It will be a sharply styled winter over at Gianfranco Ferre’s. And everything will be about fabric folds and the effect that reflection creates on darkly hued garments. This collection of Stefano Citron and Federico Piaggi was not about the color palette. It was about the impeccably styled confidence of the woman inside these designs. In the details: the triple-lapeled coat along with the oversized leather gloves.

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Prada’s F/W 2012 collection was another tour de force,  as Navajo/PopArt inspired geometric prints, tailored and bejeweled, embroidered and chunky took the spotlight.  There were the obligatory black pieces, all embellished with crystals and plexiglass chips,  but color was the main attraction here: mustards, blues, and indigo’s.  Dresses and skirts over slim pants, stiff military inspired long tailored belted jackets, some empire, some high-waisted, and vests; all pieces  were different versions of color and prints of the geometric motifs, all layered over skirts and ankle length trousers.

The compulsory doctor bags came printed, and the season’s perfect shoe, the color blocked platform creepers, was done in a high heeled Mary Jane version.  This season, however, she showed them with a bit of a pointier toe.  Hair was ombre, tip dyed, very cool with the jet black eyes and orange/yellow eyebrows and white/cream cheeks.  This woman is sexy without showing too much skin and tough enough to indulge her vulnerabilities.  Backstage Miuccia stated, “I’m sick of theory. This collection is about the pleasure of fashion”, and this cacophony of color, print and embellishment somehow strangely becomes a seductive, celebration of quality, craftsmanship and eternal chicness, coveted for seasons to come.

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Alessandro dell’Acqua’s 2 year old line, N°21, is heavy on simplicity and wearable street style.  F/W 2012 showed masculine fabrics and boxy cuts on a feminine silhouette.  Dell’Acqua strives for a perfect balance between the male (bomber jackets in tweed), and female (short hemlines, LBD’s), keeping it all clean and modern.  Shown with virtually no accessories and minimal hair and makeup, this collection was interestingly inspired by Queen Elizabeth, in her garden. Pretty hard to imagine but if I try hard enough my imagination will hopefully kick in. Now,  for all you shoe lovers, this collection was also a soft launch for his new footwear collection, having just signed a 2 year licensing agreement with Italian shoemaker Kalliste.

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Consuelo Castiglioni has always been fashion’s intellect, with a feminine and utilitarian point of view. For Marni’s F/W 2012 she changed it up a bit, opting for more color-blocked looks with a 60′s sensibility.  The prints still had a voice, but the real story was the exaggerated, voluminous architectural shapes which echoed the curious and intelligent voice of her customer.  So well does Castiglioni know and anticipate their customer that Marni has become somewhat of a fashion club.  The members?  Women interested in breaking new interesting ground, and not being afraid to lead the pack with an individualized sense of style.  This collection was about “architecture and controlled lines”, as seen in the column like panels, snug jackets and straight leg trousers, all walking the fine line of minimalism and opulence beautifully.

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The sophistication of Marco de Vincenzo’s F/W 2012 collection was evident in the form of slim and minimalistic silhouettes. Monochromatic or not (mainly ranging in the tones of black, white and nude), the geometrical patterns on the designs had a two-folded role: both textural and visual.

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Peter Dundas created what seemed to be statement pieces: anything more than that on the Pucci woman would probably be redundant. Even though there’s a slight change of designing course and there’s a bit more of covering-up, there’s no lack of sheer and deep cuts, as well as crocodile prints and leather.

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Breezy and bright was Gabriele Colangelo’s F/W 2012 collection. Light blue and orange pastels took over coats and monochromatic suits, emphasizing on the fabrics and silhouette. Clearly Colangelo put some serious thought behind this collection and went further than the common, current trends. New proportions and gradient color-blocking was the result.

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Toned down, in comparison to his previous collections, Francesco Scognamiglio’s F/W 2012 collection emphasized on the shape: boxy coats (which were on the spotlight) covered the models up while deep skirt cuts gave out a hint of sensuality. The color palette ranged in safe dark hues, whites and unexpected splashes of neon. Brightest example: the leather-detailed coat with the neon green touches. We can almost see the street-stylers lining up for it.

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Sportmax’s (Max Mara’s baby sister) inception was based on affordable outerwear, with a sporty street style that prides itself on quality, from the construction to the fabrics, with a mantra of care and precision.  For F/W 2012, technology stirred the pot, with neoprene being a big part of the textiles.  There was a lot of quilting, and a sense of fun with the playing around of different techniques and materials. The silhouette was strong and boxy, almost uniform like, but very wearable and utilitarian.  This collection is filled with no brainer, uniform pieces, much appreciated in those moments when one is too preoccupied and busy to think to much about outfits.  Just grab and put on, and feel and look amazing with no effort.

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