Fendi hit Milan fashion week with a “big bang explosion,” showing off a sleek summer/spring 2013 collection strong on furs and leathers layered and inset over one another to create a 3D effect. “It’s an explosion of a traditional fashion house, a big bang explosion,” the brand said, as models took to the runway in tunics and dresses decorated with patterns which erupted across the surface in pastels and earthy colors. There were classic looks, such as ivory shirts worn with slim brown leather trousers-jazzed up with panels inset in the inside leg. But the majority of the outfits pushed the boundaries with bold blocks of colors and angular cuts.
Dresses were two-toned, with cotton or leather fronts and fur backs. Outfits in blocks of color were broken up with stark borders on necklines and cuffs. Texture was key, with tiny colored adornments in greys and reds hanging off skirts which swayed as they sashayed down the catwalk, and an eye-catching mosaic-style dress covered with tiny beads-all worn with thick-heeled shoes. Fendi director Karl Lagerfeld gave a nod to the sixties with an Audrey Hepburn-style coat and used the mustard yellows and baby blues of the era.
The house’s double “FF” trademark logo appeared on striking black outfits, while the collection also had a sporty angle, with blue shorts and a jacket in crocodile leather, as well as a dress with flowers-a trend this season. The German-born Lagerfeld, 78, who has his own fashion label and is also the creative director at Chanel, emerged after the show in his trademark sunglasses, ponytail hair and black leather gloves to a standing ovation. Founded in 1925 in Rome, Fendi is now owned by French luxury giant LVMH.
Earlier in the day, Bottega Veneta had unveiled its own collection-inspired like Prada, Gucci, and other houses this season by flowers-but keeping the silhouette slim and retaining black as the base color. “It’s easy for a woman to dress in a way that sends a simply message: serious or sexy or bohemian or whatever,” said designer Tomas Maier. “It’s much harder to come across in a multifaceted way. For Spring, we wanted to make clothes that blur the lines, that offer a more complex idea. These are women who’d rather not be summed up in a word or two,” he added.
The collection was complex, mixing sharply tailored cuts with softer pieces, with demure skirts down to the knee and high-waisted trousers. Sheer black tops revealed skin or a floral bra beneath and skirts in earthy colors were broken up by black panels-though fabrics were cashmere and silk chiffon, and created a subtler look than the dramatic fur insets at Fendi. Though some shoulders were cut away, most of the necklines rested on the collarbone, with only a few dresses flaunting a V-shaped plunged neckline. Hefty heels were on show here as well, along with cut-away platforms
