Milan Fall '09 Fashion Week Highlights

With New York and London living up to their respective reputations for Fall '09 amidst all of the burgeoning dilemma's brought on by the chaotic financial & political climates of the world, it was foreseeable that Milan would either go the sensible pragmatic sportswear route, or be trapped by it's over-sexualized, over-stylized extravagant musings of the past. In the end many designers seemed to have been lost somewhere in the middle of high-brow minimalism and downright tacky festiveness. What was exhilarating was that there was something for every kind of girl from the one's who party like it's 1989 in full Baroque regalia to the uppity society women of the old world to the slick, street-smart girls championing today's urban sophistication. And as you could have guessed, it was that urban muse that felt right on the money to us.

Prada(also shown above)-After several past hit-or-miss collections teetering on the border of tastelessness rather than provocation, Miucca Prada smartly channeled her 90's hey-day for fall and hit upon all of our favorite Prada-isms. The core of the collection may have been based on fur, smart suits and beautifully cut coats yet the end result was positively hardcore, aggressive and astoundingly minimal with dark equestrian undertones and a slightly mannish coldness. And speaking of Prada-isms, they were all here in full force from the vaguely romantic old-world Italian pretense, to the slight vintage feel as well as the embellishments that overall resulted in a romantic Mad-Max feel. We especially loved the use of fur on paneled dresses and the heavily decorated fringed leather finale looks.

Marni-Two season's ago many journalists had a lot to say about the fact that Marni is always resolutely Marni, and that it never seems to change direction, however we feel the need to pull out that particular cliche "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Marni once again had us feeling giddy with it's super-charged sportswear that was as optimistic as it was far-out cool. This collection was heavy on navy-blue and offered some great takes on the fur front as well as sport-inspired garb and some impossibly chic accessories that riffed on the house's love affair with the space-age Mods of the 60's. After all, fashion shouldn't be completely all about re-inventing the wheel, sometimes it's also about celebrating today, and tomorrow.

Etro-Over the past few season's Etro has become to us, one of Italy's go to houses for fresh, uncomplicated sportswear that is always impeccably on mark. It may be heralded for it's rich paisley prints and explosive color-ways, but what really excites us about the label is it's penchant for heady ethnic prints and dynamic, southwestern inspired accessories & embellishments.