Milan Fashion Week - Spring 2011 - Part 1

Bright colors, tribal styles and feminity are three of the major trends seen on the runways of six of Italy's biggest fashion houses for Spring 2011. Known for fine craftsmanship, great style and abundant feminity Italian designers certainly delivered this fashion week.

Bold and Baroque at Prada

Milan Fashion : Prada

Miuccia Prada was all about big statements this season including blocks and wide stripes of bright colors like orange, blue and green. In the Prada Spring 2011 RTW collection there were echoes of everything from hospital scrubs to Jazz age glamour and these influences combined to create a collection that was at times eccentric and at other times minimal. Aside from the abundant stripes, which ranged from the nautical to the penitentiary, Prada also used whimsical prints featuring bananas (which were echoed in Ms. Prada's own dangly yellow earrings) to monkeys. Twenties-era drop-waist sheaths competed for runway space with boxy suits and fitted skirts that flared at the knee, all of which were accompanied by wonderful accessories from wide hats to structured bags in similar bright hues. If Prada's "minimal baroque" look is anything to go by then this spring bright and bold is going to be where it's at.

Donatella's White and Bright Feminine Style

Milan Fashion: Versace

Donatella Versace left boho at the door with her Spring 2011 RTW collection. Structure, structure, structure seemed to echo as the models filed past on the glossy white runway. This season Versace at once reached back to the house's roots and toned down the line's usual Amazonian sensuality, instead opting for elegant femininity, fitted shifts and strict buns wrapped in black vinyl. According to Donatella white is right for spring, either on its own or infused with bright and colorful accents as seen in a gorgeous white pique suit. There were also several looks using a multi-colored stripe fabric, cut-out styles and the resurrection of the very Versace Greek key pattern. The evening looks only featured a handful of the quintessential floor-length Versace goddess gowns and the looks had a focus on body-conscious silhouettes and fringe. While this season Donatella turned out a decidedly grown up and feminine collection, vacillating between neutral and blindingly bright palettes, the trademark Versace sexuality could be seen in one element of every outfit at least--those towering shoes.

Gucci's Tribe

Working from inspirations that ranged from Marrakech and YSL to Guy Bourdin, Gucci's Frida Giannini put on a spring show that was a decided departure from the neutral looks she featured for fall. Instead Giannini opted for bright blocks of color, metallics and fierce red lips meant to provoke. Not that everything was jewel tones. There were several looks in neutral browns and beiges that evoked the dry sands of the Sahara as well as strong and sexy head-to-toe black. Supple leather jackets were paired with tribal-inspired pieces while evening looks were short, sexy and full of movement via the fringe so popular on Milan runways for spring.

Night in the Sahara at Armani

Milan fashion 2011: Armani

While others were doing light and bright Giorgio Armani was at the other end of the color spectrum for spring. Producing a collection almost wholly in navy blue, inspired by the star-lit sky seen over the Saharan desert, Armani presented a study in layers. Skirts over both sheer and opaque pants, lots of silky fabrics and wonderfully cut jackets, as well as jagged glass jewelry and sequins that brought home his star-and-sky inspiration. The headdresses and gauzy cuts of some of the pants and skirts were a direct reference to the tribal style of the Sahara while the one-shouldered evening gowns would be at home on any red carpet.

Cavalli is Still Sexy at 40

Roberto Cavalli celebrated 40 years in the business with a collection that was, well, quintessentially Cavalli. Bohemian and maximalist, sexy and seductive, the looks included floaty chiffons and the designer's favored animal prints. The Florentine designer opted for an star-studded open-air show for his main collection and a party in Paris to mark the auspicious anniversary. The Cavalli woman is one who is confident, self-assured and more than willing to opt for the body conscious, cut-out dress rather than the simpler frock. She will also surely approve of the rocker chic pants (patterned, distressed and adorned with lace-ups) paired with multicolor biker jackets and scarves that Cavalli showed for spring, not to mention the diaphanous printed chiffon skirts and dresses.

Dolce & Gabbana’s Lush Southern Italian Sexuality

Milan Fashion S/S 2011: Dolce and Gabbana

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana are the masters of abundant Mediterranean sexuality. Corsets, cleavage and crosses are vintage elements of the Dolce & Gabbana style and were seen in abundance on the duo's spring runway in a show inspired by a hope chest or bride's trousseau. An abundance of white and black was tempered by the occasional burst of riotous flowers and lace embroidery meant to evoke a very stylish tablecloth as well some trademark D&G leopard print. There were miniskirts, corsets and Dr. Scholl-esque wooden wedge sandals that were somehow made sexy in the hands of Stefano and Domenico. Coming off their 25th anniversary this design duo seems to know very well what they do best and have hit it out of the park for spring.

By Massimiliano Chiavarone

Check out Part 2 of our series on the Spring/Summer 2011 Women's Wear collections in Milan.