Milan, Feb 25: When Jennifer Lopez sashayed into Dolce & Gabbana's
catwalk show, she was met with
whoops and roaring applause as even the front rows --
packed with top buyers and the cream of the fashion press
-- stood to get a glimpse of the pop diva.
But Lopez, in a figure-hugging dress, was all but
eclipsed by the rich gold embroidery and sumptuous
empire-line brocades that filled a collection inspired by
Napoleon and his time.
"It was so beautiful, so gorgeous," Lopez told Reuters
backstage after the show as she sat between designers
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. "It was everything you
expect from Dolce & Gabbana -- sexy, powerful, ethereal."
The design duo turned the military hints in their
menswear collection into a full theme for women next
winter, bringing out button-front tight breeches worn with
boots or stockings and a
line of Napoleonic jackets in all lengths and materials.
The military look was paired down with cropped jackets
and jeans or adapted for the city in a neat-but-sexy grey
pinstripe.
"It's a kind of femininity that is different from
before. The military look, but in a romantic way," Gabbana
said.
The designers raided a "War and Peace" haberdashery for
a range of opulent eveningwear that went from subtly sheer,
ruffle-collared Josephine frocks in aquamarine and cream to
empire-line dresses crammed with tassels, pearls, feathers
and gold embroidery.
For the chillier nights, there were gold feathered
shrugs.
"It's Napoleon and his lovers," Gabbana said. "It's
about him and all of the women around him during his life
-- Marie Antoinette, Pauline, Josephine."
The Napoleonic theme continued with British fashion
house Burberry which celebrated its 150th anniversary with
a celebrity-packed catwalk show at Palazzo Serbelloni,
Napoleon's Milanese residence.
Kate Moss, the one-time face of Burberry, took a break
from tabloid attention to grab a seat front row, sitting
with veteran fashion photographer Mario Testino and former
boyfriend Jefferson Hack, while top model Stella Tennant
walked the runway.
The Burberry Prorsum collection -- as befits an
anniversary year -- delved into the fashion house's
archives and saw designer Christopher Bailey playing with
the classic trenchcoat, which came out plain vanilla but
also quilted, cropped, in gold and delicate lace.
Bureau Report