Armani might favor the color white, but just about every other fashion designer in attendance at Milan Fashion Week this year presented boldly colored collections. Fashion label Missoni offered a bevy of designs in various colors, patterns and textures. Orange and green were amongst the most popular colors used by Missoni, which in a way was paying homage to the Fall. Of course, Armani used white on white to present clothing that looked more like under garments than outerwear. A few other designers such as Marni and Dolce & Gabbana made use of color in exciting new ways. Alberta Ferretti’s collection was a mixture of bohemian chic and ethereal prints. Long skirts made of flowing fabrics moved down the catwalk in a deliberate succession.
The John Richmond 2011 Spring/Summer Collection featured edgy high heels and fitted cigarette pants matched with crop jackets and bra tops. All of his dresses were form fitting and absent of color, but they still made a huge impact. Beautiful, cream colored satin high waisted pants were paired with a black satin v-neck blouse. Not to be outdone, Sportmax showed that the mod style is still high fashion. One model wore a pair of mustard yellow Bermuda shorts with a sheer short sleeved shirt covered in embroidered butterflies.
Prada, which is a staple at Milan Fashion Week, showcased a blend of colorful frocks that can only be described as a fashionable rainbow. No two pieces used the same fabrics or accessories, but somehow, it all came together. What most fashion designers would describe as nothing short of a nightmare was presented as sheer style poetry. The models all had their hair slicked back with not a single strand out of place as they somberly walked in some of the most colorful creations that Prada has ever designed.
