Fall Forward : Fashion: High hemlines and sporty styles were the rage in this week’s shows in Milan, but Armani and Ferre went their own ways, as usual.
The general message in Milan this week has been ultra-short and sporty fashion for fall, 1990. But two designers never known to follow the fashion pack, Gianfranco Ferre and Giorgio Armani, went their own way, showing discreet hemlines and more town than country clothing.
Ferre, who also designs for Christian Dior in Paris, presented clothes inspired by women who live in the lap of luxury. A gold theme threaded throughout the collection, starting with clothes for the early hours of the day, such as a gray mohair sweater painted with gold to be worn over flannel sweat pants.
The theme becomes ever more opulent as the day goes on, with rich gold embroidery on silk brocade jackets and coats, and shimmery gold evening gowns for the grand soiree. The Ferre skirt stops a discreet inch above the knee and the elegant hemline is enhanced by the simplicity of suede or silk pumps with moderately high heels.
The overall look is closer to couture than ready-to-wear, and it definitely separates itself from the dozens of fast-fashion miniskirts, knit body suits, ski jackets and thigh boots that have permeated the Milan collections shown this week.
Ferre says he wanted to “interpret Oriental themes in a European context.” The Oriental theme is evident in his choice of palette--blue, yellow and multicolored porcelain prints--the heavy use of gold brocade, of satin and velvet, and robe-like jackets and coats.
Giorgio Armani also looked to Asia to inspire his fall, 1990, collection, particularly his evening wear.
His day wear, with its tailored suits and multitude of jackets in super-soft tweeds, has become a trademark of the Milan fashion look. For the past several seasons, he has concentrated on evening wear, to give the Armani woman an around-the-clock choice of outfits.
His after-five designs for next winter are more feminine and flattering than ever. Delicate gold lace, velvet embroidered with graceful silk flowers, tiny pearl applique, the softest of silk printed in dainty porcelain prints--all combine to create an image of beauty as fragile as a Ming Dynasty vase.
The shapes are vase-like, too. Richly embroidered velvet blouses with high collars and long sleeves create a narrow bodice above a flowing silk printed skirt or pajama pants.
The new Armani jacket is longer than ever. reaching far below the hip, often with a rounded lapel and silk cord belt like a Chinese robe. Some have no lapel; they are loose and close in a single button at the shoulder.
Like Ferre’s, Armani’s preferred skirt length is a good many inches longer than those of most Milan designers this season--never more than several inches above the knee. The hemline is rounded and has an unfinished look to it.
Armani says his aim is to let women “choose their own direction, without falling into the trap of trendiness.”
Along with his new feminine look, he proposes a series of man-tailored outfits.
The new Armani pantsuit in ultralight wool tweed, inspired by silk tie patterns, has a longer jacket with narrower shoulders but a wider rounded base. The trousers are baggy and cuffed; a masculine shirt with mandarin collar completes the outfit.
Coats play heavily in the new collection. They are either full and extra-long with plush lining, or long, slim military coats closed at the waist by a brown leather belt with silver buckle.
For their latest collection of fur coats, the five Fendi sisters have tried to save their skins, as animal rights activists threaten to make fur fashion an endangered species.
The Fendis are still showing real fur, but the coats in their new collection use it as a lining instead of as an outer element. The styles, too, are less elaborate.
Karl Lagerfeld, the creative genius behind the Fendi fur collections, indulged in what he termed “organized confusion,” dying leather in bright shades, working it into chamois as soft as silk, or stuffing it with silk for a down effect.
The coats are lined in plush mink or sable, out of view of animal rights activists who have mounted a campaign to stop the use of animal skins in garments.
The anti-fur campaign could hurt the multimillion-dollar Fendi fashion empire, which is famous for its furs though better known for its leather goods. But at the end of Wednesday’s show, presented in an elegant Renaissance palace in downtown Milan, there was much praise for the move from flaunted fur to more discreet styles.
All told, short skirts and shorts, long jackets, parkas and duffel coats are the staples of next winter’s Italian ready-to-wear.
In recent seasons, Italian designers have presented a varied wardrobe for the modern woman who likes to make up her own style. Not this time.
Most blatant is the total absence of below-the-knee hemlines. The new length plays around the thigh, in miniskirts and Bermuda shorts. Anything longer looks positively dowdy, even if it’s several inches above the knee.
For those who can’t bear to bare their knees, the designers present lots of pants, but they are all in stretch-fabric or knit, only flattering on a fortunate few.
Even the selection of evening gowns is limited, with many outfits as short as day wear.
The new skirt is worn with a long jacket slightly shorter than or the same length as the skirt. Some jackets are tailored, others are free and swaying to create a bell shape that is repeated in the wide sleeve.
The other big theme of these collections is the parka or duffel coat complete with hood, more often than not trimmed in fake fur--ecologically correct plush, that is. For now at least, real skins are definitely out of fashion.
