Tag: Milan

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Fashion

Black and Paper at Milan Fashion Week

My Reliable BFF

Milan Fashion Week was exhausting, a tight and grueling schedule. Many shortened presentations and events running alongside Fashion Shows made for eleven hour days. Once again the reliable Milan Metro System became my best friend.

As a whole, the Furla collection was a bit underwhelming. 

The Milan Fashion Scene is under going a crisis, a type of creative insecurity. The feeling was more in a neutral space with designers venturing to the demure side. No designs stood above the rest. Moving away from creative statements, commercial needs take precedent. At the time of writing I am going over the looks from the runways and presentations. My opinion may change in the future, stay tuned.

Bulgaria Bags with the Scarab clasp.  The embroided handbag was a key piece.

Fashion like any business needs new ideas, renewel. A source of my appreication comes from independent designers. Talking to them, seeing the designs inspire me.  If they hit it big I can say “I met him or her when”.

Luxury brand Cinzia Rocca stayed true to the classic form this season while introducing new accessories.

Chunky Craze 

From Sketchers, A 90’s retro look.  Chunky Sneakers are a part of the brand DNA.  

BrunoThe Chunky Sneaker trend continues to reign supreme. Every house and designer have answered the call. As a non-fan, it is hard to write good things about this. Walking around with a tank on my foot is not my ideal of style. What was once a niche footwear has now gone mainstream. The other streetwear piece niche now in the style conscience scene, the belt bag. The inescapable fashion accessory piece is a must have. Will I buy one? NO! They lack an elegance I look for a bag. Not complementing but portruding from the waist the same as a hernia.

Bruno Cucinelli soft looks are made for easy styling.  Each cable knit sweater takes 36 hours to produce.

Get a Job

Lastly, Instagram Ego’s were not in short supply. The business of “Selfie Promotion” has gotten so large, many Carrie Bradshaw Wannabes’s brought partners to take pictures and videos to records their experiences. A few seasons ago they were welcomed, now attendees are visibly rolling eyes. Weariness! How many Instagram Influencers posting a picture of themselves can attend a show? If any out there think this is a full time career, my advice would be to start acquiring new skill sets.

Stay Tuned for more coverage.

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Fashion

Call Beyonce!

Shoes are fabulous items. Some creations should be worn on the upper part of the body instead of the lower. During Milan Fashion Week, Aquazzura presented its Fall 2019 collection that gives the word “bling” a new meaning. My first thought, call Beyonce. Queen B needs to wear these on stage.

Creative Director and Founder Edgardo Osorio creates footwear for celebrating life. As a designer Edgardo confidently uses expressive colors to form his aesthetic. 

 

Sponsored by #CanonDEU


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Fashion

Milan Fashion Week Men Part 2

  • Kiton  
  • Spyder 
  • David Catalan 
  • Hot Face
  • Prada 
  • Tod’s
  • A late night view of Milan 
  • Oh My

Images by Canon Camera SX740 HS

Stay Tuned for more detailed reports

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Fashion

Milan Fashion Week Men Part 1

Black and Paper coverage from the Italian Fashion Capital.  

Images by CanonSX740 Sponsored by #Canondeu

  • Starting My Day on the Tram 
  • Caruso 
  • Caruso 
  • Kitten 
  • Missoni 
  • Santoni 
  • Eleventy 
  • Giuseppe Zanotti 
  • Numero 00
  • Milan Roof Top 
  • Canali 
  • Brioni 
  • Church’s 
  • The Manzoni 
  • Transport Milan Style 
  • Milan Moda Graduate 
  • Models on the Street
  • Massimo Alba 
  • Milan Roof Top 

Stay Tuned for more

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Fashion

Dondup from MFWM

From Milan Fashion Week Men, Dondup offered a fresh lively take on outerwear for Spring 2019.  The collection veered to the masculine side but in a soft way.   Men who are looking for wearable pieces should check the label out.

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Fashion

Casual Luca L.

https://twitter.com/BlackandPaper1/status/1106628428743221250

During Milan Fashion Week Men I popped over to Luca Larenza presentation. Other than being a nice guy, the menswear designer leans toward the casual side of mens fashion. The collection is leisure wear with retro looks. I admit this was not my favourite from him. I liked his winter looks more. If a man is looking to relax without effort. These pieces are for him.

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Fashion

Jacket Cozy

From Milan Fashion Week Sept 2018.  Luxury outerwear Herno presented its new womenswear collection.   I like color on a person, HA! I found the use of a wide palette refreshing.  Stand out in elegant way. 

Two looks from Herno 

Sponsored by Canon Deutschland 

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Fashion

Byblos Northern Lights


Forgive the crazy review. When I arrived in Milan on Wednesday morning of Fashion Week the schedule went off the rails quickly.

The Byblos winter 2019 was suppose to be the 3rdshow of the day for me. A tad wind blown when I arrived to the location by press shuttle, I knew the brand but had no clue what to expect. Navigating through the crowds to get to the door I made my way to my seat in a white event area. 

Creative Director Maniel Facchini was inspired the by the colors and science of Auroras Borealis according to the press release. Another aspect of the collection was the use of sustainable materials. Recycled bottles for accessories along with nylon made into outerwear looks are brands eco-friendly direction.

Moving from puffer jackets to skin tight dresses the brand is positioning itself as high end sportswear and streetwear for the bling set. Embellishments, geometrics prints, 3D projections were on full show.

Hockey knee pads, knee high boots, furry booties, and chunky sneakers rounded out the get noticed footwear. 

The Final Walk 

With model Winnie Harlow strutting the catwalk , Byblos is chartering a new course, upping its profile. The brands flagship store on Via Montenapoleone opens this Spring.

My overall impression of the collection: all about youth, on the street. 

Sponsored by Canon Germany. 

Categories
Fashion

Milan Impressions

Going with the flow.

Milan Fashion Week is over. I love the Italian city with all of its creative instincts. Designers are always enthusiastic ready to speak about their latest works.  I had detailed collection tours. 

Fall 2019 will be about the bling.  At least that is the word from ateliers in Italy.  In other words, social media has affected fashion in many ways. Instant recognition means getting noticed. The right image on Instagram attracts free likes, comments, and shares. Fashion brands have leapt onto the instant fame generation. 

Inspiration mixed with heavy doses of commercialization took over. These days fashion is shared not personal. Style liberation has been replaced by forced digital integration. Milanese designers continue to evolve this year.  Incorporating social media friendly colors, shapes, and rebranding logos

Many fashion looks upcoming looks are based on the modern “It Girl”. A person who cannot live without a smartphone. Constantly connected with many followers. An existence centered on posting. 

Not an insult 

I viewed lovely collections not influenced by social media.  Sophisticated, the tag inside, sadly, not sure if these brands would would be popular in Fall 2019. After a chat with one public relations representative, we agreed.  Can reconciling elegance in the digital world work? On one hand, I want to say “Yes”.   After I got back to my hotel, I looked over the feeds of a few “fashion influencers”.  I wondered. Ostentatious has become a compliment. 

Milan has stepped out of the shadow of Paris.   Tailoring looks with an appreciation of the physical form,  fitted silhouettes. 

I attended many shoes and bags presentations, many brands are extending lines to accessories. A business strategy to counter Michael Kors recent acquisition of shoemaker Jimmy Choo. A country with a history of leather design and production, it was not surprising. Leather shoes prevailed.  Some incorporated exotic skin and diamond materials. 

Stay tuned for more reports.

Categories
Fashion

Faces or Shoes?

Which would you choose? 

Sponsored by Canon Deutschland.