Images via Elle.com

Dolce & Gabbana was a story told in black and white.  Lace and sheer fabrics permeated the Spring 2011 collection.  Corsets dominated, and it was all about legs, legs and more legs.  In-between all of the skin, there were incredibly beautiful and delicate pieces; they were feminine and even a little soft.  When you have light flowy and sheer fabrics mixed in with translucent lace you have the makings of romance, and this collection had plenty of that.  In the absence of color, the textile played a vital role – it was rich in texture and in depth.  The peek-a-boo nature of the white pieces was both saintly and provocative.  Dolce & Gabbana show us that seeing a woman in her undergarment can be the most vulnerable and simultaneously, the most powerful moment.

Salvatore Ferragamo was all about luxury with a bohemian flair; each look was accessorized with a head scarf to accentuate that fact.  Spring 2011 will find easy and relaxed pieces with structured coats and jackets sprinkled throughout at Ferragamo.  It was a color palette of olive, tan, ivory and mustard with navy mixed in.  Earthy and rich comes to mind when viewing these looks.  The prints added depth and the embroidery added texture to the collection.  Flowing fabrics lended grace to these looks; this was bohemian chic at its finest.

Images via Elle.com

Emilio Pucci delighted us with soft and subdued prints for Spring 2011.  They came in hues of blue and white, denim and various shades of brown prints.  The dresses were light and ethereal, and many were paired with over the knee lace-up boots; the contrast created a romantic runway look.  It was a sexy and feminine collection, but styled with an edge.  Delicate scarves were folded into bandanas to accessorize the hair and toughen-up the flowing chiffon.  There was even a retro seventies vibe to the collection, and it was done with an attentive eye on the present.

Versace was almost demure for Spring 2011, but Donatella Versace still delivered the provocative.  The Versace woman always maintains her allure, and she does so this season with sexy cut-outs and body-conscious fit.  There were hints of skin in the collection, but nothing overt.  The dresses were pretty with modest hemlines that fell below the knee.  Geometric shapes and cut-outs brought visual interest and excitement to this lady-like collection.  Donatella gave us a vibrant color palette of red, white, turquoise, black and a rainbow striped print.  Versace accomplished quite a feat for Spring 2011; she delivered something new to the House, all while maintaining its sexy signature.  This collection is both beautiful and wearable.

Prada was a story of stripes, prints, colors and shapes for Spring 2011.  Vibrant and bold are just too words to describe this collection.  The others would be ‘a work of art.’  The shapes were sexy and womanly with flirty hems.  Speaking of hems, fringes made an appearance on several of them; the fringes were playful and artistic in some cases, and appeared deconstructed in others.  Bright orange, neon green, cobalt blue and greenish-yellow were used to awaken our visual senses.  We cannot fail to mention the banana theme woven throughout the collection, but it was more akin to the Josephine Baker banana skirt than a simple pedestrian commercial use.  It was an imaginative use of Prada’s creative license.

Gucci was all about bright colors, textures, patterns and leather for Spring 2011.  In a season of neutrals, the bright colors were refreshing.  This was unexpected, but absolutely welcomed.  Sure the neutrals maintained a strong position in the collection, but the oranges, purples, greens and turquoises were loud enough to be heard.  The tailoring remained impeccable and each piece just as desirable.  This collection appeared to have had ethnic influences that made it even richer and more dynamic.  It’s  sexy with a restrained hand.

Gucci held its spring 2011 menswear runway show in Milan ealier this week.  There were a mixture of suits, casual slacks, blazers, leather jackets and denim in the collection.  The pants were sexy in a slim cut and we saw plenty of shorts, but the accessories stole the show.  Spring 2011 may become known as the season of man bags, and Gucci had a lot of them. 

       New York Fashion Week – Jason Wu Fall 2010

  London Fashion Week – Matthew Williamson Fall 2010

     Milan Fashion Week – Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2010

    Paris Fashion Week – Yves Saint Laurent Fall 2010

After viewing most of the collections from fall 2010, it was easy to spot the array of dark colors.  Of course that was predictable because we are dealing with the colder months.  Last year I had written about the classic little black dress after the fashion weeks were over.  We decided to write about cocktail dresses this year, but with only one condition, the dresses could not be black.  It should go without saying that this was a challenge for the fall season.  The search was a great re-cap of all the collections shown this past month.  There were so many beautiful gowns, but we were looking for cocktail dresses.  Color and and lightness were selected to combat the cold dark days of winter.  These dresses fit the bill perfectly:

Jason Wu’s dress was beautiful in an elegant print.  The model brought the dress to life, and she looked like she could have danced all night.

Matthew Williamson is a favorite of Fashion Rollcall, but this dress was a stand-out in London.  The one-shoulder and draping gave it a beautiful silhouette.

Dolce & Gabbana definitely brought the sexy to this group of dresses.  The designers gave us curves, and so did the city of Milan for fall.

Yves Saint Laurent was an elegant and artistic choice in Paris.  The delicate ruffles surrounding the upper body gave this dress a sophisticated retro look.  That was further enhanced by the long black gloves that extended to the upper-arm.

A funny thing happened in Milan and Paris during fashion month, it became fashionable to cast models with curves on the runway.  Two notable fashion houses took this step, and we applaud them both; the trail blazers were Prada in Milan, and Louis Vuitton in Paris.  The move towards curves have been gaining momentum, with in demand models like Lara Stone being sought after for advertising campaigns and editorials, but it has reached a new high.  Victoria’s Secret’s models were called to the rescue in Milan for Prada’s runway show, along with Lara.  Even their former Angels were called into action in Paris at Louis Vuitton.  It’s too soon to know if this trend will cross-over into Spring 2011.  Let’s not be naive, this was marketing; only the sales numbers will reveal just how brilliant.  We should not focus only on the sales of the clothes, but the accessories too.  Those who approve of this move may vote with their dollars, and purchase a Prada or Vuitton bag over other brands for fall.  Should it be a financial success, we may see other brands make the leap.  Even if this phenomena ends with the Fall 2010 season, it has left a permanent mark on all of us who witnessed the fashion industry embrace womanly bodies.

Versus is the revived diffusion line from Versace, designed by Christopher Kane.  The fall 2010 collection was on fire.  Delicately pleated mini skirts in scarlett red, midnight black and caribbean blue took center stage.  The collection was eerily reminiscent of the 1950′s, even though the skirts were far more modest in their coverage back then.  One look had a cardigan thrown around the shoulders and it further highlighted the 50′s.  Some of the looks reminded me of the cigarette girls at the theater in the 1950′s as well.  Those were the sweeter looks.  Along the way, a darker side emerged in the form of bondage; strips of ribbon made up the upper half of a few dresses.  Black leather gloves reaching the upper arm paired with a black pair of knee-length boots and short black dress cried out dominatrix.  Among my favorite were the graphic T-shirts which were a nice complement to all the skin shown.  Christopher Kane revisited the past and brought back a very sexy future.  The collection makes up with femininity what it lacks in modesty.  There is something inherently sweet about the Versus girl, even as she takes control.  Who wouldn’t want to be a Versus girl come fall?