milan shows, a/w 09

let me be the first to say that the aesthetic milan conveys consistently often does not appeal to my tastes. experimentation and subtlety are two attributes i find very important in fashion, and i believe some milanese designers have a strict code they adhere to when creating new collections, consisting of glitz and glamour. uber luxury is always the staple of milan fashion week, and while some collections honor this common thread faithfully and tastefully, others veer off to the side and deliver pretentious and oftentimes overdesigned duds. that being said (rather harshly, i'm afraid - i suppose i just had to vent), not all milanese fashion houses are the same. but nonetheless let me reflect on some designs that did not meet the standards of class or wearability by common (read: poor) folk that are always pluses.



marni normally has minimalist chic down to a science, but this season, everything had an extremely stodgy flair to it. jacquard party dresses? fur gloves? plaid checked tights? yucky.


dsquared2 was simply a joke this season. everything about it was incredibly hollywood, and they poked fun at this fact with their starbucks coffee cup/star magazine/shopping bag props. bravo for the brand recognizing its own lack of inventiveness, and collecting revenue for all the nauseating product placements found throughout the show. were they too busy designing incredibly slutty/appropriate costumes for britbrit's circus tour? 'cause, in all honesty, i preferred those outfits compared to the brand's rtw.


anna molinari of blumarine is also one of my favorite designers, normally. but everything seemed so cheap and tacky on this season's runway. i was reminded of juicy couture, and that should never happen; i already pass by the store going to class on a daily basis! what happened to all the beautiful pastel hues, elegant draping and tasteful embellishments bulmarine is so famous for? leopard print is all well and good, but not in this context.