Prêt-à-Porter

PART 2

SATURDAY, MARCH 05
1200 LIE SANG BONG @ Hotel Westin

Zen sequins and cloud-like textures at Lie Sang Bong 

1400 BACKSTAGE SONIA RYKIEL @ Pavillon Concorde

backstage at Sonia Rykiel

1630 SONIA RYKIEL @ Pavillon Concorde

Quite the turn out for Sonia Rykiel. Models posed as school girls, giggling their way down the runway.

MONDAY, MARCH 07
1700 COMMUUN @ Maion de la Chimie

Stripes and colour blocking at COMMUUN

1800 VANESSA BRUNO @ Palais de Tokyo

The fashionable front row at Vanessa Bruno, eyes on their blackberries.

Fur colours and gypsy inspired pieces at Vanessa Bruno

TUESDAY, MARCH 08
1730 SHIATZY CHEN @ Musée des Beaux-Arts


2300 COMMUUN afterparty @ Fidélité



WEDNESDAY, MARCH 09
1130 TALBOT RUNHOF @ Hotel Westin

A plethera of trends at Talbot Runhof: beaded sequins, stripes and colour blocking, bold primary colour palate, dyed fur... 

1430 ELIE SAAB @ Espace Ephémère, Jardin des Tuileries

THE END 

to fall/winter 2011 

Thursday February 24th
MILAN FALL/WINTER 2011 DAY 2

1230 backstage at ERMANNO SCERVINO
Snap some shots backstage at the Piazza Duommo tent. Lost a little courage from the day before so I don't attempt to tackle the photographers pit.

smiling models backstage at Ermanno Scervino

1400
Lunch at the press lobby which is really nearby: ricotta vegetarian lasagna and after eight mousse for desert.

1500 HAUTE
On the podium. 1930s gangster inspired with pleated trousers, maxi coats, paperboy caps and fur. A neutral palette which is rare this season. Not particularly unique but my style.

1600 KRIZIA
This show drew a huge crowd of mostly Italians. Crouched on the scattered podium beside infamous Italian fashion writer and style icon Anna Piaggi who was escorted in just as the show started. The Facehunter was getting close up shots for his street style blog out front after the show.

I got great pictures. Unfortunately I - along with what I could tell many who attended - did not like the show.

Harsh cuts and bold colours that stuck to red white and black, even the setting was cold. Overall a lack of femininity. The press release dedicated the collection to fashionistas who are tired of the vulgarity in womens clothes but in fact vulgar might be a good description.

KRIZIA

1730
Lunch number 2 at the press lobby: sandwhiches and champagne, cookies and cappucino.

1900 CORTO MOLTEDO STORE OPENING

We skip Albino for the opening of Italian accessories brand Corto Moltedo's new Milan boutique. A huge turn out of models, journalists and wealthy Italians filled the nearby coutyard with champaign in hand. Since then we have noticed the structured mini clutches and brightly sparkling rubber laptop cases everywhere. The IT accesory brand this season in Milan.


Corto Moltedo's Pool Party on Nowness.com.


2000 ANTEPRIMA
Back to the Duomo for our last show and a spot on the podium. Simple clean cuts and solid colours equals a little boring. However I Loved the high wasted velvet skirts and black fur full length coat.

ANTEPRIMA

2100
We miss apertivo and like the night before are stuck in the touristy centre. Out of money we opt for a fast food dinner, buy a cheap bottle of wine and head back to the hotel to get some work done.

2200
Edit photos and publish on fashion windows in the lobby. To bed by 300.

WEDNESDAY, FEB 23, 2011
MILANO FW 2011

900

Wake up. Grab a quick breakfast in the lobby and out the door by ten to take the subway over to the first show.

1030 ANGELO MARANI

Despite not having received a designated PODIUM invitation was able to find a place among this photographers pit, a great sign for the rest of the week. After the show hopped back on the metro at CARDONA in a rush to the next.

1245 backstage at SIMONETTA RAVIZZA

Was treated really well by Alessandro of Insight Communications who took us backstage and introduced us to the designer for a brief interview which was cut short by the language barrier. Backstage was not what I expected! The models were dressed in their own clothes and BBMing or eating while getting their makeup and hair done. A handfull of photographers and videographers roamed freely, weaving their way around the hairdstylist and dressers who were racing to prepare the models.

Flares, fur and maxi skirts. The first two shows brought us right back to the 70s.

backstage at Simonetta Ravizza

So much fur!

1400

Over to the press lounge to pick up - and in my case pay 100euros -for my photographers accreditation. Most expensive but best souvenir yet! Worth the price as it includes champagne with breakfast lunch dinner, fast wifi which is impossible to find in this city, and buses to and from the shows. Lunch is delicious and we have a great view of the Duomo from the roomftop patio.

the view from the press lounge rooftop patio: the Moda Donna tent in Piazza Duomo, the heart of Milan

1700 ALBERTA FERRETTI

This is a big one. We arrive just in time to have a brief chat with Scott Schuman, The Satorialist. I am introduced and he pays me the biggest compliment I may have ever received: he thinks he recognizes me and asks if he has taken my picture before. Speachless.

Lindsay has an assigned seat and makes her way inside but I get pushed to the side as standing room only must wait to get in. This works out in my benefit as when I eventually get in there is a perfect spot for taking photographs right at the end of the L shaped runway, away from the ugly mess that is the PODIUM. I squat beside Scott and his girlfriend: fashion illustrator, photographer and famous blogger Garance Doré. I get great shots of the lush colours and thigh high crushed velvet boots.

As I am walking out the door to wait for Lindsay the crowd outside have their cameras focused in my direction. I turn and Anna Wintour, editor-in-cheif of American VOGUE, is right beside me flanked by bodyguards front and back. I see Garance just a few steps away and work up the courage to introduce myself.

Anna Wintour Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue

1745 backstage at N°21

We hop off the press bus just in time to rush backstage, I snap a few pictures and leave Lindsay to find a spot on the PODIUM which is already full. Luckily the Italian photographers are much more pleasant, especially to girls who have no idea what their doing, and a few of them let me squat between them. Creams and dusty pinks, lacy and softer fabrics, at the end of the show we both had the same question: fall/winter? None the less we really liked and would wear the clothes.

backstage at N°21

19:00 FRANCESCO SCOGNAMIGLIO

We force our way through the group of press and photographers onto the first bus and end up waiting in the line of Mercedes that receive priority for driving the important people from show to show. Finally we arrive at La Rotonda, a very beautiful building just outside the city centre. Once again I have standing room only and despite my attempts to make friends with the PR guys they don't let me pass to the PODIUM. I can't find a good line of site which is particularly unfortunate because this might be my favourite show of the day. Especially the mini dresses which are very unique in their detail and just the right amount of revealing.

20,00 JO NO FUI

Back on the bus which takes us to the tent outside the Duomo, the cathedral located at the centre of Milan which is second in size only to the Vatican in Italy. I manage to get a great spot on the PODIUM to snap photos of the 70s chic crop tops and flared suits.

Jo No Fui

2100

We miss aperitivo - spend 8euros on a cocktail and enjoy the all you can eat free buffet at most of Italys cafe bars from 1800-2100 - and have trouble finding something that meets our fancy in this touristy area of the city. Just as we are about to settle for a bigmac we come accross an authentic Italian Restorante and Pizzeria Enoteca called Cocopazzo. We split a pizza and a salad, and order a half litre each for 6euros.

2300

Back at the hotel I spend four hours editing photos which brings 1000 down to 300 and I make a promise to be more selective with my shooting.