MFW – Alberta Ferretti S/S2020

It’s always noticeable when you’re in the midst of a near-perfect storm.  Milan Fashion Week in the summer and a summer collection by Alberta Ferretti is about as perfect as you’ll really need.  Colour played a huge role in the new S/S200 collection, with tones subtly graduating from warm oranges and tans all the way through to cool purples and deep space blacks as the show progressed.  It was almost like watching a live version of the world’s most fashionable Pantone colour chart.

The other over-arching theme of the collection was comfort and ease-of-wear.  There were very few straight lines or rigid shapes.  Everything was flowing and described billowing shapes as various fabrics caught the air.  Even when those fabrics were 70s inspired hippie-chic suede.

A-line mini-skirts or bra and flared ankle pants combinations in suede swung pleasingly with the gait to let you know it was not going to be the heavy, cloying fabric against your skin next summer you might have been expecting.

Gorgeous full length, full sleeved maxi dresses – sometimes in sheer see-through – threatened to lift the wearers off their feet and literally float them down to the end of the catwalk.  Shorts came in beige giant knee-length, brown short shorts or hot pink hot pants to accommodate your varying moods.   The denim ensembles telegraphed their ‘flower power’ exuberance with abstract petal detailing or two-tone tie-dyed effects.

The tailoring gave us interesting new silhouettes to fawn over, with mustard ‘Zoot’ suits with extra high trouser waists loosely bound with matching belts and matching thigh length jackets.  Or tapered trousers expertly constructed with a mass of excess fabric around the thighs to offer pleasing new shapes.

The purples, blues and blacks seemed to announce the evening wear part of the show.  Show-stopping sleeveless floor length sequinned dresses played with the lights like a high carat diamond.

And what might have looked like a simple top from the front revealed it was a more like a reverse shawl or short cape from the back – tied at the back of the neck and tantalisingly exposing the skin all the way down to the small of the back.  Some of the dresses even exhibited an almost Grecian simplicity from neck to sandaled toes as they hovered past.

There was so much to take in and admire it was almost like binge watching an entire season of your favourite show in one sitting.  Fortunately, there will be plenty of time to re-watch it before the collection hits the shops next summer.

Re-watching is definitely recommended.

For more on Alberta Ferretti click here.

To watch the S/S2020 Milan Fashion Week show visit our YouTube hub.

Click here for our last feature on Alberta Ferretti.