Milanese beauty – Luisa Beccaria
photo: DChen
No time for runway shows in Milan… just a tornado of showroom appointments packed in two and a half days. A pleasant surprise was at our first stop this morning to via Formentini… at Luisa Beccaria. A beautiful s.s 2012 collection inspired by Mediterranean colors and popular vacations spots. Amongst the treasures, this gorgeous cotton tulle gown in an unusual shade of butter yellow. An unexpected treat.
Milano’s Marcelo Burlon
Marcelo Burlon is the social glue in Milan for the fashion set. This Patagonian transplant is on of the busiest people in Milan right now. He’s a former magazine editor turned social blender. He mixes people, art, fashion, design and music. He is the founder of Pink is Punk parties in Milan. His goal… bringing people from different walks of life together to have fun. Simple as that. He has dj’d parties for many brands and also for fashion shows. He cites Riccardo Tisci as one of his greatest inspirations. Marcelo has also started photographing and making videos of his world. He has his own blog that showcases his beautiful work.
The NY Times T Magazine has done a great video portraying Marcelo Burlon’s life and work. ( video here )
He’s a celebrity in his own right and appears in numerous publications. His reach is going global. In the end he claims in his manifesto that it’s the people he’s most interested in. Looking at his site, you understand why.
Gabriele Colangelo – Milan s.s 2011
It’s forecasted to not only snow here in Lyon today… but we will also be treated to some sleet and freezing rain ( is there a difference? ). It’s the end of November but we are deep into winter. Friday, it’s promised to dip into the mid 20’s. It’s at times like these that we already start looking forward to Spring. The light changes and I always welcome the return of color…. if not just the color of the sky but that of the clothes to come.
Milan has sprouted a few young designers that the fashion world has taken notice of. Gabriele Colangelo is one of the forerunners of this latest generation of talent. This 35 year old Milanese has designed for Versace Jeans, Just Cavalli and was the creative director of a brand within the Mariella Burani Fashion Group. He launched his own collection in 2008 and the same year won the competition founded by Alta Roma and Vogue Italia, “Who Is On Next.” That brought him international attention and the opportunity to sign a production and distribution deal with Castor srl based in Castellucchio of the Lombardy region in northern Italy. The Picozzi family has produced the renown 6267 collection and currently does production for Gabriele Colangelo, Giles Deacon and Mantu.
Gabriele Colangelo’s s.s 2011 collection captures perfectly the essence of why we long for the light and color of spring when shivering in the grey of winter. He captures lightness in his fabric choices many of which are quite new and technologically in advance. Ombré or degradé, not only in color, but also starting with one fabric and finishing into another. An intelligent designer who is showing us his capacity of being an innovator. His fling with white and pale colors and the well placed print are also well played. I am keeping my eye on Mr. Colangelo. In a very short time, he has shown that he has what it takes to be around for awhile. Talent, intellect, innovation and great production behind him.
All photos – DChen
Here’s a little tidbit in Vogue Italia on Gabriele.
Milano – Fragola di bosco
Aside from fashion and shopping, I have often professed that eating is the other pleasure that Milan offers in generous doses. It’s the quality of ingredients. Whether vegetables, meats, fish or fruits, Italians seek out the freshest and best quality even in your smallest neighborhood restaurants.
This is dessert from last evening at Al Girarrosto on Corso Venezia. Fresh fragola di bosco with vanilla ice cream. These small Italian Alpine wild strawberries are delicate but are big on flavor. A great example of keeping it simple and allowing the flavor to be the single focus.
Milano Loves Fashion
Milan fashion week is off and running. The city is humming.
Sandwiched between New York, London and Paris next, Milan has opened it’s doors with fashion events non-stop……
Crossing the Divide – Jil Sander
There are still f.w 2010 collections to write about from this past February and March but May and June came along and Resort and pre-collections for Spring 2011 sprang out of no where. I had the great opportunity to cross the divide from retail to wholesale and work in the showrooms of both Jil Sander in Milan and New York and then in Paris for Lanvin. Both incredibly enriching experiences.
Jil Sander, under the creative direction of Raf Simons, combined their market period for their Cruise and pre-Spring 2011 collections. Both were shown at the same time and if that wasn’t enough…. the company introduced the new Jil Sander Navy collection. A full on separate collection the company is targeting as a brand extension…. not a diffusion or secondary line. The target client is the Jil Sander woman and definitely provides for her younger sibling or daughter as well. The collection is skewed more towards her weekend and casual needs. The collection will deliver to your nearest store beginning in December 2010. It will be merchandised next to the collection in all stores that carry Jil Sander. The label will be the Jil Sander logo label but instead of the white background, it will be on…. NAVY. Unfortunately, I do not have any photos but here is a great write up on STYLE.COM and a photo or two on the newest offering from the world of Jil Sander. The collection is comprised of three deliveries and there are major stories of colors and prints… not the usual find at Jil Sander. All things do evolve.
The collection is under the creative directorship of Raf Simons and there is a separate design team dedicated to just this new label. Production for Jil Sander Navy will be under the roofs of the Italian manufacturer GIBO. ( producers of John Galliano, Rochas, etc ) The presentation to the buyers worldwide were held in the Milan showroom on Piazza Castello and then also in Soho in NYC where the Jil Sander store was closed to house the 3 collections for the US market appointments. Working with the team at Jil Sander was a great experience. I have bought this collection for both Bergdorf Goodman and Linda Dresner for the past 15 years in some capacity or another. So it was really interesting to learn the collection from behind the scenes. Working with stores on the other side of the table was particularly rewarding as I was able to use my experience as buyer and knowledge of the collection, both past and present, to help shape their buys. Full circle.
Art in Fashion – Daniela Gregis revisit
To emphasize the artistic/artisanal vision of Italian designer Daniela Gregis, a second post is needed to show you her concept for her s.s 2010 presentation decor. Daniela shows her collection in a beautiful space on within the compound of the Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio in Milan. The original church, noted for its medieval architecture was built around 386 by Bishop Ambrogio. In the mid 11th century, the Basilica was rebuilt in a Romanesque style on the original site. The skeletal remains of Saint Ambrose is on view in the crypt in his full on bishop finery.
In a 360 degree contrast to the fluorescent light sculpture from her March fall presentation presentation, for her s.s 2010 collection in September, Daniela Gregis strung dried peppers over colorful tubs in the courtyard of one of the many annexes within the grounds of the Basilica . These ropes of peppers were suspended from the vaulted archways along one wall. The simplicity of the ropes of dried peppers and the bold, joyful colors of the tubs mirrors the earthy but luxe hand of Daniela Gregis, pulling out the happy colors from the Liberty prints she used throughout her collection .
You had a sense you were in the countryside and everything around you had slowed down to a pleasant country pace and you could feel the warmth of the sun. A momentary, but very welcome pause, to stop and take a breath and to take in your beautiful surroundings.
It doesn’t stop there. Every season, Daniela presents to each of her clients or visitors a delicious home made butter cookie in the shape of a little man. Each one is wrapped in a square of print fabric from the current collection. This spring season, she tied it all up neatly with a small dried pepper on top. Her ability to charm and draw you into her world is always smile inducing and done with genuine warmth. Grazie Daniela, for the treat and your beautiful personal vision.
Trussardi 1911 – f.w 2010
The F/W 2010 Trussardi 1911 collection left so much to be desired. Milan Vukmirovic’s spot on spring show cast a very large and dark shadow over his collection for this coming fall/winter. Everything that was so right and hip last season was negated by the very uptight and overly literal attempt he made for F/W 2010. If you’re going to pay homage or riff on another designer or a particular look… you need to go further outside their box, not copy it verbatim. Such was the problem for this collection. Word for word… line for line… style for style…. it’s night and day what Mr. Vukmirovic has done for the men’s collection and what he has not done YET for the women’s collection.
There were definitely good signs for the spring 2010 collection… as seen here. One of my favorite pieces of the spring collections..
that didn’t quite flow into the fall collection, sadly enough.
Here is the link to their site for the fall 2010 collection… there wasn’t a runway show and when we walked through the collection in the showroom…. it just wasn’t meant to be. So no photos… the only photos I did manage to take were downstairs at the Cafe Trussardi …. lunch was the best part of the visit!
photo top is a riso al salto alla milanese con cozze e zucchine
(pan fried saffron rice with mussels and zucchini)
photo bottom vitello tonnato con sedano bianco
(thinly sliced veal in a tuna sauce with shaved white celery)
Again… here is the link to the Trussardi 1911 website where you will find the photos of the collection. Let me know what your thoughts are… if you concur! Leave me a comment.
http://www.trussardi1911.it/collection/collezioni_fall_winter_2010_2011_donna
And if you’re ever in Milano… here is the link to the Cafe Trussardi website. A beautiful space to have a drink or a meal at the Piazza della Scala.
http://www.trussardi.com/trussardi_cafe.html
All photos – DChen.
