HYPE IT UP

It all depends on how you view it. You can be innovative with just about any fabric or garment by turning it into eye-catching attire. Never mind if it were to emphatically emphasize those curves that you were so very shy to flaunt earlier…

 The Florentine house Ermanno Scervino fashions its favourite garment, the duvet into alluring knee-length skirts, zipped pullovers and midi-skirts, upping the seduction quotient just that much more. Teamed up with tops you’d want to grab by the dozen, the brand offers a grand array of creations stamped by its signature style. We pick one for you in classic black and white, where a neat black polo T is tucked into a white duvet skirt. Cinched by a slim black leather belt running twice around the waist and knotted up just so, the look you’re sure to love is complimented by knee length boots. Like we said, if you’re inspired, nothing can stop you.

For Emilio Pucci’s Fall-Winter 2015/16, Peter Dundas explores a glistening starry night, celebrating the symbols of astrology and the unforeseen powers they behold. The dandyism of Jimmy Page and the glam-goth style of Stevie Nicks electrify the looks and graphic black and white undulates at its heart, marking it with a modern urbanity, while also rendering homage to Emilio Pucci’s own black and white collection of the late 1950s.

 Zodiac iconography pulses through in shooting stars, blazing suns and lustrous moons illuminate fade-to-black prints and orbit around silk crepe iconic T-shirt dresses. Maxi lengths unfurl on sweeping velvet coats, fine-knit sweater dresses or suede skirts punctuated with zodiac appliques. The new trouser silhouette, with an exaggerated wide leg, creates a bold look in black and white tartan or vertical stripes, while snug roll-neck sweaters feature three sporty stripes. Mini lengths, on second-skin dresses, skirts and shorts, add a shot of unapologetic sexiness The mystery of the night skies informs the collection’s dark palette of midnight blues, bottle green and black, but also radiates with flashes of cobalt blue, blood red and wasabi green. 

Architecture was the starting point for Karl Lagerfeld’s Fall RTW 2015 collection for Fendi, in particular, the architecture of the Palazzo della Civilta Italiana. Said to be the masterpiece of Fascist architecture, it is also, Fendi’s new headquarters in Rome. So he came up with a new kind of construction based on panels of leather which moulded the models legs like abstract aprons. So very little was done to soften the ‘stiffness’ or enhance femininity. Instead every model’s bag sprouted a stiff Bird of Paradise flower.

The walls meanwhile showcased enormous reproductions of Sophie Taeuber-Arp, considered one of the most important artists of 20th century abstract art. Incidentally, she is the only woman on the current series of Swiss banknotes in Switzerland, whose portrait has been on the 50-franc note since 1995. 

In Fendi’s show, there were also stupendous coats crafted from duvet that could envelop your entire universe such as the one we have featured. It’s all to do with protection, says Lagerfeld, the need of the hour. And we couldn’t agree more with him.

 The Monroe magic will apparently never abate in fashion. And Max Mara was inspired by pictures of Marilyn taken by photographer George Barris on a beach in 1962. They depict the famous but tragic nymphet with windswept blonde locks, partly opened lips clutching a barely-there-towel and coyly displaying those creamy smooth shoulders. And it was captured perfectly by Gigi Hadid who opened the show gripping a camel clutch coat over a slip dress and nude seam stocking worn over tassel loafers.

The clutch coat was never a favourite even in its heyday, but we have now replaced it with our smartphones. Thankfully, there were plenty of other coats which can be closed properly and all quite irresistible too. There were also shrunken mohair sweaters and pencil skirts in menswear checks and bustier-and-slip dresses with cozy knits that hugged one’s curves a la Monroe.

She would have loved it for sure. How very sad she wasn’t around long enough…