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MILAN - Miuccia Prada took her models down to the enchanted part of the garden where the fairies live, introducing them to a dreamworld that verged on nightmare and put dark circles round their eyes.
Prada, whose shows are seen as pivotal for fashion direction, used the themes on Tuesday of botanical prints, plaids and knitted jumpsuits she had put in her menswear spring and summer collection, shown in June.
Models with their hair in matted plaits and dark eye make up moved through a maze of green concentric seating, against a backdrop print on the walls of elves with over-ripe fruits and just over bloom flowers.
Prada swirled the botanical prints across green silk for pyjama style outfits, or used a trellis design in green and white for a full, stiff skirt.
Huge petals of tissue-like silk hung on the hip of a dress or were draped across the shoulders, while necklines were jigsaw-shaped and hems were uneven.
The knitted marbled trousers and tops first seen in June with menswear arrived on the women in slim-fitting trousers and skinny vests.
Amid the elegance came socks in staggered stripes of contrasting colours.
Prada's show echoed some trends from other collections, with wide-leg chiffon trousers and high, high-heeled shoes.
At Bottega Veneta, where the style was long, languid elegance, models stalked down the catwalk just supported on shoes with heels in the brand's trademark interwoven leather.
Dresses had wide pleats and swung loosely in linen or were structured in accordion style on one side of a full skirt.
Bottega Veneta, owned by France's PPR through the Gucci Group, uses its roots in traditional Italian leather craftsmanship to bring twists to a classic look.
Designer Tomas Maier used natural colours of chocolate brown, putty, lemon and palomino blonde for his collection, adding gold and silver for highlights.
Tan leather turned into an A-line dress stopping just above the knee with a button front, or was worked into long gloves that finished above the elbow and were worn with a short-sleeved, swing back raincoat.
Earlier on Tuesday, designers Missoni and Anna Molinari's Blumarine collection had also gone for loose, flowing looks.
Missoni, known for geometric print knits, put the focus on hems, borders and necklines but kept to an emerging theme for this week's shows of flowing looks.
Missoni's trademark chevron design was sized up and used in bands of chocolate, pale lemon and brick that bled into each other on an ankle-length loose dress.
A short, sleeveless dress in woven gold sported a hem banded in bright turquoise, like enamelling. Missoni spattered a mini skirt with round spots of mirrors, or used mirrored panels at the bodice of a long evening gown.
Blumarine's models walked out against a backdrop of a typical Mediterranean port town, and sported bright sunshine colours of orange, yellow and coral.
Hot pants in acid orange jersey set off a mini polo shirt, while chocolate drop print shorts were worn with a cream cotton drill jacket.
Blumarine swept evening gowns low at the back, never compromising their elegance with immodesty. Dresses were froths of chiffon gathered and twisted into knots, left without adornment for a stunning simplicity.
- REUTERS
