In one word: the shirtwaist. In the midst of a true seventies revival, Karl Lagerfeld opened the second day of Milan Fashion Week with a highly sophisticated combination of casual and couture focused on that perennial fashion staple. It was luxe minimalism at its best. Cast in a palette of crisp whites, salmons, powder blues, reds and jade, it was a stellar show that should prove to be one of Fendi’s most wearable and well-received collections in recent memory. Today’s modern version features soft lantern sleeves and is cinched at the waist with a colorful leather belt. Floral and geometric prints were thoroughly present, but none made the same impression as did a “cappuccino” print, resembling coffee stains on a table cloth. Simply put, it was a fresh, loose and feminine collection that utilized ingenious fabric manipulation like rubber-stamped organza, nylon seersucker and woven leather: trousers cropped at the ankle, soft tops over knee-length skirts, and a gorgeous array of tunic dresses with a marked waistline and a demure below-the-knee hemline.
