MFW: Labels contend for buyers and the press

A patriotic fashion week. In the year of the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, more than one label played with the colours of the flag and Rocco Barocco even opened the parade with a solemn Mameli's Hymn, the national anthem

“song of the Italians”. It was innovative from the point of view of the fabrics which are becoming more and more sophisticated, divided between a city centre where the most emblazoned labels are being paraded (72 parades with 62 presentations for 61 brands) and Zona Tortona, an area dedicated to fairs and, last but not least, optimistic but with a few unknowns on the trend of the sector over the next few months. Technology, too, can be felt during the fashion week: one just had to look at the comments, both live and via Facebook that appeared on the maxi screen during the Dolce & Gabbana parade. Apparently among the messages was also one from the Director of Vogue USA, Anna Wintour, from the parterre on the first row: “Schnell start the show”. Furthermore, the struggle to maintain market shares and the challenge to conquer new ones, is played through the social networks today, bringing a “democratisation” of fashion, dictated more by revenue demands than ethical issues.

Moreover, despite the glitter of the parades (abundant use of Swarovski on the clothing), the parties, like that of the UK brand French Connection, and the concerts, like that of Duran Duran, booked by Tod's to celebrate Hogan, the civil war in Libya and the unrest in the Arab countries could significantly impact on the future of the economy. In the long term, on the other hand, the revolts could have a positive influence as happens when a dictatorial regime falls and a new country enters the free market.

Back to today, according to SMI [sistema moda Italia, the fashion industry monitor] data, sales timidly resumed their growth: estimates indicate a recovery of 2.6%, corresponding to about 11.7 billion Euros. “Lightening taxation pressure, reducing IRAP [regional production tax] and guaranteeing heavier wage packets is key, as is cutting waste and the cost of red tape”: this is what’s necessary today to restore the accounts of the sector according to Gaetano Marzotto, Chair of Pitti Immagine and head of the salons Touch! neoZone and cloudnine, which went on show between 25 and 27 February in Milan.

Meanwhile, the fashion population moves, no runs, from one end to the other of a Milan split into two: on one side the parades in the city centre, in the tensile structure in Piazza Duomo, which winks at tourists and the curious peeping from the side of the big tent at the clothes for the autumn winter season 2011-12, and, on the other, the young brands in the window displays in the salons of Via Tortona of Pitti Immagine and White.

Fresh names also for the fourth edition of Mi Milano Prêt-à-porter. The novelties include the romantic, ingenuous but sensual clothes of Vivetta Ponti, already photographed last year being worn by a fashion icon like Peaches Geldof, these days in Milan as a DJ for the after parade party of Philpp Plein. The German designer has developed a collection that, with bon ton clothes and dark gothic details, could only really be paraded in a deconsecrated church. Dark, indeed total black, without so much as a brushstroke of blue, a colour very dear to Giorgio Armani, on the catwalk of Emporio. In the monocolour chorus the opacity of the cloth alternates with the brilliance of velvet.

The plans of the US architect Frank Lloyd Wright, provide the inspiration for the perhaps even too rigorous collection of Aquilano and Rimondi, a duo at the creative head of the fashion house Ferré sold to Paris Group. Watching the parade was Ahmed Sankari, the Chair of Paris Group, who made sure we knew there is no certainty for the time being that the two creative directors can be reconfirmed. Another throwback to the 60s were the little Prada coats (a fashion house that between June and July will put ashore on the Hong Kong share market). Old style hints of the 50s for the new collection by Roberta di Camerino, while Gucci chose the Seventies: the catwalk saw coloured fur coats, see-through clothes, but also manly accents for the mysterious lady.

From our correspondent in Milan

Photo 1: Emporio Armani

Photo 2: Peaches Geldof, dj at Philipp Plein 

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