Three Italian Houses

Well last time we focused on three French houses. This time the focus is on three Italian houses.
Since the French houses were household names let's do the same this time. How about Ferragamo, Versace and Gucci. I thought about Armani but that house deserves a blog post of its own.

I want to end on an up note so let's start with Gucci. It wasn't a great collection and it wasn't a terrible collection. Frida Giannini brought a mix of color, the obligatory whites for spring and of course the fashion staple, black. I just wasn't wowed by what made its way down the runway. I find myself wondering if there is any longing for the others in the fashion house to have Tom Ford reappear and once again propel them to a higher fashion plane.

I must say that the use of gray and a grayish blue were nice touches and went well with the basic black and white pieces. I simply wasn't a fan of the 'bandage' look of some of the garments. I was also a little disappointed with the cut work on some of the garments. Akris has perfected cut work and illusions. Anyone who attempts to do the same now has a pretty high standard to meet. For me it just fell a little short.

Now for the redemption. There are some great jackets in this collection. For me it is the use of hardware and zippers that really sold the pieces. While the skirts were a bit short for 'women of a certain age' these jackets are ageless. There was something there whether you have a tendency toward the biker look, a bit of Nehru (yeah that dates me), a bit of rock or just something out of the ordinary grab and go jacket for that coolish spring evening.

One of the real appeals for me was the use of the stark white and silver hardware. It gives the pieces a gleam and makes them pop in a way that will allow you to pull the jacket out four seasons from now, throw it on with a pair of jeans and wear the same way that classic leather jacket wears. I love being able to do that. To be trendy with something that has staying power is an art. Ms. Giannini pulled that off with her jackets.

So, as I said, it wasn't a bad collection. I simply wasn't blown away. Could I have done better? Of course not. Everyone has to remember that I cannot draw so getting that concept out of my head and onto paper is not likely to happen. Ms. Giannini does have talent, that is clear. Maybe I just wish she had more range.

The rumor mill is working overtime. Word on the street is that Donatella is not long for the 'world' in terms of retaining control of the house. There are those in the industry who believe that it is time for the iconic label to be headed by someone other than a Versace. Whether this is true or not, I personally feel that some sort of change is in order.

The past couple of seasons (fall and resort) have sort of left me cold. There was the obligatory dark cast and metallics for fall and the bursts of color for resort. However, there was something decidedly desperate in these collections for my taste. I see no reason to have a dress slit so high in the front you are afraid to walk let alone sit down. To me, the slink looked 'bargain basement' and I am not used to seeing the Italians use fabrics that are not sumptuous. Some of them gave the appearance of the remnant table at some third rate establishment that would be named 'Freida's Fabric Warehouse'.

Now let's move up to Spring 2010. Again, not wonderful, at least for me. Of course there was color and the use of sheers. The skirts were decidedly short (as were most of the other collections this season) and not catering to anyone over the age of 35. Once more we were looking at slits up to there, skirts hitting the models above mid-thigh and of course the body conscious form fitting look that Versace is known for. It is just getting a bit old.

I wanted to see some sophistication. I wanted to see this label grow up and become incredibly classic. There was one dusty pink suit that had silver studding as embellishments and the standard fare of zippers. Lengthen the skirt about 4 inches and it's a hit. If you have a youngish look and the personality to get away with it, you could be 45 to 50 and pull it off. There was one gown in a pale peach, again with silver embellishments, that had an interesting bodice and a very fluid and graceful skirt. But again, it would be difficult to wear if you were a mature woman.

This collection, more than most, leaves me wondering what it is going to look like in production. How will it be toned down to allow you to take it on a spin around the block? What will happen to those deep slits that few everyday women would be comfortable sporting? When will the desperate need for younger and younger fashions give way to a realization that no matter what age, women want to look great and they would like to see designs that they would feel appropriate wearing?

Again, that is just me. You need to really check out this collection and help me figure out what is redeeming and what is not. Because, if the rumors are true, I would say it was the last three or four collections that have the house reeling and wondering if it is time for a change.

Last but not least, Salvatore Ferragamo. As I read what some of the fashion writers have to say about the collections and the artistic directors at Ferragamo, I am convinced that there is simply a dislike of this label. Cristina Ortiz has not done a terrible job. I think that she has been much maligned. It will be interesting to see what is said about Massimiliano Giornetti.

One of the criticisms of the collection was a silhouette that placed more fabric around the hips and thighs. This made the pants appear to be an adaptation of jodphurs and the skirts a take on the same. I have always found it interesting to hear the comments about jodphurs. There really is a utilitarian reason for the silhouette and cut. It is called comfort and ease. I personally found them to be a bit out of proportion but at least there was an appropriate use of volume and closeness to the body for the bodice and sleeves of the complimentary pieces.

I liked the collection. I found it to be wearable and maybe to the fashion writers who only see the "art" of the show as opposed to the utility of the collection, that is boring. Panning Ms. Ortiz is of no benefit. It is also pointless. Graeme Black was given the same treatment as the AD at Ferragamo. His failings were attributed to the fact that he had his own label he was trying to launch while designing for Ferragamo. Well I say "that's bull!" His collection was a knockout punch and his talent is unquestioned. I think that the next stop for Ms. Ortiz will give her a chance to continue to design incredible collections for a label that the writers may view more favorably.

As I said, I want to see what Massimiliano Giornetti has up his sleeve. Right now it is a menswear sleeve so hopefully he can soften that look and bring it to women. I see the ads in the fashion mags and I see the garments in the Ferragamo Boutiques. They are incredible and have the richness of hand that the Italians are known for promoting.

If he gets panned we will have proof that it has nothing to do with the vision of the ADs at the House of Salvatore Ferragamo. It has to do with the closed minds of the fashion writers who have been sheep-like in their reporting of various labels because it is what everyone says. Sign me up as a 'Ferragamo Fan'. I wish Ms. Ortiz the best as she moves forward and I hope that Mr. Giornetti has a stellar run. And Ms. Ortiz, don't fret. Ask Graeme Black how it feels to be on top of your game. He too was panned and has proven that the fashion writers don't know everything.

a la prochaine

Debra