In Milan, fashion is as much a part of the culture as fantastic food and classic architecture. Shoe and handbag boutiques dot nearly every street corner, runway recaps make the nightly news and the women don’t think twice about walking in high heels on cobblestone streets (I wore flats all week for fear of twisting […]
The nostalgic nineties may have transfixed us for the past seasons, but come Spring 2015, fashion’s got an all-new decade of choice. Let’s hear it for bellbottoms, sexy silks and peasant blouses because the seventies are back. And while disco may be the first image that comes to mind when thinking ‘70s style, this season’s […]
With the end of fashion week in Toronto marking the close of Spring 2014 show season, it’s time we looked back at all the trends that emerged. As much as the runway sets the pace for what’s to come for the top Spring 2014 trends, the streets play a major role as show-going trendsetters give us the relatable breakdown of how to wear what’s hot next season. Prints take two spots on our top Spring 2014 trends list through those with a painterly quality and those influenced by international cultures. At Hérmes, Rousseau-inspired water lily florals were printed on luxurious fabrics while at Diane Von Furstenberg, dresses and skirts depicting an African wilderness roared. As for fashionable time travel, prepare to keep reminiscing about the youthful 1990s, which haven’t ceased to get reincarnated season after season. Designers like Rodarte, Balmain and Jason Wu have reinvented the decade’s essentials yet again. To help with your daydreaming of long sunny spring days we’ve compiled the ultimate gallery of top Spring 2014 trends as dictated by the runways and our favourite street style stars in New York, London, Milan, Paris and Toronto! Feel free to let this be your guide to budgeting and creating closet space for next season’s must have pieces.
And just like that, another batch of Spring 2014 shows have come and gone. It’s hard to believe, but hey, that’s fashion! We’re geting down to business and recapping the top 5 trends our of Milan Fashion Week for Spring 2014. Get ready, kids!
Photography by Peter Stigter
Photography by Peter Stigter
Photography by Peter Stigter
Photography by Peter Stigter
Photography by Peter Stigter
Photography by Peter Stigter
Photography by Peter Stigter
Photography by Peter Stigter
Photography by Peter Stigter
Photography by Peter Stigter
1/10
Prada Spring 2014
BLING
One of the biggest thing we saw in almost every collection was the use of embellishments. Collections got more impressive as the week progressed as designers seem to follow the same philosophy when it came to bling–go big or go home. Models at Prada came equipped with bedazzled bras that were shown over-top their looks (some sewn right into the garment). Roberto Cavalli’s uber-embellished collection looked somewhat influenced by The Great Gatsby but he still managed to maintain the underlying boho vibe he’s so well known for to produce (what we think) was one of his best collections yet. Aquilano.Rimondi and Marni both used similar 3D intricacies as Prada but in a way that was unique to their individual aesthetic. At Pucci, the pieces got progressively heavier and even embodied Balmain-esque bedazzlement while Fausto Puglisi fully embellished some pieces entirely on one side while the other side remained entirely clean.
Prada Spring 2014
2/10
Aquilano Rimondi Spring 2014
BLING
Aquilano Rimondi Spring 2014
3/10
Versace Spring 2014
LOOSE SILHOUETTES
We have seen fashion really transform over the last few season as women’s collections are taking on a whole new form. Silhouettes are looser, flat shoes are cool again and boxiness has replaced form fit. Even designers who are traditionally known to be sexy (here’s looking at you, Versace) have realized that fashion, at least for right now, has evolved into something more relaxed. It definitely doesn’t mean that they have taken out this word from the equation; in fact the Italians seemed to have perfected the balance of masculine and feminine with the latter still being the hero. Bare midriffs and tops with clever cut-outs were often paired with straight skirts or high waisted pants and boxy leather jackets. Pant silhouettes, when present, were structured yet slouchy and most often cropped while some designers opted to skip pants altogether and focus on predominantly skirts and dresses (Miuccia being one of them); even crop tops were structured and loose. Whether the male population likes it or not, women’s fashion has now taken on a boyish charm and the term feminine has defined itself in a new, more modern way.
Versace Spring 2014
4/10
Dolce Gabbana Spring 2014
LOOSE SILHOUETTES
Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2014
5/10
Jil Sander Spring 2014 Shoe
THE UN-PRETTY SHOE
Though heels are still present on the runway, footwear has evolved with the new direction that fashion has taken in the last few seasons. Shoes are oddly quirky, slightly heavy and seemingly masculine and nowhere was this more obvious than in Milan this past week. At Prada, the shoes were almost reminiscent of a suped up Birkenstock while Marni’s layered flip flop looked Asian inspired. Jil Sander had more of a chunky, rounded Oxford and even Emporio Armani went for a masculine flat. Although each designer’s footwear varied from one collection to the next, they all cleverly complemented each collection in their own way.
Jil Sander Spring 2014
6/10
Prada Spring 2014
THE UN-PRETTY SHOE
Prada Spring 2014
7/10
Fendi Spring 2014
BOLD HUES
As always, spring runways are full of light and bright colours and this season is no exception. Several of the Italian designers are playing up the punch by injecting colour in a bold way. Fendi kicked off its show with punchy laser cut tiered dresses (five of which were beautifully sketched in colour by Karl himself and distributed to each seat) while Max Mara chose to punch up a mainly neutral collection with a lineup of lollipop-coloured looks-solid from head to toe. Prada is in a level by itself this season and Miuccia gave a face to her collection (literally) by splashing color into every piece right down to the socks. Aquilano.Rimondi also intelligently used embellishments and bold prints to inject color into the collection.
8/10
Max Mara Spring 2014
BOLD HUES
Max Mara Spring 2014
9/10
Costume National Spring 2014
Black and white
On the flip side, many of the Milan collections still had a predominant black and white colour palette. Costume National, Jil Sander, Ports and Marni all had a strong base of black and white pieces so those of us who opt to gravitate towards more basic, minimal colours have nothing to be worried about.
Fashion’s favourite season is finally here and we’ve got the chock-a-block trend report to prove it, complete with 138 of the top looks that take you from Fall’s dark fantasies into Winter’s light and feminine pastels. Go on, get clicking!
If you haven’t yet heard about the new Canadian ecomm site Dealuxe.ca, you’re about to hear a lot more about it from now on, because newly on board as the site’s PR and social media manager is one of our favourite girls about town, Amina Said. By favourite, we mean we’re obsessed. Said’s got more style in her bejeweled baby finger than many have got in their whole bod. She’s also beautiful, funny, and… did we say we were obsessed? Anyways, here’s a peek into her bag. You’ll probably be obsessed too.
Before I hand over the ready-to-wear reins to our editor-in-chief, Bernadette Morra, who will be reporting all the news from Paris Fashion Week, I give you my top 10 Milan must-haves for Fall 2012.
Sunday may be a day of rest for some, but here in Milan the pace is fast and furious (no time for even a gelato stop!). In a jam-packed day of shows, here are the highlights:
Marni: We saw naïve and childlike daisy prints, ice cream colours, and a new silhouette for Consuelo Castiglioni that focused on a fitted waist and dramatic A-line shapes; that, plus the craftiness we’ve come to expect each season—the embroidery, raffia, crochet, patent, bright trim on spectator bags and shoes—and more geometric prints than high school math class. Oh, and the most drool-worthy earrings of the week.
Dolce & Gabbana is about to begin. This is one show I never mind waiting for. And why would I? The seats in the Metropol theatre are cushy-comfy and actually have backs (YES!) There’s plenty to keep you entertained⎯from the waiter plying you with pizza and red wine at your seat, to the video scenes of backstage primping, people arriving, and front-row eds gossiping in their seats that is looped and playing overhead. Any moment, the theatre will go dark and like clockwork, my favourite, “Cavalleria Rusticana” will swell on the sound system and, from what I can see from the backstage video, fall will be another colossal hit for this dynamic duo. So far, from the monitor above me, I spy enormous star earrings, lace, and glitter galore! Sequins mix with fur and there’s a gender-bending mix of masculine/feminine… feels like classic Dolce to me!
