell skirts, boxy cropped jackets with bracelet sleeves, and even bloomers, before a round of dazzling beaded evening looks in fire engine red closed out the collection (pictured). Among the many eye-catching accessories (which included doorknocker earrings in the shape of crosses and crowns fit for a queen), the standouts were the shoes: Gilded cage platforms and crushed velvet mary janes with embellished platform heels. Subtle? No. But that wouldn’t be la Dolce vita.
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This season, the palette at Salvatore Ferragamo was pared down to just three shades: navy, black and white. That didn’t stop designer Massimiliano Giornetti from delivering a sleek and sexy collection driven by sharp tailoring and the idea of contrasts—pairing sheer fabrics with weightier ones, masculine elements with feminine. A pinstripe jacket lost its all-business connotation when paired with a miniskirt and a turtleneck with a sheer panel to reveal a sliver of skin. Equally seductive were the accessories: strappy patent stilettos, pointy-toed heels with cutouts and knee-high “spats,” and boxy little bags for day. The Ferragamo woman might be sensual, but there’s no doubt she’s the boss.
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