Le Chameau wellies - model doing the equestrian trend in jodhpurs.
Fur, leopard print, geometric prints, gothic and silver are the key trends to emerge from Milan Fashion Week’s fall/winter 2012-13 collections. This was confirmed by a trip to the White Milan Show, a fair for fashion buyers that takes place concurrently with the big name designer runway shows.
Fur is big, both real and fake, and not only in terms of popularity we’re also talking volume here – big is better. However, with all that fur – one stand began to look like another. For me the accessories stood out, so here are my pick of the ones I liked.
I loved these ponyskin leopard and zebra print boots by Hache, which shares the same designer with sister brand Ter Et Bantine.
Hache ponyskin leopard and zebra print boots.
Hache ponyskin leopard and zebra print boots.
This leopard print coat by Hache also caught my eye.
Leopard print coat by Hache
Metallic is another trend from 2011 that will continue into fall/winter 2012. These brushed sequin shoes and bag by Collection Privèe are hand-made for Porselli, the official suppliers of ballerina shoes to the La Scala in Milan. So not your average ballerinas then – they are the real deal.
Ballerina shoes by Collection Privèe for Porselli
I love that if you brush the sequins in different directions it changes the colour from burnished gold and silver to black.
- Ballerina shoes by Collection Privèe for Porselli
I have been searching for a ponyskin leopard print bag for ages – one big enough for my camera, ipad, cellphone, wires, plugs you name it. I found it, I am seriously in love with this bag by Paris based Great By Sandie. The sales rep told me that five years ago leopard print didn’t sell, now it’s a different story and they are seeing serious demand in Japan.
I want this bag!
Leopard print ponyskin bag by Great By Sandie Paris
The Duchess of Cambridge’s favourite Le Chameau wellies were also there, where they announced that they are about to launch in the Italian market. A big thank you to the model on the stand for posing for my photo – it has gone nuts since I published it on Flickr and Pinterest.
Le Chameau wellies 2012
Hats are the other big story for fall/winter 2012-13, they featured in many of the big name designer collections. Cloche hats are one to watch given the revival for Jazz Age fashion thanks to Gucci, Ralph Lauren and the films The Artist and Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby re-make. Borsalino, the grandaddy of milliners (famous for their Fedoras and Panama hats for men), had a nice collection of leopard print hats. Florence based Marzi is another Italian hat brand – this glossy black feather cloche was a standout for me.
Black feather cloche hat by Marzi - thanks for modelling it for me 
Many thanks to those brands that took time to talk me through their new collections, and to those few that told me ‘you can’t take photographs and we don’t like the internet’ – what century are you guys living in?
Posted by Christine Babington Smith.
