Armani Shows Elegant Clothes at Milan’s Close
Putting some pep into their step, the models finally looked like they were enjoying themselves and really loving the clothes. Maybe that’s because the models in the Giorgio Armani show, which closed the fall 2000 collections here over the weekend, relished all the applause.
The nonstop clapping--a rarity at these shows attended by demure, almost corpse-like guests--greeted just about every outfit designed by the man of the hour.
At the end of the Saturday show, the room went dark. Up went the applause and out came Armani, his beaming face and head of silver hair bathed in a bright spotlight.
It was a glamorous closing act for a week of shows--Milan style.
Armani steered away from the designer-pack mentality of pushing ladylike looks, psychedelic geometric patterns, furry outerwear and glitzy gold. These were staples on many a runway here.
After 25 years in the business, Armani knows that there are fashion victims, and then style for the woman who doesn’t follow the pack. This collection was for the latter.
For fall, the Armani woman will be wearing elegant, shiny evening wear in fabrics so shimmery that they look like they’re covered with crystals.
Crocodile-printed leather blouses in amethyst were especially pretty. Leather tube tops with horizontal pleats were daring, but added the perfect symmetry to lush velvet pants.
Black satin trench coats were lined in white satin. Extra-broad capes were roomy and just the right alternative to a season destined to be riddled with coats.
There was plenty of white against black, such as a knockout ensemble of a short white jacket with a black embroidered snowflake-like pattern worn over beaded black trousers. On the lighter side, there were opal blue, jade and garnet--colors that worked splendidly on embellished florals.
The collection also was about opposites and how they really do attract.
For instance, Armani’s fitted feminine suits in black, midnight blue and forest green velvets or wool gabardines looked perfect with masculine-styled patent leather slip-on shoes.
To an elegant but simple gray cashmere turtleneck and trousers--something you’d wear to the office--the designer added a chiffon stole covered in giant gray reflective paillettes.
The Armani fashion contradictions work because they are looks, styles and fashion statements that speak to the very modern woman who cringes at the thought of wearing a pleated skirt (been there, done that in grade school) or a grosgrain belt around her waist accented with an itty-bitty bow (leave that to the Prada posse of posers).
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Versace creative director Donatella Versace, sister of slain designer Gianni Versace, also knows how to make a woman dazzling in alluring and seductive dresses. The crowds here were still buzzing about the slither of a Versace gown held together by a brooch that Jennifer Lopez wore last week to the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
Versace’s show Friday night was as daring as they come. This designer doesn’t do dainty, as her daytime dresses with plunging necklines proved. Made mostly of clingy silks, the dresses were colorful swirling prints--like a dizzying vortex twisting itself around Hurricane Woman.
She showed slim pants that were slightly flared, straight knee-length skirts that matched blouses in flesh tones, green and yellow.
Like other designers, Versace tossed luxurious furs on her models: shaved mink and sable, many accessorized with snakeskin belts dyed pale pink, aqua and teal. Some furs featured deep side pockets, geometric patterns and inlaid snakeskin.
Evening dresses were lithe and sheer in long chiffon and silk chemises or halter-style gowns, some bursting with rays of color and others in blush, yellow and cherry and emerald solids. They fit tight in front and were accordion-pleated or gathered low in the back, many with panels of the sheerest lace or embroidered around the hips with crocodile leather strips.
Sitting in the front row was actress Minnie Driver, who was flown in for the show and later said she wanted to try on “everything Gisele wore”--referring to the popular Brazilian model--including “one particular dress” that drove Driver wild.
The glamour dress was a backless beige-colored number made of embellished lace plisse. The front was plunging--what else?--and very Jennifer Lopez--who else?
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Karl Lagerfeld’s show for Fendi on Thursday was a luxurious mix of furs and gold, leather and gold, shiny fabrics and gold.
It was glitzy for sure, with lots of flash and fur--and at times excessive with an overload of ideas: an argyle fur shirt worn with a striped leather skirt. Or a riotous eye-popping fur coat over a dress splashed with the word Fendi and accessorized with the new Fendi belt--in gold, natch.
The Fendi woman is also overloaded with accessories: chains, shoes with a six-inch gold heel and ankle strap or over-the-knee stiletto boots in crocodile, even gold chokers and bracelets that look more like armor plates pressed against flesh--perhaps for the Xena in the Fendi female.
Miuccia Prada showed her secondary line, Miu Miu, on Friday. The result was a mostly dull collection with the relaxed looks of muted shades and shapes.
V-neck sweater vests were worn with tweed knee-length skirts, cropped tops and camisoles with matching shorts in pale colors and leather skirts and blazers that looked like they belonged to your little sister.
There were a few pretty pieces: full-bodied skirts in a copper color and 1940s-style coats, a theme the designer carried out in her main Prada collection earlier in the week.
Unfortunately, there were no standout accessories--a Prada trademark--except for a peculiar little hat. But even then, the Robin Hood-type cap looked like it had been squashed.
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At Moschino, poking fun at fashion is a trademark, and with the film “The Wizard of Oz” as inspiration, the clothes on the runway were a long way from Kansas. Tin Man hats, heart purses, and “Dorothy” dresses with embroidered Toto dogs were worn with ruby-red high heels and bewitching black-and-white horizontal-striped hosiery.
But there were also some serious pieces: daytime suits with long jackets over slim trousers, black slinky evening gowns, cocktail dresses with exaggerated scallops up the neck and red sequined ball gown skirts. Even Auntie Em would approve.
Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana offered a decadent, mixed-up mess of ideas that bordered on the cartoonish with mostly loud colors (think Elmo and Big Bird).
The guys said their Dolce & Gabbana collection was inspired by painter Tamara de Lempicka and jewelry designer Paloma Picasso--women who bring to mind the words ultra-chic, not ultra shock.
The duo were all over the fashion map: tweed knickers, harem pants and sheer trousers best described as billowing pleated legs stitched onto matching hot pants.
There were some unique Dolce & Gabbana pieces for next fall: beaded berets and floor-length beaded scarves, a red crocodile short jacket with mink sleeves, a mink coat made of 2,645 pieces (think parquet floor) and a wicked evening mini-dress crafted of 2,645 Swarovski crystal beads weighing 20 pounds and costing $28,000.
Even excess has its price.
Michael Quintanilla can be reached at michael.quintanilla@latimes.com.
