- South Korean cult-horror series 'Hellbound' returns at BIFF
- Nepalis fear more floods as climate change melts glaciers
- Honduras arrests environmentalist's alleged murderer
- Padres pitcher Musgrove needs elbow surgery
- Supreme Court lets stand rules to curb mercury, methane emissions
- Boston beat Denver in NBA exhibition season opener, but Jokic says omens are good
- Chagos diaspora angry at lack of input on islands' fate
- Biden says 'not confident' of peaceful US election
- US trade chief defends tariff hikes when paired with investment
- Lukaku stars as Napoli beat Como to hold Serie A top spot
- Ohtani set for MLB playoff debut as Dodgers face Padres
- Pogba's drug ban cut to 18 months from four years
- Devine leads New Zealand to big win over India in Women's T20 World Cup
- Bosnia floods kill 16 people
- EU court blocks French ban on vegetable 'steak' labelling
- Prosecutors seek dismissal of rape charges against French rugby players
- Meta AI turns pictures into videos with sound
- Bolivia's Morales says claims he raped a minor are a 'lie'
- MLB Reds hire two-time champion Francona as manager
- Daniel Maldini receives first Italy call-up for Nations League
- US dockworkers return to ports after three-day strike
- Ancelotti points finger at Madrid's 'lack of intensity'
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- Meta must limit data use for targeted ads: EU court
- Mauritius to hold legislative election on November 10
- Britain qualify for America's Cup final after 60-year wait
- IMF asks Sri Lanka to protect hard-won gains
- Morata returns to Spain Nations League squad after injury
- Irish regulator to probe Ryanair use of facial recognition
- Public allowed to see video evidence in France mass rape trial
- US hiring soars past expectations in sign of resilient market
- Under-fire Ten Hag 'together' with Man Utd hierarchy
- Guardiola talks of Man City love affair as financial hearing rumbles on
- De Bruyne out of Belgium Nations League squad
- Japanese trainer Yahagi hopes Shin Emperor achieves 50-year-old Arc dream
- UK's Starmer hails 'landmark' carbon capture funding
- As EU targets Chinese cars, European rivals sputter
- Bosnia floods kill 14 people
- Tennis world number one Swiatek splits with coach Wiktorowski
- Liverpool share responsibility for Nunez goal drought, says Slot
- Top EU court finds against FIFA in key transfer market ruling
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Puffy and fluffy, with shoulders: Five trends from Milan Fashion Week
Milan Fashion Week wraps up Monday after six days of catwalk presentations showcasing the best of Fall/Winter 2022/2023, Italian-style.
Though spirits at the high-profile fashion event were dampened by the invasion of Ukraine, those attending got a front row sneak peak at the trends to be seen in months ahead -- hopefully in more peaceful times.
Here are a few:
- Power shoulders -
Bring out your shoulder pads, ladies. Expansive, exaggerated, and wide, wide, wide, 1980s' shoulders were back on the runway in a big way.
Dolce & Gabbana had a field day here, offering up the perfect wardrobe essentials for anyone needing to muscle someone out of the way. Shoulder pads beefed up black double-breasted suits, day-Glo jackets in orange, fuchsia and canary yellow, and were on display beneath transparent dresses paired with garter belts, imparting a sexy linebacker feel.
Versace went for maximum contrast with oversized, wide-shouldered long coats in pale blue and Barbie doll pink paired with the brand's signature corset tops in contrasting colours. At Prada, roomy black dresses with generous shoulders were accented with chains that swept across the neckline at an angle.
- Translucence -
Call it what you want -- transparent, flimsy, or practically nude -- see-through looks were all over the runway, from Fendi to Bottega Veneta. Fendi's barely-there silk chiffon skirts and slacks left little to the imagination in soft tones of apricot, mint and rose. See-through had texture at N°21, while Lorenzo Serafini at Philosophy ticked two boxes with a super sheer nude turtleneck exposing generous shoulder pads (see above).
At Missoni, the brand's famous zig zag was seen on subtly transparent lurex fabric sewn into shimmering slip dresses and long, form-fitting tunics, while at Prada, legs peeked out through diaphanous silk on tiered, below-the-knee cigarette skirts with panels of leather or grey wool. Bottega Veneta showed shimmering, translucent slip dresses bedecked with transparent sequins.
- Puffy and fluffy -
The craving for comfort in challenging times means the ongoing trend of Teddy Bear and puffer coats is unlikely to fade away. It's hard to give up Teddy.
Puffy, fluffy, and oversized were the coats seen in Milan, some modestly so and luxurious, as at Max Mara and Alberta Ferretti, and some not for the faint of heart -- think high glamour meets Muppet.
Versace brought puffy and shiny, a favourite combination for Italians, into a deliciously ample red down belted coat, while Philipp Plein offered a similar vibe in a bomber. An abundance of wildly distressed fabric in a shade of faded denim became a supersized men's coat at Diesel, with similarly eye-opening versions in dusty rose and avocado for women.
But Dolce & Gabbana designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana took the category to its apex, with creations on their colourful metaverse runway that would give the Abominable Snowman a run for his money.
Black and white and fuzzy and warm, one (faux) fur coat invoked a chic Pepe le Pew, while another, a cocoon of glossy black quilting, could easily double as a sleeping bag in a pinch.
And dispelling the notion that fuzzy is fattening, Bottega Veneta showed an impeccably tailored, slimming sheath dress in a teddy bear fabric. Max Mara similarly incorporated the comforting look into shorts and tunics.
- Tiny tops -
Teeny, weeny tops were seen over and over -- exposing everything but a strategic portion of torso -- and paired with everything from shiny pants at Missoni to shredded jeans at Diesel.
Already seen during the fall shows in a triangle bra version, this season's offerings opted for a bandeau look. Rihanna, in the audience at Gucci, opted for such a crop top in black latex -- providing maximum visibility of her pregnancy.
At Roberto Cavalli, the bandeau tops were in luscious mustard and emerald green mohair, paired with voluminous skirts or pants. Designer Fausto Puglisi's so-called "cage dresses" featured black, form-fitting dresses with narrow bands of fabric across the chest, given an underground, S&M edge with the addition of metal rings.
- Catsuits -
Warning: this mini-trend is not for everyone.
For good or for bad, the bodysuit made an appearance in Milan, most memorably at Roberto Cavalli, bedecked in cheetah print and accessorised with long matching cheetah gloves and leather straps for good measure.
A quasi-catsuit came crocheted at Etro, while Blumarine showed a red long sleeved version with a plunging neckline.
Wear it at your peril.
L.Carrico--PC