zhanxiaus

The latest designs from Milan’s big names are paying homage to today’s strong
woman, with a little from their predecessors.
At the halfway mark of the Milan shows with many of the big hitters – Gucci,
Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Manolo – already on the scoreboard, a picture of how we
will want to dress next winter is finally beginning to emerge. In a word:
black.
Streamlined, flattering, practical, powerful black is back, which is bad news
for dry-cleaners, but hallelujah time for busy women. And after a few years of
scanty prostitute clothing followed by the equally anachronistic lady look, we
are seeing collections that seem to have a new millennium woman in mind rather
than a twisted Helmut Newton-meets-Stepford Wives vision of the female animal.
More about empowerment than enslavement.
How wonderful to see strong women with tough haircuts striding along the Gucci
catwalk, wearing narrow black pants, leather-trimmed zips down the front and
back of the legs, with the simplest black tops and – hold the front page – flat
shoes. Hurray! It looked like what we all wear in real life anyway, but
better. I want them pants. Badly.
Also looking great at Gucci were beautiful and neat power suits with the
new/old blazer-length jacket – fabulous in grey flannel and in black velvet.
Finely tailored coats of narrow cut and sleek styling – similar to the ones
from winter 2000 that look so good this season on the fashion show audiences -
also made a welcome return. And there were deceptively simple, grown-up black
dresses with long sleeves that proved that being covered can be just as sexy as
letting it all hang out.
But while Ford’s "Tough Chic" looked perfectly now, it was, like all fashion
today, making sly references to the past – think Diana Rigg in narrow black
leather pants in The Avengers – and it reflected the influence of the genius
creator of Ford’s other label, Yves Saint Laurent, at his late ’60s peak.
Saint Laurent’s archive was also visible in the paradoxical parallel theme at
Gucci and elsewhere – baby doll. Alongside the leather-clad femmes (definitely
a Charlie’s Angels thing going on) were wisps of A-line frocks in French lace
and sprigged flowery sheers, with high waists, bow trims and puff sleeves. They
looked like naughty nighties.