Milan Fashion Week - Spring 2011 - Part 6

The Lesser Known--But No Less Bright--Stars of Milan Fashion Week - Women's Spring/Summer 2011: Antonio Marras, Aquilano.Rimondi, Francesco Scognamiglio, Gabriele Colangelo, Marco de Vincenzo and Maurizio Pecoraro

There are some Italian brands that are known the world by just about everyone and most people with even a passing interest in fashion have heard of Armani, Prada and Gucci. The six designers named above, however, don't have the same kind of brand recognition, yet are well known within the fashion world. While some have ample experience in the clothing world others are new up-and-comers, lending fresh blood to the Milan collections while, in many cases, representing the future of Italian fashion.

Antonio Marras Spring/Summer 2011

Antonio Marras' Modern Romanticism

Romanticism abounded on many runways this spring, none more so than on the catwalk of Antonio Marras. Right from the program notes it seemed clear that the designer was inspired by love for Spring/Summer 2011. The program even featured an excerpt from an amorous letter written by John Keats to Fanny Brawne (they were the subject of the recently critically acclaimed film Bright Star, which inspired the designer). What the runway featured were looks that were soft and light; a lot of nude, sheer and neutral. Even the florals here were subduded. The simple shapes and floaty fabrics were embellished with patchwork, lace and embroidery, although the designer didn't forget the practical. There were quite a few utilitarian and sportswear-inspired pieces like the khaki trenchcoats and shorts, not to mention those artfully draped T-shirts that chic girls-about-town will likely be clamoring for come spring. Appropriately, when taking into account the romantic inspiration, Marras also presented a lot of underwear as outerwear, thankfully avoiding being too garish or vulgar by choosing to create innocent, vintage-looking bras and panties to layer under his other, more modern pieces.

Aquilano.Rimondi: Sexy 70s Sequins and Slits

Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi are known for their skill and craftsmanship, not to mention their humble, down to earth personalities. After presenting a hard-to-pin down show at Gianfranco Ferré filled with suits and fitted dresses in white, nudes and camel shades that were apparently inspired by the jazz age, the duo went back to the seventies for their eponymous show. The sex appeal didn't go the way of the dinosaur, however. Skirts from floor-length to pencil featured slits that bared tanned legs and the designers also introduced some interesting day-to-night short shorts paired with sequined t-shirts that certainly appeared disco ready.

Francesco Scognamiglio Spring/Summer 2011

Rock-à-Porter at Francesco Scognamiglio

The designer celebrated his 10th anniversary with a collection inspired by the splendor of Versailles. Not surprsingly, taking into account both Scognamiglio and Versailles, the collection wasn't exactly subtle. Scognamiglio showed ruffles, high necks, voluminous skirts, bows, gold swan masks, purple leopard, sheer blouses and sequins. "Rock-à-porter," as the designer puts it. There was even a replica of a dress previously worn by Lady Gaga, just one of Scognamiglio's celebrity clients, a list that also includes Rihanna and Vogue Nippon's Anna Dello Russo who famously wore the designer's bejeweled fish belt in March (a similar necklace was seen for spring paired with a short black dress). While every fashion week needs a designer that pushes the envelope and makes you dream it is difficult to see how someone who isn't a pop star would fare wearing some of Scognamiglio's creations (latex-and-pearl dress, we're talking to you), although there were some LBDs and crisply cut trousers that could find a home in just about any closet come spring.

Gabriele Colangelo: Simple, Wearable Elegance

Inspired by Wolfgang Tillmans' photographs, Gabriele Colangelo's Spring/Summer 2011 show was timely and well turned out. With an on-trend collection of sheers in a palette of neutrals--mostly whites, greys and blacks--punctuated by several dark coral and a few ombré pieces, Colangelo reminded us why two years ago he won the Vogue Italia and Alta Roma award. In addition to the thin, floaty dresses Colangelo also compiled a group of well-tailored suits and shift dresses that would be easy for any woman to wear.

Skirts, Pleats and Pixilated Florals at Marco de Vincenzo

Last year's winner of the Who's Next Award, de Vincenzo drew most of the major editors to his Spring 2011 show, which on the whole was well received and thought to be better organized than his Fall 2010 collection. The designer showed a large array of skirts from pencils to striped pleated numbers that will likely be sported by a number of "it" girls when the weather turns warmer. In addition to the skirts and fitted pedal pushers--not to mention some Big Bird-esque feathered fringe--de Vincenzo also debuted an array of oversized and pixilated floral prints like the ones shown on the very chic grey sweaters that turned out to be a crowd favorite.

Marco de Vincenzo Spring/Summer 2011

Maurizio Pecoraro's 70s Macramé and Maxis

Inspired by YSL and the seventies one can't accuse Maurizio Pecoraro of not being on-trend. There was fringe, safari suits, long skirts, crochets, floppy hats, hobo bags and flower-bedecked sandals; a veritable hippie heaven. Not to mention the very disco short shorts, metallic lame, V-necks and wedge sandals. Pecoraro also presented some of the best flat-front, wide-legged trousers seen at the Spring 2011 shows--and that's in a season overwhelmed by flat-front, wide-legged trousers.

Start at the Beginning - Part 1 of our rundown of the Spring/Summer 2011 Womenswear collections in Milan.

Interested in what was shown for the ladies? Check out Part 1 of our reporting on the Spring/Summer 2011 Menswear collections in Milan.