The Savvy Woman Looks to Brighter Future

Fall Winter 2011-12

March 1, 2011

By Gianmarco Gentile

Milan, Italy – Fashion conceived as a mean for the savvy woman who wants no part of today’s rampant vulgarity and looks to a brighter future. That could be a very short summary of Krizia fall/winter 2011-2012 fashion show.

Shapes boss the show: curved lines, double pointed pagoda shoulders on grey, cashmere blended little jackets or ankle-long overcoats.  Bullet-shaped hips, fanned origami panels and tops, large inverted pleats on trousers made of Prince of Wales fabric with very loose crotch. Oversized, ultra-light white silk down coats with a slight train open the show, worn as a queen cloak. And what’s under them? Lots of asymmetry. Garments such as single-shoulder tops and dresses start as something but end up being something else. That is the case of an amazing purple dress made of a stretch wool cloth that has a diagonal neck line with a long sleeve on the right arm and a long panel on the left leg, leaving the left arm and the right leg bare. Superfine stretch leather is used to create ultra-tight-fitting biker pants with crisscross zippers on the legs, worn with high-heeled pumps and a pure white long overcoat. Volumes are reduced to a minimum when it comes to skirts and jackets, and yet knitwear and coats are airy and soft since they are intentionally oversized.

Details are treated with absolute precision and accuracy. Long rows of buttons come up on sleeves, lacing is everywhere on boots and leggings, fox fur stoles and trimmings match with ton–sur –ton silk satin scarlet mini dresses. Jeweled patterns with amber gems embellish sand color superfine cashmere cardigans and sleeveless turtle neck tops. An over-sized silver, jaguar-shaped pendant dangling from a thin necklace made of a simple thread of black leather gives even the plainest look a savvy feeling. Dozens of studs fall on a simple black leather clutch turning it into a rock star piece.

Colors are declined from cream to mud, pewter grew and scarlet red. Mocha and caramel are featured on knitwear while black and ink blue are chosen for leather pants and leggings. The rich nuances of fine red wines impregnate wool cloth to create hybrid skirts that transform into mono-leggings or single-shouldered ultra-soft jumpsuits.

What I liked the most? The black satin tuxedo, revolutionized in its lines and proportions; and also little jackets arching up in the front with a close-fitting bodice and triple-pointed pagoda shoulders.

A very Lady Gaga-ish touch.