Milan Summer Street fashion & Style

Desigual dress - white leather Gucci flats for comfort and style.

Note the Burberry check bag - think it is a copy,

Young style - Burberry from head to toe - works on a child

Family retail therapy in Via Della Spiga

Waiting for the bus in style - Note the high heels on one girl and the animal print flats on the other

Vintage Louis Vuitton bag over shoulders of girl in floral top

Yes those windows were amazing - shows the importance of having your brand emblazoned on your bag - 

I like the Bardot style top here, very D & G, and his and hers aviator glasses.

Dolce and Gabbana woman as featured on my previous post.

Dolce and Gabbana woman in white cotton trend

Head to toe in off white - very chic - could be a Zara coat!

Animal print and colour block, note the size of those hand bags

A stylish mature couple in colour and print - I like how they coordinate with each other, also that the man is wearing a diagonal checked shirt with jeans and tan brogues - 
would we see this in the UK ? - I think we should do!

Milanese dog walking style - Colour block - note the lead and dog collar matches her red top and watch strap

His and her dogs - I like her chambray dress with and black boots and belt. 

Cool bike - why walk when one can cycle and look chic?

I spotted these stylish shoppers around and about in Milan's smart shopping area of Via Montenapoleone, Verra - Via S Andrea, and Via Della Spiga in early May when the weather was better. 
As you can see from the map, Milan is fashion brand Utopia. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele on the left on this map is a beautiful glass domed building and has some wonderful shops, Prada being one of them - watch the next post to see the VM ( visual merchandising)  shop window displays for this leader of fashion.


Photography Schelay McCarter copyright - please credit

Fay - Via Della Spiga - Milano - British style influences

British style in Italy

London City style Visual Merchandising

As I was walking up Via Della Spiga I noticed Fay. This is an Italian higher end brand with coats selling for £335.00. With very little information on the internet, I found that the Telegraph of all places sells Fay! Clearly influenced by Brit style Fay has enough profile and gravitas to have a retail position on via della Spiga in Milan. If any of my Italian friends have more information please let me know. I am amazed there is no Fay website to track. http://fashionshop.telegraph.co.uk/brand_detail.php?brand=fay


Photography copyright Schelay McCarter

Debbie Harry - Original Punk Priestess

In her band called Blondie, Debbie Harry found fame relatively late in life at the age of 41 with hit single Heart of Glass. Everyone of a certain age group wanted to look like her, her fashion verve and uber cool style had global influence. A pioneer of beauty and empowerment for female rock musicians she paved the way for artists such as Annie Lennox, Chrisie Hind, Madonna, Gwen Stefani and Lady Gaga

Still performing - Debbie Harry today in the extraordinary razor blade dress designed by Michael Schmidt

 

Heart of glass was was number one in the UK in 1979 - 


Debbie Harry and her friends hung out at times with Andy Warhol, Eddie Sedgwick and Velvet Underground and were part of the underground music scene in New York. The Punk movement emerging in the UK with Vivienne Westwood and Malcombe McClaren was growing in influence at this time eventually becoming main stream and commercial. Ideas Westwood originated such as safety pin dresses made out of black bin liners were ultimately developed by couturiers such as Gianni Versace who in 1994 designed the famous safety pin dress that is widely credited in launching Elizabeth Hurley's career when she wore it to the premier of Four Weddings and a Funeral with Hugh Grant. I could write a very long post about the influence of punk on fashion but I haven't got time!!

It was an amazing dress - a true fashion moment.

Dolce & Gabbana - Via Della Spiga in Milan

Here we have a shot of an authentic D & G woman complete in one of their dresses looking for more in the D & G window on Via Della Spiga. Note her bright Orange bag and black shoes. She certainly stands out from the crowd.

The brand campaign photos as part of the window display,
to see the campaign click on this link
http://schelay.blogspot.com/2011/02/dloce-gabanna-are-top-notch-this-season.html

     The shop stretched over 6 windows, displaying sound bite outfits from their summer 2011 collection

An inviting window - voyeuristic as you can see the customers looking and selecting outfits, gives the feel of a dressing room.

The white  D & G collection of Embroidery Anglais that has so influenced the high street trends this season.

Another Dolce & Gabbana woman in Via della Spiga !

Floral patterns and lace from the collection enticingly displayed in the window for all to see the detail and quality to tempt you to go in!

Up close detail, note the shoes, Mad Men influence here with the 1950s/60s fabric patterns and colour

A classic Dolce and Gabbana dress with white shoes and jacket casually strewn on the lush velvet seat in the window

The signature white dress as seen in the brand campaign for spring / summer 2011 

 Customers can sit on the seat in the window - giving those outside a look into the D & G world, note the white bag on the sofa, the total look already styled for you.

Via Della Spiga in Milan is the equivalent to London's Bond Street. It is pedestrianised and very pleasant to walk up, one sees the occasional stylish Milanese woman on a bicycle, or people walking their dogs interweaving the small groups of people shopping. Via Della Spiga has all the top Italian and international fashion brands in residence and the most amazing window displays.
I took photos of the whole stretch - very inspiring.

Photos Schelay McCarter copyright 2011

Stella McCartney - POP magazine year 2000

POP magazine year 2000 cover 

A feature on Pole dancing where Stella and a group of friends among them Phoebe Philo and Liberty Ross have their photos taken in these provocative poses ! Like Zumba classes today Pole dancing was de rigeur then and everyone was doing it. Photographer: Phil Poynter Art Director:  Katie Grand.

Stella was just at the beginning of her fashion career here and was designing for Chloe with Phoebe Philo. Tom Ford under the direction of Claude Arnault of LVMH pursued her to work for them in Paris on her own label. Alexander McQueen was also asked to jump on board and did at that time. Stella has never looked back. She is now with PPR (Pinault-Printemps-Redoute)  competition to LVMH and her label is a thriving fashion house. Stella the middle child of Linda and Paul McCartney has proved herself to have the same drive and ambition of her father Sir Paul and late mother Linda who was also a business woman in her own right. With three children and another on the way Stella decided to launch her own children's wear collection. Check out fashiontent4kids to find out more. http://fashiontent4kids.tumblr.com/ 

copy Schelay McCarter - please credit 

Ascot - Ladies Day hats & Victoria Beckham

Occasion : The Royal Wedding- Victoria Beckham in her
royal blue hat looked very stylish, the hat flattered from all angles - a criteria for decision making when choosing a hat.

  The side view is elegant, is it comfortable to wear ? - well that is a question I will have to ask her! Victoria's baby girl will be delivered on the 4th July by C section -
What will she be called ? place your bets....
Beau Beckham sounds good, what do you think? 

For a tall woman this Philip Treacy private hat worn with the right Chanel couture dress would look stunning for Ascot - just as long as it wasn't windy! 

Or on a tighter budget this Julian MacDonald dress for Debenhams - a snitch at £52.00 in their 20% off sale - remember it is all about the hat at Ascot girls!

Steven Jones hat - a glorious pretty design in keeping with floral trend of this summer.

 

On a larger budget I would wear the above hat with this body hugging Victoria Beckham dress from her S/S 2011 collection

This Philip Treacy would have to go with an Erdem dress on someone with long dark hair - like Jasmin Le Bon

Erdem S/S 2011 pretty white lace for girls with exceptional legs.

With Ascot only a few weeks away on the 16th June Milliners all over the UK will be counting on a very good trade, in particular top UK Milliners Philip Treacy and Steven Jones. I have had a look at their collections for S/S 2011 and made a few selections. To see more click on the below links and see which ones you prefer!


http://www.philiptreacy.co.uk/

http://www.stephenjonesmillinery.com/01hats/designers.php

A classic over the top Royal Ascot ladies Day hat!

The Royals leading the way in fashion - not! or perhaps they choose to opt out for our entertainment - !

Here come the girls !

Christened the 'embellished loo seat' or the 'Turkey twizzler' by much of the Press this Philip Treacy hat it was reported today has raised in auction £81,000 on Amazon - good on you Beatrice
Well any publicity is better than no publicity they say!

Fascinators are out this season - I like this one though.
score - 7 out of 10

Carol Middleton's 'side on' hat is very flattering and doesn't ruin ones hair !
This practical formula will be copiously copied this season at weddings and Ascot I predict

As fascinators are 'so' out this season, why not go for a clever compromise to get the same easy to wear look as a half way house, creating the side on look that is so flattering and doesn't ruin ones carefully styled hair. This one is available from the House of Fraser web site for £45.00. It has the potential to customize by adding other adornments such as a large poppy or geometric ribbon shapes.

Wear with a bold colour block dress or go for the pretty white D&G look.

http://www.randallribbons.co.uk/untrimmed-hats/ul6-untrimmed-hat.html

Randall Ribbons ( see above link) sells hat adornments and untrimmed hats - see below, perfect for styling to suit your outfit and get the unique look for Ascot on a budget. Ken Peirson and Sons on this same site has some excellent already trimmed hats at very reasonable prices -

£18.00 - yellow a summer colour trend, for the statement 'out there' Ascot look!
Steven jones has done a very natty top hat, so it is right on trend for a fraction of the price.  

http://www.gorgeousandglorious.co.uk/product.php?id_product=196


'Gorgeous and glorious' ( above link) has some excellent statement hats perfect for Ascot to hire or buy - check out their site - This site also sells trimmings for you to create your own bespoke hat.

To hire for £45.00 this Butterfly hat is already been fully booked for Ascot at Gorgeous and Glorious

Marie Chantal of Greece is always impeccably dressed and looks fabulous in this delightful powder blue hat worn for the royal wedding recently.