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敬请期待中文版  A light knitdress from Antonio Marras' A/W 2016-17 collection Picture credit: Indigital FASHION ANNIVERSARIES ARE usually showy affairs,celebrating brand longevity or family achievement, complete withlandmark birthdays. But this powerful Milan season - the best inyears - set me thinking about why familiar and often family brandsshould have had such a ripe fashion harvest. My theory is that energy has come from a generation,perhaps brought up in the shadow of famous parents, who arereaching a high of their own creativity. It is almost 20 years since Angela Missoni tookthe baton from her parents Rosita and Tai (Ottavio). In two years,Veronica Etro will celebrate a 20th anniversarysince she and her brother Kean, started to build a fashion brandout of the family fabric business.  Etro A/W2016-17 Picture credit: Indigital The evocative, eerie celebration of Victoriana fromAntonio Marras marks 20 years since he startedshowing in Rome, while Ennio Capasa of CostumeNational marked his 30th anniversary with a colourful show(from a designer wedded to black). It was a powerful statementabout art over commerce. I have been interested in studying this currentdevelopment not with big interviews about special moments, butrather reading changes through the clothes. Here are some of mydeliberations on designers at their peak. Costume National: Breaking a Colour Barrier The entrance to the Costume National show was a multi-colouredcarpet made by Sicilian artist Catena Sanalitro, a mad mosaic offound objects and handwork that was breathtaking in its vividshades and intriguing textiles.  Picture credit: Indigital But why was this work the entrée to Ennio Capasa's CostumeNational show, when Ennio famously loves any colour as long as it'sblack? Ever since he was defined as part of the1990s "counter-couture", the designer has barely shown asingle fancy coloured outfit.  Picture credit: Indigital There I sat, mouth agape, watching the impeccable CostumeNational tailoring re-configured as a coat in deep mauve, in greenwith a Lurex sparkle, or in black with big blue flowers. There waseven a soft trouser suit in dark red velvet and a shirt andtrousers with bold digital prints. I did not remember any suchcolourful scenario before - even when the designer would shake itup with cool music celebrities.  Picture credit: Indigital So backstage I asked what had brought on the "new" CostumeNational. The reply was passionate.  Picture credit: Indigital "I need some kind of romance and to be creative," he said. "Thestage was meant for fashion, but all designers are obliged toplease the market; we have all become commercial. But we have todesign with intensity - to have the sense of fashion to be avisionnaire." It was inspiring, even moving, to hear a designer with suchpassion after 30 years.  The finaleat Costume National, A/W 2016-17 Picture credit: Indigital Missoni: Knits With Sex Appeal Can Angela Missoni really be turning 20 next year - as thedesign leader of the family company, that is? In fact, her time atMissoni goes back to childhood, as she played with wisps of wool onthe floor of her parent's workshop.  Picture credit: Indigital After recently seeing a museum exhibition about Missoni and itsheritage (soon to be shown at the Fashion and Textile Museumin London), I thought I knew everything about the company, frombales of raw wool to the art that Tai and Rosita collected. Buthere was Angela coming up with a new spirit for the famous knitwearhouse: seduction.  Picture credit: Indigital There was something of the defiant teenager out there in a softknitted cardigan, floppy trousers, and a scarf so long that bothcolourful sides would sweep the floor. Sneaker-clad young womenstrode out in long - as in ankle-length - horizontally stripeddresses, with yet another scarf in vibrant coloured stripes drapedover their shoulders.  Picture credit: Indigital When lengths were shorter there were various girly additions,like a bow instead of shoelaces and ankle socks (colourful) withgleaming threads. Backstage, Angela said the look was "lean, long andleggy" - and all about knits. She then handed out leaflets ofkey words for Autumn/Winter 2016, which included cheeky checks,languid layering and sexy scarves, plus, of course, zigzags,without which a Missoni show would not becomplete.  Picture credit: Indigital This was no palace revolution, with Angela fighting her motherand brothers for a daring new look. It was just Missonire-configured with a bit more wit to the knit. Perhaps, for herdouble-decade celebration, Angela is aiming at 20-year-olds. Andwhy not go for the future, rather than live off the past?  Thefinale at the Missoni A/W 2016-17 show Picture credit: Indigital Etro: Veronica Remembers Her London Years Taking the blinds off the familiar Etro show space and lettingthe light flood in was symbolic of a fresh new world for VeronicaEtro.  Picture credit: Indigital "For me it was important to bring fashion down into reallife -that's why I wanted to show with the daylight," saidVeronica. "Also, for me, personal identity was important - the ideathat something could be customised or personalised." The designer was talking about a fluidity of fabrics within oneoutfit; and also fabric and workmanship that she called "betweenthe raw and the decorated".  Picture credit: Indigital Veronica wanted to re-live her first taste of freedom, when shewas studying at Central St Martins in London. From that cameBritish plaid coats or a student-like way of wearing clothes, as ifa red velvet jacket and printed trousers had come from a fleamarket.  Picture credit: Indigital The freshness of the show was in its proportions, with brieftops balancing short skirts and long dresses sweeping undertailored coats.  Picture credit: Indigital Perhaps the sense of freedom in a little jacket with short skirtor a flowing chiffon dress came from that London period, althoughit reminded me of the 1970s. Whatever the story behind it, there was a new spirit. Theshow also included motifs of Japanese prints of dragons and tigers.It's a long stride from Indian paisley to the urban, modern world.But 18 years in, Veronica has made that leap for Etro.  VeronicaEtro soaks up the applause after her A/W 2016-17 show in Milan Picture credit: Indigital Antonio Marras: A Visual Story Teller It is nearly 30 years since Antonio Marras told his first hautecouture fashion story in Rome, before moving to the ready-to-wearMilan calendar in 1996.  Picture credit: Indigital So many tales he has told, usually with a Victorian angleand a woman in torment or, in this season's case, going mad in areed-filled garden with a figure in a scarlet printed-wool robewrapped round silken floral pyjamas.  Picture credit: Indigital The Marras collections always sound kitsch, yet they are sweetlyemotional. His ability to layer different fabrics is unique - as inthis season's apron of furs over a black leather dress. The bestword to describe his style is "fluidity", meaning that the fabricsfall gently over the body, barely touching it. But thisseason there was some serious tailoring: coats and jackets tocounter-balance the layers of fur, even in a series of pastelcolours.  Picture credit: Indigital If each piece were separated, plucking out a flower-embroideredsweater or even a decorated handbag, the clothes would seem moremodern and more accessible. But I would never want to snuff outthis designer's extraordinary imagination.  Picture credit: Indigital (责任编辑：admin) |