Milan: fashion - people - design - art - parties - food and more...

Marni - Spring Summer 2012 Collection.   Innocence is put out of context in the Marni Spring Summer 2012 collection, creating a tension between instinct and control.   The execution is graphic, the tone twisted.  Pure architectural shapes – top and skirt combinations, compact little jackets, pinafores, are contradicted by the unexpectedness of lengths, proportions and textures, suggesting a slightly-off take on demure and ladylike.   The discourse is multi-sensorial: either printed, intensely embroidered or characterized by intricate motifs, items are visually rich just as much as they are stimulating, or even challenging, to the touch.  The result is dreamy with an electric acidic frisson.

Marni's creative director Consuelo Castiglioni. 

Marni.   Waist nipped and a pervasive A-line, the silhouette is neat and graphic, with a sense of addition.  Lean organza underskirts are worn with to the knee flaring skirts suggesting both carelessness and precision.

 

Marni - accessories # 1.    Bags and pumps with contrasting brogue motifs.

 

Marni - accessories # 2.  Bags with precise shapes are characterized by tactile woven motifs: strips of leather are braided together, or with silk cords, to create windowpane patterns. Shoes are ankle strap pumps with gilded python stack heels, sandals with streamlined wooden heels, contrast heel pumps or pumps with brogue motifs on the toe and heel.   Prints are either graphic or naturalistic: b/w stripes, Bauhaus and circle motifs and then glass prints and summer patterns.

 

Marni - make Up. Make-up artist Tom Pecheux created the make-up “The make-up represents the joy of a woman growing up. The colors are warm, sun, summer colors. The eyebrows are strong to give structure, the eyeliner is copper and there is a white pencil line inside the lower eye.  A light veil of foundation and powder is accentuated around the mouth so that the lip color will pop up right into the center of the lips.” Tom explains.

 

 

Marni S/S - hair and make-up 

 

 

Marni – hair.   Paul Hanlon created the hairstyle for the Marni collection. “The inspiration is a 1950’s hairdo in the classic style.  I have deconstructed a French twist and used spray mouse to thicken the hair and then sprayed the hair with Elnett hairspray.” He said. 

  Make-up and hair superstar artists, Tom Pecheux and Paul Hanlon.

Marni.  Embroideries mix plastic and sequins, raffia and crystals, flowers and geometric elements in inventive, unconventional combinations that draw dense three-dimensional patterns on sculptural pieces. Sight and touch are simultaneously, constantly stimulated.

Bicontinental PR Karla Otto and Style.com's Tim Blanks. 

Marni – drinks.  Being the first show of the day, green tea with pretty dried rosebuds was served.

Marni - accessories # 3.   Earrings are big, with concentric, multicolor shapes, golden or Plexiglas circular pendants and stylized petals.  Deco inspired resin bracelets are piled on the arm to create graphic armbands.  Narrow temples convey lightness to the big round glasses in transparent acetate, while glasses with elongated shapes feature contrasting colors.

Marni.  Codie is being interviewed for World Fashion television.  The palette of the Marni collection is innocent and bright, with organic undertones: notes of aqua, pink, yellow are interspersed with flashes of white brown and rust.

 

 

Marni.  Plastic disks are printed with concentric motifs and geometric elements in inventive, unconventional combinations that draw dense three-dimensional patterns on sculptural pieces.

 

Marni.  The light breakfast was organized by food consultant Corrado Calza for the press and buyers, included yogurt with berries.

Milan: fashion - people - design - art - parties - food and more...

 

New Store: Pirelli.  The first Pirelli flagship store for the P. Lunga brand just opened on Corso Venezia. Designed by architect Renato Montagner, creative director of collections, the store emerges as an archetype, destined to open a new chapter in shop-design, commerce and services. The street, and above all, every movement along it (cars, motorbikes and pedestrians) enter physically into the store (note the reflection of the church of San Babila). All the collections and the Pirelli PZero special projects are on display, among iconic two and four-wheeled vehicles and Formula 1 video walls. In this way, the outside blends into the interiors, which in turn point to the history of Pirelli and its industrial genes, in an endless trail of tracks and references. 

Pirelli.  A number of services and special projects made their debut. Starting with P. spoke: the tailor's shop for made-to-measure sneakers; the first with leather soles, and completely reversible, like socks.

Pirelli – escalator and rubber carpet.  The escalator element accentuates the mechanical and rubber components, in a mechanism that seems to be taken from Metropolis. Also emblematic is the detail of the rubber carpet, on the right, the first tire tread carpet which combines the technology of tires with the glamour of the Oscars, as an expression, starting at the entrance, of the perfect balance between the industrial culture and the image of the P. Lunga. 

Note: the impressive display of Pirelli yellow rubber boots on the wall. 

 

 Pirelli – Women’s wear.  For Pirelli, who as early as 1877 had deployed its engineering in “sanitary and haberdashery articles”, extending the range of action to clothing came naturally. From the outset, however, this project marked a different creative imprint, featuring a textile and aesthetic use of rubber, which had been introduced by the Lastex yarn back in the days of Marilyn Monroe in one of the actress’s costumes. Given this close intermingling of technology and image Pirelli PZero production was immediately rechristened with a neologism: “industrial design”. A revolution of materials in the fashion world, which had always made appearance its substance. 

Pirelli – boots.   A High heeled Wellington boot in industrial grey adds a touch of fashion to the brands more classic designs.

 

Pirelli – cash register.   Even the cash register section is made out of rubber.  Among rubber-covered structures and industrial features reconverted into items of furniture, a warehouse robot is brought into operation for shopping. And, for the first time a store has an anechoic wall, the same used in Pirelli plants for soundproofing during tests on tire treads.

Pirelli – the designer. Renato Montagner, creative director of the brand and architect of the store, which he describes, more as a temporary space like the backstage of a theater where things can be changed around at a moments notice. 

 

Pirelli.   The iconic yellow, the P and the tire tracks details are all included on the heel of a rubber Wellington boot.

Milan: fashion - people - design - art - parties - food and more...

Palazzo Morando: Who is on Next? 2011  - The Talent Store at Fidenza Village.  The party hosted by Franca Sozzani and Anna Wintour for the fashion talent-scouting contest, Who is on Next ? 2011 was held at Palazzo Morando. Conceived and organized by AltaRoma in collaboration with Vogue Italia, the contest seeks out new talents in ready to wear and accessories.  The public could also admire the selection of emerging designers selected by Vogue Talents.  The fourteen-selected designer’s creations are distributed in The Talent Store at the FidenzaVillage, Italy’s chic outlet shopping center.

Above: Alessio Spinelli shows Mark Holgate, Franca Sozzani and Anna Wintour his sandals from the Neon Collection whose soles lights up as you walk. 

Who is on Next 2011 – Alessio Spinelli.  AlessioSpinelli is the winner from the accessories section of Who is on Next 2011. From the Neon Collection, the shoes’ wooden platform lights up as you walk. “Elegance, balance of shapes, minimalism is the ultimate goal of my style.  There is a constant presence of strong and vibrant colors or of black in contrast with one color.  The balance coexists with the contrasts, sought through the materials yet maintain a simple and clean line.  And the other way around.” He explains.

Terron Schaefer and Jonathan Newhouse

Who is on Next 2011 – Co-Te.  Tomaso Anfossi and Francesco Ferrari of Co-Te are the winners of the Mercedes-Benz Next 125 prize for best bag inspired by the company’s 125 years.  The duo were also awarded the special yoox.com prize and their creations are available on the online retails website.

Who is on Next 2011 – Co-Te.  “Co-Te expresses the desire for protection and refuge, the geometric shapes are the key feature of each single item.  In this primordial research on shape, the materials become fundamental in order to maintain the desired volumes not only when designing the silhouettes but also when the garments are worn.” Tomaso Anfossi and Francesco Ferrari explained.

Antonio Marras and Sara Maino

Elio Fiorucci

 

Ilya Fleet and Resha Sharma

The Talent Store – Fleet Ilya.   Fleet Ilya is headed by Ilya Fleet, the Russian-born designer, 
who trained in traditional saddle
making and Resha Sharma, a
 Central Saint Martins graphic
 design graduate from London. Ilya’s work shows a rigorous pursuit of functionality and a sublimity of form. He soon developed what is widely regarded as his signature line, Restraint, a collection of handcrafted luxury accessories for the sexually playful. Resha Sharma became his creative partner and wife shortly afterwards, applying her knowledge of fashion, image making and art direction to blur the lines between leather bondage. Although still a young brand, the label’s appetite for experimentation and expansion resulted in the business branching out into large-scale sculpture and interior decoration.

  

Eva Cavalli

 

JJ Martin and Nick Vinson

Barbara Frua de Angeli and Marta Ferri

Who is on Next 2011 – Marta Ferri. Ana Mirkovic and Isabella Gaetani model two dresses by Marta Ferri whose collection won a special mention from the jury for her ability to re-interpret haute couture in a contemporary key.  “I am always faithful, always free from trends, an ally and supporter of the diversity of people that I am committed to enhancing through my work as a designer.  I live in a world full of emotions, inspirations and challenges. Being concrete: this is my true passion, nothing fulfills my creativity more than this.” Marta Ferri said.

Camilla Wender, Ilaria and Giada Tronchetti Provera 

Who is on Next 2011 – Stella Jean.  Stella Jean was born in Rome of Haitian origins; she is the runner-up of the pret a porter section of Who is on Next 2011. “Once again Uno, Nessuno e Centomila is the result of a retro melting, nostalgic and at the same time innovative collection. A clear and sincere introspective declaration of intent in expressing my roots, my metissage that is de structured and recomposed in a balanced harmony. Proving that fashion must not be based upon the ‘sense of style’ but rather on a ‘common sense of style’. She states.

A close up 

  Stella Jean

  The Marzotto clan # 1: Marta Marzotto, Franca Sozzani and Matteo Marzotto

  The Marzotto clan # 2: Paola Marzotto and Carlo Borromeo

The Marzotto clan # 3: Gaetano and Albertina Marzotto

Carla Sozzani and Paula Cademartori

Who is on Next 2011 – Paula Cademartori.  “Clever sensuality and contemporary refinement are the key elements of my aesthetical philosophy where design becomes a key means of expression, emotion and timeless elegance.  A conceptual depth which stimulates an endless research for solutions capable of adjusting the new creations to the body’s real desires and needs.” The Brazilian designer Paula Cademartori explains.

Marialuisa Frisa

Neige de Benedetti and Alessia Glaviano

Kerin Rose

The Talent Store – A-Morir by Kerin Rose. A-Morir was created by New York’s eccentric designer 
Kerin Rose.  A-Morir is a glamorous eyewear
 brand. In her designs, Kerin continually 
challenges convention and creates, collection after collection, truly 
unique pieces with universal appeal. Described as a rock princess bejeweller, she can pack up to 600 Swarovski crystals at a time on each hand-bedazzled A-Morir frame.

Suzy Menkes and Frida Giannini 

Rosella Jardini

Simone Rocha

 

The Talent Store – Simone Rocha. Dublin born Simone Rocha was selected by Topshop as one of three Central
 Saint Martins MA graduates to present one-off designs exclusively in their Oxford Circus
 flagship store. Simone was also chosen as
one of Selfridges’ ‘Bright Young Things’ of 2011 and given a front-of-store window in Selfridges on Oxford Street in London for the month of January to display her Summer 2011 collection.

  Francesco Risso and Sabrina Querci

Michael Sontag 

The Talent Store – Michael Sontag.  Michael Sontag 
was raised in Berlin and studied fashion design at the École 
Nationale Supérieure des Arts 
Décoratifs in Paris. During his stay in Paris, he worked 
for major fashion brands and went on to 
collect various awards. Michael’s collections are known for their elegance without sacrificing functionality. Characterized by shapes and different materials, his pieces are minimalist yet sophisticated. Clean lines and smooth silhouettes are contrasted by the choice of fabrics. Lightweight fabrics such as silk and cashmere alternate with cotton and man-made fabrics to create an easy and chic style.

Linda Fargo, Jonathan Joselove and To Long-Nam and a model wearing To Long -Nam 

 

Who is on Next 2011 – To Long-Nam.   “You cannot reinvent the concept of a building, but you can change the method of its construction.  This is the way I understand fashion.” ToLong-Nam said.