Dolce & Gabbana
I normally never like Dolce & Gabbana. Sometimes it's too sexual or there's just some vibe I don't care for. It's ironic that I love this collection since there's so much going on and a lot of the time that's what turns me away from the label. The floral decorations and the Baroque paintings are very Italia. I adore the gold and very Catholic kind of feel. Dolce & Gabbana is very sensual and the fabrics and little detailing make the clothes fit for true women.
Gianfranco Ferré
A trend that was present during New York Fashion Week was the clothes completely covering the girls and the word "protection" floated around quite a bit. The same goes for Gianfranco Ferré with massive coats and what seems like pounds of fabric cinched at the waist or weighed down some more with faux fur. A nice balance, though, is that there's always a sliver of skin showing in every look. Whether there's ankles, necks, arms, some chest; a piece of skin is peeping through the thick clothing.
Jil Sander
This marks the end of Raf Simmons as the head of Jil Sander. And let me say, what a great note to end on for Raf at Jil. He was at the height of his career designing for the house and he didn't let us down. The beginning of the collection showed structural, smart coats that are almost cape like. I love how the girls are holding them at what would be lapels. It reminds me of dreary women at a gloomy funeral.
MaxMara
I never really realized how much I enjoy MaxMara until now when I saved a little over half of the collection. I'm a sucker for military-inspired pieces and this collection screamed military uniform. I feel a bit of time travel going on here. Some World War I is in the mix with the olive green looks and then some dresses from the 1920s along with the tassels as necklaces (which i will have to try to work) then to the 1930s with breezy trousers and pinstripes from the 1940s. A nice clean and modern take on the beginning of the 20th century.
Sportmax
China's having a big of a moment. Seen more at New York than in London, there are some pieces in some random collections that have an Asian vibe. The streamlined jackets with little collars and strict buttoning feel like what Chinese Dojo workers would wear. Put on one of those furry white coats or massive cobalt jackets and you're in the Himalayas. And of course, the color red, China's lucky color is featured on the lips and nails of the girls.