At MFW: Colorblock
The way that New Yorkers are infamous for their love of black, the Milanese could be similarly considered synonymous with the opposite: color.
However, Max Mara remained mysterious about the trend, opening the show as usual with a neutral ensemble as a model stepped out in a camel trench coat. An introduction of bright yellow, peg-leg pants immediately changed the tone of the show, revealing that although the economy tells fashion labels to stick to the staples, designers are still optimistic enough to take risks. Punches of citrus colors and fuchsia hit the stage, and a colorblocked, baseball-style shirt topped off trousers.
Known for her sleek and modern designs, Marni has always been a label designed for women by women, avoiding men’s pretensions about bold clothing and giving women what they want to wear. Colorblocking isn’t a foreign trend for Marni designer Consuelo Castiglioni, who has always worked an array of bright color into a neutral palette. If I had to sum up the show, I’d go with “space-age schoolgirl” due to the modern spin on classic separates. Girls wore tight caps (reminiscent of a swim cap) with perforated jackets and bright leather skirts, and the occasional legging made an appearance. Toward the end, Castiglioni took the trend to a whole new level with long, sequined colorblocked dresses in shades of blue, yellow and purple.
Jil Sander stayed true to its roots in the Sept. 25 show, alluding to its iconic 1980s power-woman motif with bright, long-leg trousers and oversized blazers in eye-popping colors. The so-called Master of Minimalism, Jil Sander’s successor Raf Simons challenged the axiom with the contrary: maxing out his proportions. Since Jil Sander’s departure from her namesake brand and Prada’s ownership in 2000, there has been speculation whether the German fashion house will be able to keep its loyal patrons; however, the show proved that although Simons’ aesthetic is fresh, he isn’t pushing Sanders’ signature simplicity out the door.
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