Bold colours & wet hair

Yesterday was one of those fashion week days in which the names on the schedule only create excitement for true fashionistas. Jil Sander was one of those names. Or I had better say Raf Simons. His SS11 collection was tightly connected to what we saw at Pitti for men and yet he added an extra twist to the über bold colours and sleek minimalism we're used to see form him. Tim Blanks explains it perfectly when he says " [a] maximalism, which led him instantly to haute couture". We saw that in the shape of gown skirts and dresses that were paired up with more casual pieces like t-shirts and sheer tops. In addition to his signature block hues we saw horizontal and vertical stripes and flowers prints that, while secondary, made the collection even more contemporary.

Bottega Veneta has been growing on me incessantly over the past few seasons. I admire established fashion houses who refrain from being stuck in the past and take risks hiring designers that wouldn't necessarily completely understand their vision. That was the risk (or safe bet as we can refer to it now) when Tomas Maier was hired. The focus was put on the construction and the tailoring which turned fabrics in to easy-to-wear light-weight garments. In fact, the ease of the collection is its most appealing aspect. In line with Acquascutum's "just out of bed" girl from last season, Maier gets the girl right out of the shower and onto flats because she is so confident she only needs perfectly made clothes to feel sexy.

I have to admit that the best part of watching the Pucci SS11 show online was the fact that Mademoiselle Agnès was in charge of walking around interviewing guests with her flawed but chic command of the English language. If any conclusion was to be drawn from what everyone said to her that should be that the Pucci woman is, above all, sexy. And she is sexy because Pucci is ageless (at least in the industry where older women dare to bare their legs), it is sensual rather than slutty and it has that boho chic air every woman loves. Peter Dunda's brought back the Ibiza of the 70's for SS11 in the shape of clothes people like Anna dello Russo would wear to the beach. Gauzy skirts short at the front and flowy at the bottom, backless long-sleeved mini dresses, pompoms and lots and lots of ruffles.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com, TheSartorialist.blogspot.com]

trendy GARDENS

I have finally chosen. It has taken me a while to make a decision on which of this season's trends was my favourite, but I have decided. As much spots, stripes and stars as can now be found in most of the top brands, it's the flower prints which I find most beautiful and innovative. It might come as a surprise to call florals new, but they are. Ever since the Victorian time, when they were, in my opinion, at their best, flowers have appeared in many shapes, colours and interpretations printed in gowns, shirts and all sorts of garments. As unimaginative as florals could be thought for the Spring, the new season brings them back with a range of fabrics and colours to choose from. There will only be an outcome, thought; looking freshly chic.

Stella McCartney is, for me, the designer to accomplish the best flower prints. Classic flowers in red, blue, green, yellow are stamped on delicious pieces of flowy chiffon, some with ruffles on the top, some pleated. They even show in the form of jumpsuits, a clear constant in Spring/Summer 2008. McCartney achieves very fresh and relaxed looks via simplicity, her always present motto.

If I had ever tried to imagine how a flowery collection would be with Roberto Cavalli in charge, this would not have been the result in my mind at all. Cavalli remembers everyone of his designing skills with one of the hippiest colletions of all. Flowers appear motly on chiffon and silk as the Italian designer plays with different sizes and colour combinations. Everything flows remembering those looking of the beauty and freshness of women.

Armani proposes a more controlled use of this prints, including them in small dosis on his famous black evening gowns and elegant simplistic tops. Chiffon is again a winner together with silk. Armani gives the feeling of a fully printed dress by using the flowers stems, enlongating the woman's body.

Much has been said about Ralph Lauren collection. The master surprised the audience with a compilation of memorabilia, creating clothing inspired on his favourite things of all times. Flowers are obviously present, since Lauren himself is a big admiror of Victorian times. Gowns in taffeta and chiffon are beautifully layered with lines of subtle ruffles printed with the smallest flowers.

Balenciaga's genious journey through experimenting gave life to a series of highly interesting flowery  armour-like dresses and two-pieces which cannot go unnoticed under the radar. Nicolas Ghesquière has not created a collection for the streets but not a sould could argue that he's done a magnificent work full of groundbraking proposals.

I'm happy to have come across Wunderkind in my process through S/S collections. The brand masterly combines patterns, prints and materials making it look a piece of cake. Flowers have an obvious appereance in a few gowns in pale colours, however, they're omnipresent on the decorated edges of jackets and coats. Wolfgang Joop, the designer, describes his work as seventies bohemianism.

Last, but not least, a more modern and graphic perspective on florals. Frida Giannini keeps walking the same line she followed for last winter and cruise's collections to perform a change on florals. This time they're bigger and black, white and yellow, as most of the rest of the collection. Personally, it's not my taste but I can't deny it's interesting in the least.

[Credit photos: Style.com]

I'm off.