Best of Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2014

The beautiful city of Milan plays host to the second last fashion week of September, with famous designers and labels such as Moschino, MSGM, Salvatore Ferragamo, Missoni, Jil Sander, Roberto Cavalli and Giorgio Armani showcasing their upcoming collections for the Spring/Summer season. My favourites from this season include:

Fendi

It's wonder to see how Karl Lagerfeld, being the Creative Director of both Chanel and Fendi, can diversify and adapt to the different design aesthetics of these two illustrious fashion houses. Karl's collection for Fendi is abundant in space-aged sheer layering, creating a juxtaposition of femininity against the hardness of the technological. To further enhance this, coats and jackets feature patterns reminiscent of conduit boards and displaced triangular tessellations are present in the latter half of the collection.

Costume National

Costume National is one of those fashion houses whose intermittent repertoire is a rarity, and whose influence on fashion is apparent but unknown to many. The Italian fashion house has shown a very grounded and effortlessly stylish collection, focusing on warping essential womenswear staples such as white waistcoats, tea and cocktail dresses via the cut outs along the decolletages and hems and placement of sheers. The perfect collection for a woman whose style embodies the climax of minimalist and cubist details.

Prada

Prada never ceases to amaze the fashion industry with its consistently eccentric aesthetic, which so often changes, but has managed to set the benchmark for other underdog fashion designers and labels with its distinguishable look and feel. Amongst the street art and graffiti filled venue, models donning garments featuring eloquent encrusted jewels, vibrant colours and the odd artistic portraits of women walked the stage. A closer look at the collection forces one to question whether the leg-warmers are a hit or a miss, but there's no doubt that the footwear and handbags are going to be a hit amongst the mass.

Bottega Veneta

Bottega Veneta's earthy and grounded aesthetic is the label's signature, and has been translated so once again in their Spring/Summer 2014 collection. What stands out in this collection is the layering, draping and fabric creases within the dresses, which, rather than adding weight and heaviness, bring a sense of lightness - a hard feat to achieve especially in these techniques. Undeniably sophisticated, the collection has been designed for the understated woman who loves the weight and feel of textured fabrics combined with expert craftsmanship.

Gianfranco Ferre

The architect of fashion, aka Gianfranco Ferre, and his geometric and cubist approach to fashion has been carried on by the Creative Directors of his label, with the Spring/Summer 2014 collection making that evident. With the architectural construction of these garments, you'd assume more a harsh and non-wearable aesthetic to be the product of the techniques involved, but this is certainly not true. The luxurious fabrics used within the pieces bring a softness to the obvious accentuated waistlines, shoulders and necklines, backed up by the sombre colour palette.

Images courtesy of Fashionising

Best of London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2014

I was surprised at the fact that not many designers succeeded to impress me at London Fashion Week, especially since I am an avid fan of British style. Amongst the names that showed this year, including Christopher Raeburn, Daks, House of Holland, Richard Nicoll, Mary Katrantzou and Vivienne Westwood and many more, a trifecta emerged as my favourites.

David Koma

David Koma has produced a collection that fuses contemporary architectural silhouettes and the softness of femininity. Cut-outs, asymmetrical geometry and almost-invisible sheer are details that create the collection, daringly similar to Alexander Wang, but different in the fact that the hard-edged feel is substituted for with a more approachable aesthetic and colour palette that stretches beyond monochromatic.

J.W. Anderson

J.W. Anderson has emerged as a designer who loves to play on the boundaries of wearability, often producing questionable yet loveable collections. Although this collection is quite relaxed, the artistry in most of the pieces bring a sense of tension in terms of its functionality, which is also one of its strengths. Risky organza tops, statement bow belts, origami inspired pieces and ensembles resembling the fluidity of jelly fish reflect exactly what J.W. Anderson stands for. 

Preen

Thomton Bergazzi for Preen has effectively continued the distinct modernity of the label, yet this collection is distinguishable by its lighter look. The structure and sturdiness of collections past resonate, including layered sheers and multi-faceted dresses, but the appearance of more simplistic pieces is applaudable. The colour palette is undeniably wearable, and does not overpower the minimal detailing.

Images courtesy of Fashionising