Dolce and Gabbana remember Mamma

LIKE ALL GOOD Italian men, designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana dote on their mammas, and it showed at their catwalk show in Milan Sunday, which starred mums with babies and even pregnant models.
First up was Italian actress-model Bianca Balti, resplendent in a pink pregnancy dress, her bump proudly leading the way, as behind her models in pink and black creations with red roses, carrying babies in their arms.
“Ti voglio bene” – “I love you” in Italian – was scrawled in black across creations edged in lace, while “I love you mamma” in English was written round the neck of other rose-strewn numbers.
The problem, as all new mothers know, is that outfits tend to be ruined fairly quickly by babies, who insist on throwing up all over them – not a risk to be taken lightly with clothes which make your credit card squeal.
But some of the Dolce and Gabbana creations deserve an infant-free spin, particularly dresses reminiscent of Angelina Jolie’s wedding dress, with childish drawings scribbled all over them.
While the love vibe dominated, the collection was given an edge by some serious jewel-encrusted headphones in red and gold for the hip-mum look – some of which came with a built-in crown.

ARMANI SKIPS CAPES
Last Friday, Giorgio Armani might have been forgiven the absence of capes at his Emporio show, after pop diva Madonna blamed one of his creations for her fall at the Brit Awards earlier in the week.
The white-haired grandfather of fashion looked unrepentant as he took his bow for a lively autumn-winter 2015 collection based on soft blues, vibrant pinks, reds and purples, rounded off with a host of bewitching black looks.
Those cursed with unshapely ankles are in trouble: this winter it’s all about slim-cut trousers which stop short, leaving a glimpse of bare skin – no cheating with tights mind! – before the masculine, patent leather shoe below.
Red or black butterfly bows adorned shoulders on high-waist jackets and the front of full-waist coats, or were transformed into earrings. Bags were tiny, closed with a metal clasp and worn on long chains under furry gilets or with long frill straps, with classic clutches for the evening.
Among the trends emerging at Milan fashion week is the bedroom look, with Gucci producing furry slippers and Fendi showing off a duvet dress – and Armani did not disappoint, unveiling a pink coat with dressing-gown overtones.
The fat effect is also going large, though Armani took a softer approach, offering just two short-sleeved blue and red dresses in fur and wool, which hung out from the frame down to the knee.
Shoes were shiny in electric reds, purples and blues, with only a pair of sensible wide-heeled high heels for special events – which should rule out any further stumbles by celebrities dressed by the 80-year old fashion lord.
Madonna blamed her Armani cape for her tumble off the stage at the Brit Awards last Wednesday, after she was unable to untie it during an act. “Armani hooked me up! My beautiful cape was tied too tight!” she said on Instagram.
VERSACE GETS HIGH
Versace’s show, also on Friday, used a traffic-light colour scheme that would have had any fashionista hot under the collar – red, yellow and green thigh-high boots.
This was no patent leather “Pretty Woman” reference, though – more “Avengers” style – the boots paired with capes or ’60s-cut dresses, as well as tunics cinched in at the waist with large buckled belts, all worn with sunglasses in matching colours.
The catwalk was a blood-red runway onto which the models – including Paris native Aya Jones, wearing an iconic silver choker that spelt out “Versace” in capital letters – descended from above via a see-through staircase.
You thought logos were dead? Well not here: Donatella Versace splashed her family name in green, yellow and red across jersey tops, leather jackets and skirts in designs the press release described as having been “remixed by a DJ”.
There were cocktail dresses embroidered in vivid crystals, a black skirt with a zip up the back from bottom to top – not to be used under the influence of alcohol – and black dresses slashed with cut-outs, some lined with colour.
The autumn-winter 2015 collection boasted a fur green coat to the knee for those bitterly cold days, or a shorter feathered version in canary yellow – though the wearer risks resembling an expensively |dressed version of Warner Bros’ Tweety Bird.
Although the collection was tame compared to previous Donatella offerings – perhaps a bid at a more commercial product for the high street – there were plenty of outfits with slits to the upper thigh to keep traditional Versace lovers happy.
“This is my Versace for today, and forever,” Donatella said, describing the collection as “the emoji of the future”.