Last season we had long, swaddled layers with a touch of global-traveller, this season we had Missoni at its most modern.
Perhaps the constant switching of direction just goes to show how versatile a zig-zag knit can be? But whatever was behind Angela Missonis switching gear, she had certainly been soaking up the pervasive mood of sporty minimalism currently in the fashion ether. And the collection looked all the more modern for it.
She started out with pure white the ultimate visual signal from designers here in Milan when they want to tell you about fresh starts and new beginnings. She used Missonis classic fine knitwear in body-con tubes beneath sweeping transparent dresses or a thicker white rib for knitted jackets that sparkled with translucent crystal. In came the colour, on one sequined cardigan-coat, graduating from deep red at the hem through pink to white shoulders. Or the green fresh apple green in a woven jacket and peddle-pushers that looked crisp and Mediterranean turquoise for a long-sleeved surf-girl body, modelled to the max by Cara Delavingne.
It really was the injection of sportswear that pushed the classic Missoni knits forward. The open Airtex-cum-crochet layers over block colours beneath, or the go-faster stripes running up the legs of those below-knee shorts, or mini, swinging-in-the-breeze trapeze dresses.
She even pulled off a few little black dresses with fine spidery panels of knitwear-like lace.
This collection felt fresh and new. And whod have thought you could say Missoni and minimalism in the same line?
