VERSACE S/S 2014

High-fashion and hip-hop have never been strangers to one another - ever since Foxy Brown became Dior's poster girl back in the mid-90s, rappers have been name-dropping designers on a regular basis. However, the two worlds are now closer than ever; for example, Kanye West has designed his own range of clothing and single-handedly exploded the demand for Givenchy menswear by sporting their signature 'Rottweiler' T-shirt. This week came the most recent instalment of fashion's urban love-in; Versace's S/S 2014 collection, soundtracked by a remix of a song called 'Versace' originally by Migos. The new beefed-up version saw the addition of a massive SIX rappers including Canadian megastar Drake, which is almost unsurprising given that Donatella has never been a fan of restraint, preferring excess.

DOLCE & GABBANA S/S 2014

Despite their talent for making undeniably gorgeous clothing, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana are often targeted by fashion critics for a lack of originality. After reading a few reviews after the livestream of the Italian duo's S/S 2014 collection this morning, the critique was often predictable with the general consensus being that the designers' aesthetic hadn't progressed, and that there was little distinction between this and their previous collections. As usual, the clothing was heavily influenced by classic Italian architecture, there were sprinklings of gold lace and religious iconography and almost every look came complete with dazzlingly intricate footwear - however, to say that there was no progression in the collection is, essentially, untrue. Just as Donatella will continue to use her safety pins and Lagerfeld will continue to show fur at Fendi and tweed at Chanel, every fashion house has its signature codes - the traditional Italian imagery and dainty floral crowns simply help to identify a garment as being designed by Dolce & Gabbana. This isn't a bad thing. 

PRADA S/S 2014

Miuccia Prada has always been one of the most interesting women in fashion. Perhaps due to her political past, there is an intelligence imbued in her collections that raises the bar and challenges the spectator to really think about the clothing, as opposed to just appreciating its beauty. For example, in this S/S 2014 show, there was an abundance of reference points - from graffiti artists to colour-blocking to the mysterious female faces that cropped up on both the invitations and the clothes themselves, the variation of looks and influences in the show was mind-blowing. The models themselves appeared to belong to different girl gangs, each marked according to their hair colour, and the set was designed by muralists from different countries - it was clear that there was an intellectual, at times political, undercurrent to this collection, but when juxtaposed with a massive pop soundtrack ('Work Bitch' by Britney Spears was Miuccia's soundtrack of choice), colourful embellishment and gorgeous clothing, the overall attitude was youth and, more importantly, fun!

MILAN A/W 2013 HIGHLIGHTS

It is hard to think of Italy without thinking of tradition, religion and (of course) extravagance, and Milan Fashion Week delivered in providing all three. Legendary Italian designers (think Gucci AND Ferragamo) presented collections that were chic, opulent and heavily inspired by the culture of the country. More upmarket than New York, less experimental than London and more classic than Paris, Italy is known for its fondness of excess, and the collections demonstrated this perfectly. I believe that the collections were extremely divisive - for example, some houses occasionally took excess too far by relentlessly clashing prints (Roberto Cavalli) whereas others used materials such as PVC in an unsuccessful attempt to create an experimental look (Versace). The true highlights came either when a brand stuck to a classic colour palette but experimented with cut and fabric (Prada) or followed a signature aesthetic but pushed it further than ever before to establish a strong brand identity (Dolce & Gabbana). So here are my highlights of Milan Fashion Week, a true testament to overstated glamour, relentless decadence and exquisite craftmanship. 

FENDI
The one fabric that is undoubtedly having its moment this season is fur - so far this season several designers have turned to fur to add a touch of luxury to their collections, but Fendi made the brave decision to dedicate almost an entire show to the versatile fabric. Whether it was shaggy mohair dyed canary yellow, or a more traditional mink fur streaked with pink and purple, the collection incorporated both tradition and innovation. Although there were some chic, tailored looks, it was the more outlandish looks that truly provided the highlights of the show. For example, a ruffled black fur coat was decorated with racing stripes of hot pink, putting a playful twist on an otherwise traditional look. The hair and accessories added to this youthful spirit - models walked the runway with grey fox-fur mohawks, whereas wacky white sunglasses (oddly reminiscent of Willy Wonka) look set to become the must-have accessory of this season. Showing that the worlds of luxury and whimsy can co-exist, the collection was without doubt one of the most interesting of the season.

BOTTEGA VENETA

Towards the more refined end of the fashion spectrum was Tomas Maier's A/W collection for luxury Italian house Bottega Veneta. Choosing to stick to classic designs and add interest via sculptural silhouettes and left-field colour choices (Maier even succeeded in making mustard look sexy - not an easy task!), the collection stood out for its approach on turning old-fashioned clichés on their head. For example, wool was the predominant fabric choice of the collection, yet the fabric looked light and airy as opposed to stiff and restrictive. Cocoon coats were tightly belted to give an air of elegance and a feminine silhouette, whereas plunging necklines were used elsewhere in the collection as a nod to a more seductive aesthetic. There were also references to the Art Deco trend - a series of cream dresses were decorated so painstakingly with coloured embroidery that it gave the illusion of a painted work of art, whereas sheer detailling and intricate beading presented a modern take on the 1920s flapper dress. Overall, the collection a new take on the notion of femininity - by being sexy without being overtly obvious, Maier showed that high fashion doesn't always have to be about shock value. 

DOLCE & GABBANA A/W 2013

Perhaps the collection that best encapsulated the decadent spirit of Milan Fashion Week was the latest offering from fashion legends Dolce & Gabbana. Featuring over 70 looks as well as appearances from model talent such as Karlie Kloss and Daphne Groeneveld, the whole experience supplied the audience with unrivalled extravagance from the very first look. The duo also succeeded in taking their signature religious iconography and intricate embroidery and mixing them with new elements such as a more restricted and mosaic-print in order to develop a more sophisticated aesthetic. 

The collection also focused heavily on the idea of juxtaposition. Imbalanced silhouettes were a key look for this season, showing that the duo have moved away from the hourglass silhouette for which they are renowned into more experimental territory. For example, bejewelled gold gowns featured oversized cap sleeves, whilst narrow skirts were teamed with voluminous separates to create a striking look. Later in the show came the house's foray into a more masculine look than we usually see, taking stiff menswear fabrics such as herringbone and tweed and crafting beautiful suits - the duo kept the silhouettes as feminine as possible, using cropped jackets, pencil skirts and subtle peplums to accentuate the female form and toy with the concept of gender roles. 

GUCCI A/W 2013

After the sleek collections of New York and the edgier, more experimental collections of London, Milan Fashion Week seeks to bring us the classic brand of Italian decadence for which the country is so renowned. It seems fitting that the week kicked off with arguably the most iconic Italian fashion house of all - Gucci. 

 The collection was a lesson in how to bring old-school Italian glamour into the 21st century, incorporating a rich colour palette and chic tailoring as well as some more experimental silhouettes. The vine-leaf motifs provided a nod to the house's Italian heritage, whereas the slicked-back hair of the models stopped the looks from being too much of a "glamorous" cliché. Standout pieces included a cropped cocoon-like orange jacket, as well as a selection of gorgeously chic leather pencil skirts in a variety of muted colours. If there was ever any doubt that Milan is the true birthplace of glamour, this week looks set to dispel it.