First comes the hairstyle, and then everything else follows!
Of course, when Coco Chanel cut her hair short in the early twentieth century, it heralded women’s emancipation from the confining garments of centuries past. When short haircuts for women made a comeback a few years ago, it signalled a more subtle change, and we’ve been witnessing a slow shift in womenswear toward a cleaner, more tailored, refined and powerful menswear-inspired look.
Indeed, the women’s winter collections and spring/summer looks shown at the recent edition of Pitti suggests that Florence is ready to embrace the best of this trend. Picking up from where Armani left his pioneering 1980s work uniform, the power suits shown for these seasons are far from unisex. Instead, the strength is in their subtle yet compelling feminine appeal, achieved through cut, color and fabrics.
Classic men’s closet staples—jackets, pants, shirts, vests and sweaters—are re-invented with an elegant touch. Cuts are sharp and clean, while shapes
are bulky, with an architectural emphasis. Colors include elegant neutral tones such as marsala, the newest shade of warm brown, along with sexy reds accented with royal blues and edgy greens.
The finest materials are essential to the polished look. From cashmere to silk and linen, it is the excellence of ‘Made in Italy’ textiles that makes the difference.
