Milan: Women's A/W Fashion shows 09/10

Milano Fashion Week. Back in Milan for the fashion shows. If you arrive by train the first impact with city is the Central Station. The Stazione Centrale was designed by architect, Ulisse Stracchini in 1912 and admired by Frank Lloyd Wright as one of the most beautiful stations in the world and recently has undergone a “facelift” an internal refurbishment.

Milan: Women's A/W Fashion shows 09/10

Max Mara Autumn/Winter 2009/2010 Collection. Evolution and Tradition is the title to the Max Mara Autumn/Winter 2009/2010 Collection. The fabrics are luxurious: cashmere, alpaca, pure camelhair, wool jersey, occasionally smoldering with sequins in tonal colors. The colors are classic: tobacco, beige, pewter grey and black.

Backstage at Max Mara. The comeback of the allure of tailoring, never lost but now taken to new heights, confirms a strong and contemporary personality. The more generous proportions and kimono sleeves, the long slim silhouette, layering and contrasting volumes reveal a new concept of style that is classic yet eccentric at the same time.

Backstage at Max Mara – a detail. A pair of the clog like shoes on the runway.

Backstage at Max Mara – the make-up. The make-up was created by Tom Pecheux for Mac. “I used a matte skin base with grey and vanilla matte eye shadow, no mascara and neutral lips, it’s a very glam effect.” Tom explains.

Backstage at Max Mara – a detail. A detail of the make-up table. The make-up was created by Tom Pecheux for Mac.

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Backstage at Max Mara – the hair. Paris based hairstylist, Luigi Murenu gives the final combing to the models as they wait for the runway show to begin. “In simplicity there is also attitude.” He states. Max Mara’s creative director for twenty-two years Ian Griffiths looks on and checks that all is perfect.

Backstage at Max Mara – the hair. The straight hair is held in place by bits of paper, similar to kitchen paper.



Backstage at Max Mara – a detail. Note how the satin skirt is tied like a sarong and the glamorous details of the men’s leather gloves and the big dark sunglasses.



Backstage at Max Mara – a detail. Look at the layering of these gorgeous and noble wools and how they peek out from under the cashmere jacket.

Seen backstage at Max Mara. Little three month old, Jack Russell Terrier, Isotta goes to the fashion shows in a big black leather designer handbag with her mother Ludovico Scalzo, anchor for World Fashion Televison.

Seen backstage at Max Mara. Max Mara’s legendary coordinator, Laura Lusuardi.

Backstage at Max Mara. At quite a few show you see models reading books and those who do usually read books worthy of note.

Backstage at Max Mara – a detail. The book, A Clockwork Orange is a 1962 novel set in a futuristic economically depressed England written by Anthony Burgess and follows the story of a sociopath anti-hero named Alex de Large.

Milan: Women's A/W Fashion shows 09/10

Prada Autumn/Winter 2009/2010 Collection. The grand finale.

Prada runway – a detail. There was tons of fur in the collection.



Prada backstage – a detail. The make-up.



Prada runway – a detail. The leather boots, a take on fishing rubber waders rose thigh high and are held up by garters.



Prada runway – a detail. One of the new shoes for next winter.



Prada runway. An elegant gladiator?

Seen at the Prada show. The New York Time’s fashion editor, Cathy Horyn is interviewing architect, Rem Koolhaas about the set design. Koolhaas designed the set for the Prada fashion show, he called it “a retreat” it resembled a small arena.

The set – a detail. A portion of the set designed by Rem Koolhaas.




The Finale. All the models assembled in the center of the runway filling the space with beautiful clothes.

Milan: Women's A/W Fashion shows 09/10

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Etro Women’s Autumn/Winter 2009/2010 Collection. Etro’s Autumn/Winter collection is an ode to the Italian fashion house’s venerable heritage. With notions of recycling and re-use top of mind, Veronica Etro has sourced patterns, fabrics and techniques from its vast archives, reinterpreting them in a completely new and unusual way. A fresh Byzantine undercurrent plays throughout the collection, allowing for richly worked textures and superficial pattern to emerge.

Seen backstage at Etro. The Etro's womenwear designer, Veronica Etro cuddles up to her husband, Alessandro Frigeri.


Seen backstage at Etro. The founder of the Etro brand, Gimmo Etro and his granddaughter, Alice who is going to fashion school in Milan.

Backstage at Etro – The hair. The hair was beautifully simple and loose, healthy and young, with products added to the roots to create extra bulk and soft natural movement. Hair stylist, Eugene Souleiman.

Backstage at Etro. A close –up of the only Indian model in Milan, Lakshmi.

Backstage at Etro – a detail. See what book Lakshmi is reading.


Backstage at Etro. Another model goes around carrying her book a metal crown with stars around it and her Blackberry.

Backstage at Etro – make-up. Internationally renowned make-up artist, Charlotte Tilbury did the make-up for Etro using Mac Cosmetics. “This year the make-up is all about the products. Brown eyes, cream blusher on the cheeks and lip conditioner.” Charlotte explains.

Backstage at Etro – make – up. Charlotte checks that the models make-up is perfect.


Backstage at Etro – the make up. A close up of Catherine and the natural make-up by Charlotte Tilbury for Mac.


Seen backstage at Etro. Etro’s menswear designer, Kean Etro with his wife and muse Costanza.




Backstage at Etro – a detail. A detail of Kean’s Incredible Hulk T-shirt.


Seen backstage at Etro. Etro’s CEO, Ippolito Etro and Chiara Palmieri.



Seen backstage at Etro. Journalist, Annamaria Sbisa talks to Jacopo Etro, who designs the Etro Home Collection.



Backstage at Etro. Models relax and chatter before the show.

Milan: Women's A/W Fashion shows 09/10

Seen in the windows of La Rinascente – Moschino Cheap and Chic. Only Rossella Jardini creative director of Moschino could come up with the idea of dressing pigeons with the Moschino Cheap and Chic Spring/Summer collection, in the windows of La Rinascente. The windows look onto the Piazza Duomo, which is the “home” to Milan’s pigeons.

Seen on Piazza Duomo. The real thing; pigeons are at "home" on the Piazza Duomo which is right across from the department store, la Rinascente.

Milan: Women's A/W Fashion shows 09/10

Max Mara Boutique – Max Mara Atelier. A totally new collection, Max Mara Atelier is the research laboratory where Max Mara explores new territories, updating itself whilst still maintaining its original DNA. The collection is compact; the image is sophisticated. Seventeen styles, with as many variations, on the theme of one single item that makes women dream – the coat. Steeped in the traditions of couture, Max Mara Atelier beautifully combines the classics in an utterly contemporary way, true to the work of the best ateliers.


Seen in the new Max Mara Boutique. The chairman of the company, Luigi Maramotti stands next to the new line of coats called Max Mara Atelier. Talking about the new boutique Maramotti explains “Max Mara’s history is linked to creative and industrial research with a pioneering dimension. Starting with fashion design our experimentation has reached as far as the complex, and sometimes immaterial, experience of the sales environment. Opening this multiform structure in a time of great discontinuity like we are going through now also has strong symbolic value. It means that success cannot be removed from the courage of rethinking the way of relating to customers, trying to anticipate their wishes as far as possible.”


Seen in the new Max Mara Boutique. French Vogue’s Carine Roitfeld and Max Mara’s Giorgio Guidotti.


Max Mara Boutique - The stairway. This imposing burnished copper helical stairway with oak lining strongly characterizes the space with its imposing and sinuous profile, and is the strongest element of visual impact in the new Max Mara Boutique on Corso Vittorio Emanuele. The boutique is designed as a dynamic box, which dialogues with the outside world. With its 1,400 square meters distributed over flour floors, this is the largest retail project created by Max Mara to date.



Max Mara Boutique - The Basement. The basement is the home to the Weekend and denim collections, together with a selection of design and furnishing elements, overseen by Rosanna Orlandi.

Milan: Women's A/W Fashion shows 09/10

Seen in the Bisazza window. Seen in the Bisazza window on Via Senato, this giant briefcase designed by architect, Alessandro Mendini for the Bisazza Limited Edition Collection, called Mobili da Uomo, its a series of large scale sculptures in 24 K gold mosaic.

Milan: Women's A/W Fashion shows 09/10

Seen Backstage at the Marni Autumn/Winter 2009/2010 collection. In the center, Marni's designer, Consuelo Castiglioni, her daughter, Carolina and International PR, Karla Otto.

Backstage at Marni. The iconic interaction of felt and fur, the metallic glints of large pleated sequins, treated fabrics and knits, geometric motifs and abstract floral jacquards create a style that is pure Marni. A concept of elegance suffused with golden shimmer. Given movement by the relief designs of the brocades, satins, boucles and matelasse that orchestrate the shifting nuances of colors that range from yellow to pink, from octane to pale green.
Note: The in tensity and seductive allure is enhanced by new sunglasses with oversized curvaceous frames in two-tone or merging colors, matte or shinny.

Backstage at Marni – the shoes. A detail of the sandals worn with thick jacquard tights.

Seen backstage at Marni. Daria is from Russia and she is modeling and covering the international fashion circuit as a photographer for The Wall Street Journal her photos will appear online after the Paris shows. With the photos she is also planning to have a show at Mcnally’s, her favorite café, in New York, as well as, a book with the proceeds going to a charity to benefit the children of Darfur.

Backstage at Marni – the make-up. Tom Pechaux with the Mac pro team created the make-up for Marni “It’s just matte skin foundation, gold eye shadow and lip concealer.” He explained.



Seen backstage at Marni. Makeup genius, Tom Pecheux was juggling a Blackberry and an i-phone one had an American number and the other a French number.

Seen backstage at Marni. Hair stylist, Orlando Pita who was recently named one of fashion's most influential people by American Magazine W. The magazine's first ever I-List described him as a hair genius sans attitude that sets the standard.

Backstage at Marni – a detail. A range of Orlando Pita’s T3 360° styling liquids line, hair products.




Backstage at Marni. Entrepreneur, Matteo Marzotto and photographer, Stefano Guidani.

A detail. A detail of the Casio Multi Lingual Data Bank Illuminator Watch “I bought this watch just because I can see the time in the dark and it’s an amusing remake of the 1980’s original.” Stefano explained.

Seen at Marni. American Vogue’s Hamish Bowles.

Suit: Jasper Conran
Tie: Etro
Shirt: Duchamp
Glasses: Cutler and Gross
Cufflinks: Wedgwood

A detail. A detail of the Wedgwood cufflinks

Seen backstage at Marni. Pino Pipoli is the art director of Il Sole 24 Ore Magazine.
Suit: English vintage 1980s
T-Shirt: H & M

Rings and bracelet: Turkish and Indian

Seen at Marni. The Daily Telegraph’s Hilary Alexander.
Necklace: Kenyan Fairtrade tribal necklace
Jacket: John Galliano
Skirt: DKNY
T-Shirt: Velvet

Backstage at Marni. Marni experiments with a tactile dimension that ranges from fur to fabric to embroidery and from leather accessories to gems for jewelery .

Note. The look of total elegance is polished by large handbags and large necklaces in a dazzling and rich mix of materials.

Seen backstage at Marni. Fashion Wire Daily’s Godfrey Deeny.
Jacket: Gianfranco Ferre
Scarf: YSL
Pants: Religion
Watch: Armani RED


A detail. A detail of the Armani RED watch.



Marni Autumn/Winter 2009/2010 collection. The evening dresses in the finale.



Backstage at Marni. After the show, Consuelo Castiglioni gave each model a present of a Marni backpack.
Contessanally tip: click on the photos to get a better view.