Ancient temples at Milan fashion week

MILAN - Reuters

Models present creations for Dolce & Gabbana as part of the spring/summer 2014 ready-to-wear collections during the fashion week in Milan. AFP photo

Top designers took inspiration from architecture at Milan fashion week on Sept. 22, with ancient Sicilian temples printed on dresses at Dolce & Gabbana and structured tailoring at Salvatore Ferragamo.

The spring-summer 2014 collections were shown on the penultimate day of Milan’s biannual women’s fashion extravaganza, which organizers estimate brings 15,000 people to Italy’s style capital. “It’s a very architectural season,” Ferragamo designer Massimiliano Giornetti told Reuters before his show, saying he was inspired by Mexican architect Miguel Angel Aragones.

Beige was the predominant color in Giornetti’s collection, which featured tailored blazers and blousons cut high at the waist or low at the neckline, exposing midriffs and snakeskin bras.

“I really played with the duality of this woman, from one side very tailored, very refined, very modern, very sleek, and from the other side more gentle, more feminine,” said Giornetti.

Flamboyant Italian duo Dolce & Gabbana drew their own inspiration from an “imaginary journey to discover ancient Sicily”, presenting dresses printed with ancient ruins and shoes with heels shaped like temple columns.

The Milan fashion week finished yesterday, with shows from brands including lively design house Frankie Morello and veteran Italian designer Giorgio Armani.