Milano: Emporio Armani Spring/Summer 2011 collection

 

Milano: Emporio Armani Spring/Summer 2011 collection.  Just TEN words and phrases to define the Emporio Armani Spring/Summer 2011 collection named, Fancy Girl, that gives style a fresh sense of vivacity:

Glamour
Geometric Deco
Lightness

Sheath: leggings combine with skirts in stretch tulle to add élan to the figure.  They provide a covering layer under above the knee skirts, or beneath voile dress, or shorts, as light as a feather.

Daywear
Sleekness
An Array of Shades of Color
Shape
Form
Fancy

Seen at Emporio Armani – the front row.  The face of Giorgio Armani Cosmetics and underwear ads, actress, Megan Fox gets cozy with actor, Brian Austin Green and Amber Le Bon.

Seen at Emporio Armani. Pierre Sarkozy.

Seen at Emporio Armani. Nine-year-old actress and singer, Willow Smith, her mother, also actress and singer, Jada Pinkett Smith and Roberta Armani.

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Milan: In search for the perfect Club Sandwich

Milano - Club Sandwich.  As readers of Contessanally know, I am always on the lookout for the perfect Club Sandwich. In between shows in the heart of Milan’s fashion center, at the Carlton Hotel Baglioni’s bar, I had a very good tasty, moist and delicious Club Sandwich. It was worth the half hour wait, which I presume was due to all the ingredients being freshly cooked, I certainly will be back.

Rating: 8/10.

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Milano: Wait and See concept store

Milano: Wait and See – concept store. Uberta Zambeletti’s new concept store, Wait and See opened during Milan Fashion Week and is housed in an 18th century former convent re-interpreted with the warmth of a home in Milan’s historical city centre. Wait and See’s uniqueness is a reflection of Uberta’s varied cultural influences and her recognized passion for research and practical demeanor.  Her belief that luxury is not only to be defined by price is reflected in the store’s international and transversal, yet affordable offering, with no single item exceeding 1.000 Euros and a price point that starts at just 1 Euro.

Wait and See – concept store.  A shelf of some of the unique merchandise selected and designed by Uberta Zambeletti for her new store. Wait and See principally carries women wear, with a refined assortment of clothing, accessories, bijoux, objects, stationary, books and vintage pieces, sourced exclusively from Peru to France, from Finland to California.   A selection of items for men and children will also be available.

Wait and See – Matteo Thiela.  A cupboard holding the collection Retexo, a project by Matteo Thiela based on the simple concept: disarrange textiles and create clothes made out of pure thread, beyond warp and weft.  Retexo in Latin means undoing, deconstructing, warping, destroying textiles.  Thiela put together millions of pure silk threads to achieve the best out of color vibrations.  His dresses are made of thread cut at different lengths and uncovering different volumes and explosions, fireworks and waterfalls of fragile threads.   These dancing clothes fit the body and follow its movements throughout the air.

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Milano: Gianfranco Ferre Spring/Summer 2011 collection

 

Milano: Gianfranco Ferre Spring/Summer 2011 collection.   The Spring/Summer 2011 Gianfranco Ferre collection, designed by Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi draws inspiration from jazz and from modern rhythms of the body in motion, interpreting the concepts of luxury and elegance as sensual variations on the theme of an easy, effervescent and absolute femininity.

Seen at the Gianfranco Ferre show - the designers.  The Gianfranco Ferre designers, Tommaso Rimondi and Roberto Aquilano greet Jada Pinkett Smith after the collection.

Seen at the Gianfranco Ferre show.  Nine year old, jet lagged, actress and singer, Willow Smith was fast asleep on a Le Corbusier leather armchair in one of the Ferre offices.

Seen at the Gianfranco Ferre show.   The Corriere della Sera’s magazine supplements editors in chief, Io Donna’s, Diamante d’Alessio and Style’s Carlo Montanaro.

Seen at the Gianfranco Ferre show.   Swedish actress, Filippa Lagerback.

Seen at the Gianfranco Ferre show.   Mondadori’s super editor in chief, Vera Montanari and Flair’s fashion director, Marina Fausti.

Seen at the Gianfranco Ferre show.  Italian Vogue’s Anna Piaggi is wearing a 1983 Chanel Couture suit from the first couture collection designed by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, Prada glasses and a Stephen Jones hat.

Seen at the Gianfranco Ferre show.   Especially designed, “dressed” Coca Cola Light bottles dressed by Gianfranco Ferre.

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Milano: IdB - Isabella del Bono

Milano: IdB - Isabella del Bono  Jewelry designer, Contessa Isabella del Bono was showing her IdB collection in the lobby of one of the best restaurants of Milan, Il Baretto.  The collection of understated chic jewels, which distinguishes itself from other brands by being mostly made of iron, is perfect for the restaurant’s sophisticated clientele. Isabella is wearing a Sun and a Moon cuffs made from iron, engraved and studded with diamonds.

 

IdB – Isabella del Bono: ladies collection.  A ginkgo biloba tree is one of the five trees depicted on the new cuff bracelets from the IdB collection.  The cuff is made in iron and is embellished with white gold, diamonds and engravery.

IdB – Isabella del Bono: men’s collection.   A pair of shield shaped cuff links in silver and guilloche bear a marquis’s crown.  The contessa is well known for her custom made heraldic jewels, mostly executed in iron, her trademark metal, and engraved with the buyers family’s coat or arms.

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Milano: Antonio Marras Spring/Summer 2011 collection

Milano: Antonio Marras Spring/Summer 2011 collection. The spectacular grand finale of the Antonio Marras Spring/Summer 2011 collection, when forty-five models came out under a “downpour” of white paper feathers wearing white patch worked aprons stitched with antique fabrics.

Backstage at Antonio Marras.  The mood board tells the story of the Antonio Marras Spring/Summer 2011 collection inspired by Jane Campion’s film, Bright Star, the drama based on the three-year romance between 19th century poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, which was cut short by Keats' untimely death.

The rehearsal.  Models “try out” the runway in their own clothes before the show.  A model sends a kiss to superstar hairdresser, Eugene Souleiman, Leo, Antonio and Patrizia Marras.
Tip: click on any photograph to enlarge it.

Backstage at Antonio Marras - the make-up # 1.   The make-up was designed by Lisa Butler for M.A.C. Pro Team. A black paint stick is rubbed outwards to create an oblong smudge effect.   The models have on no foundation or blush “ Because they are so young and the clothes are very romantic.  It’s a modern grunge look, urban and realistic.” Lisa Butler explained.

Backstage at Antonio Marras - the make-up # 2.   The MAC black paint stick that was used on the eyes to create the smudged effect.

Backstage at Antonio Marras - the make-up # 3.   Superstar make-up artist, Lisa Butler created the make-up for the Marras show using M.A.C. Pro cosmetics.

Backstage at Antonio Marras - the hair.   Super hair stylist, global creative director for Wella Professional, Eugene Souleiman explains the hair “It’s very grunge, it’s very romantic, it’s very rock and roll, it’s very ‘90s and very sexy.”

Backstage at Antonio Marras - the sandals.  The flat sandals were described by Marras as nearly “Franciscan”.

Backstage at Antonio Marras.   Antonio Marras talks to Tim Blanks of Style.com, American Vogue’s website.

Backstage at Antonio Marras.     A model, late in from a previous show, has her nail varnish removed by two dressers just before the show is due to begin.

Backstage at Antonio Marras.    The back view of a front-to-back jacket and a sundress showing ‘40s inspired lingerie.

Seen at the Antonio Marras show.  Commedienne, Lella Costa.

 

Backstage at Antonio Marras – a detail.   A detail of the one-of-a-kind “patch worked” apron inspired dresses made from antique and vintage recycled fabrics and stitched together with embroidered motifs.

Antonio Marras’s grand finale.  There is always a surprise element in Antonio Marras’s grand finales.   Forty-five models came out at the end of the show in forty-five one-of-a-kind white aprons, showered by a rain of thousand of white paper feathers.

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Milano: Gherardini celebrates 125 years of style

Milano: Gherardini.  Gherardini celebrates 125 years of made in Italy with an exhibition at the Triennale Museum.  Now quoted on the stock exchange and owned by the Braccialini family, Gherardini is the oldest Italian accessory brand. Two of the three Braccialini brothers, pictured above, Massimo, it’s creative director and Lorenzo who is head of marketing and communication, whose mission is to put Gherardini back in the position it deserves, as a historic brand in the Italian leather field by reinforcing its image. Thus the Fashion Repository Project was conceived, beginning with the Spring/Summer 2009 season when renowned models were retrieved from the company’s archives and revisited in a contemporary key.

La Bellona 1967.   The original Bellona bag from 1967, this article was so fascinating that it seduced the craftsmen who made it and led them to refer to it as s “good-looking girl.”

La Bellona 2009.  The good-looking girl from the ‘60s is given an embroidered “dress in the 2009 version.

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Milano: Prada Spring/Summer 2011 Collection

Milano: Prada Spring/Summer 2011.  The Prada Spring Summer 2011 collection was bright and happy. Stripes in DayGlo colors, Hawaiian cut shirts, tropical and banana prints evoking Harry Belafonte, Josephine Baker and the Caribbean, were accessorized with fox fur stoles in bright colors and stripes.

Tip: click on any image to enlarge it.

A detail.  Even the sandwiches were striped. They were conceived by food consultant, Corrado Calza and catered by AFM Banqueting.

Prada Spring/Summer 2011.  The Prada sundress in cool cotton was loose and sexy.

Prada Spring/Summer 2011 – the make-up and hair. The make-up has thick eyebrows with smudged sliver eye shadow and lips on a pale translucent skin.  The pomaded hair evokes the 1920’s and is twirled into two small buns at the back.

Prada Spring/Summer 2011 – the accessories # 1.  Note the satchel and the platform brogues with rubber and cord soles and the fox fur stoles.

Prada Spring/Summer 2011 – the accessories # 2.  Note the sombrero striped wide rimmed hat and the silver and  green striped wedges.

Prada Spring/Summer 2011 – the accessories # 3.  The evening shoes in silver black and beige have basket weave leather heels and evoke the 1920’s.

Backstage at Prada.  Chinese actress and celebrity, Xu Qing meets Miuccia Prada after the show.

Backstage at Prada.  American Vogue’s Grace Coddington.

Backstage at Prada.  French Vogue’s editor in chief Carine Roitfeld and Prada’s creative director, Fabio Zambernardi.

Backstage at Prada.  W magazine’s neo editor in chief, Stefano Tonchi.

Backstage at Prada.  Art curator, Germano Celant and his wife Paris, Prada's CEO, Patrizio Bertelli and artists, Lawrence and Lucy Carroll.

Backstage at Prada.  Designer, Lawrence Steel.

Backstage at Prada.   A model is having fun after the show.

Prada Spring/Summer 2011.  Miuccia Prada takes a “curtain call” to standing ovation and cheers.

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