Think of the action inside the halls of Oxford University – students moving from quiet libraries to packed pubs and ballrooms with the chutzpah of Sloane Ranger – and you'll get an idea of the leggy, preppy style that Elisabetta Franchi conjured up for her autumn. catwalk show.
It was certainly a fun departure from the whimsical, sensual, figure-hugging clothing with which she gained a following and happened to be in tune with some of the trends seen on the Milan catwalks this season.
Taking literal references from university uniforms and academic lifestyles, crests, university letters and all, the designer shrunk her trousers, with denim and wool miniskirts, the latter with tartan variations, and kept things sleek and somewhat buttoned up for her blouses , as with preppy blazers with patches, regimental striped shirts with ties, and sequin-embellished rugby polos.
Feminine pencil skirts with a more animalistic pattern belonged to the college's dressy outfit, but layered over flowy, flared pants worn with a varsity T-shirt and a shirt tied at the waist, they catered to Kurt Cobain fans among the students. The same party animal wearing a hooded minidress with tinsel and sequin fringes would probably go shopping the next day in a tartan scarf dress to get out of bed. In her portrait of her college youth, the designer even wore a carefully tailored pantsuit and a pointed-shouldered military-inspired coat, worthy of graduation day.
Halfway through the show, a seatmate wondered aloud how this collection would serve Franchi's clientele. A reasonable question, which didn't take long for the designer to answer, flaunting her signature sparkly evening gown.
Never mind worn with sneakers, the floor-length mermaid dresses with revealing slits covered in sequins and crystal embroidery will be a sure hit with longtime fans.
Franchi is no newcomer to the fashion business, but with the fall it became clear that she is starting to have bigger ambitions.
For more Milan Fashion Week reviews, click here.
